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

Spruce Mountain

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