Close to Colorado Springs
Black Forest Regional Park — walk through the aftermath of the most destructive forest fire in state history
Castlewood Canyon State Park — East Side, West Side — great scenery, but very popular
Cheyenne Canon — Seven Bridges Trail, Helen Hunt Falls
Cheyenne Mountain State Park — Lots of trails through oak and pines on the lower slopes of Cheyenne Mountain
Dawson Butte Ranch Open Space — Easy five-mile loop through pine and scrub oak forests with views of the Front Range and Dawson Butte.
Eagle Peak — steep, hard climb to great views of Pikes Peak and north Colorado Springs
Fox Run Regional Park — walk through a Ponderosa forest and maybe see black Abert’s Squirrels
Garden of the Gods — Central Garden Trail, Balanced Rock, Siamese Twins
The Incline — Very steep hike up the track of an old incline railroad.
Lincoln Mountain Open Space — not super exciting, but close and not crowded
Monument Rock — rock outcropping and easy trails in Pike National Forest
Mount Herman Trail — “like The Incline, but without steps”
New Santa Fe Regional Trail — Palmer Lake to Monument, Monument to Baptist Road — flat and easy walk along old railroad bed
Palmer Lake Reservoir Trail — short but steep hike to two small lakes in pine woods
Palmer Park — Templeton Trail, Overlook — the feel of the wild right in the city
Pulpit Rock — views of Colorado Springs
Red Rocks Canyon Open Space — great views of mountains and city with quarries and ponds
Ute Valley Park — the feel of being away right in town
Further away
Eleven Mile State Park (Lake George) — the eastern end is pretty, but not a lot of hiking opportunities
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument — easy to moderate trails through meadows and pine forests at 6,800 feet with great views of Pikes Peak.
Great Sand Dunes National Park — sand, and lots of it, also tubing and sand sledding if you’re so inclined.
Mount Evans (Idaho Springs)
Mueller State Park (Divide) — Trails 7 and 8, Grouse Mountain Overlook, Raven Ridge Overlook
Paint Mines Interpretive Park (Calhan) — small canyon, easy hike, stunning colors
Rocky Mountain National Park — Bear Lake, Trail Ridge Road, West Side
Roxborough State Park (Roxborough Park) — amazing sandstone formations
Tunnel Drive Trail (Canon City) — beautiful, easy trail along the Arkansas River near Royal Gorge
Vindicator Valley Trail (Goldfield) — two-mile loop with amazing views at 10,000 feet past the remains of old gold mines