If Colorado is good at one thing, it’s constructing and maintaining amazing hiking trails and the Centennial State just announced a brand new one that’s all-but guaranteed to thrill those of us who love to explore in our hiking boots and trail running shoes .
The Denver Orbital Trail is a 177-mile route that encircles the entire city of Denver. While most Denverites and visitors to the city expect a minimum of an hour’s drive in I-70 traffic to get onto the trails, the DOT has sections that are as little as a 15 minute drive from downtown, and much of it is accessible by public transport.
If that all sounds a little too urban for your wilderness sensibilities, hold your horses. Mike Tormey of the National Parks Service has been hiking the trail, and showcasing it on the Denver Orbital Trail’s X account , and the views are breathtaking. In one post, which you can view below, he reveals shots from segment 5, which takes you through Jefferson County Open Space west of Denver, delivering broad valleys, mountain vistas and sparkling lakes.