The best hikes near Evergreen, season by season

One of the quiet luxuries of staying here is that a real trailhead is a five-minute walk from the door, and a dozen more are a short drive away. Here are the hikes we point guests to first, and the season each one shines.

Right out the door: Elk Meadow Open Space

Elk Meadow is the home trail — 1,140 acres of rolling meadow and pine with more than 16 miles of interlinked path, and a trailhead a five-minute walk from the house. For an easy morning, the Meadow View and Sleepy S loops keep things gentle and open, with elk grazing the grass on cool mornings.

When you want to earn a view, the Bergen Peak trail climbs roughly 2,000 feet through the trees to a rocky summit with a long look at the Continental Divide. Give it most of a morning, carry water, and turn around if afternoon clouds start building.

A local favorite: Alderfer / Three Sisters

A few minutes' drive from downtown, Alderfer/Three Sisters is the park everyone in Evergreen has a favorite loop in. The short walk up to the Three Sisters rock formations is about 1.2 miles and family-friendly, with big granite outcrops and a panorama at the top.

Want more? String the trails together into a 6- to 7-mile loop over Evergreen Mountain for a satisfying half-day with steady climbing and quiet stretches of forest.

For a waterfall: Maxwell Falls

Maxwell Falls, off Black Mountain Road, is the local waterfall hike — a roughly 4-mile loop, moderately challenging, winding through shady forest past cascades that run hardest with spring snowmelt. There are lower and upper trailheads; the lot fills early on summer weekends, so go at first light.

Season by season

• Spring (Apr–May): trails thaw muddy and snow lingers in the shade — micro-spikes and waterproof boots earn their keep, and the falls are at full volume.
• Summer (Jun–Aug): go early. Afternoon thunderstorms build fast over the peaks — be off exposed ridges like Bergen Peak by noon.
• Fall (Sep–Oct): the aspens turn gold and the elk bugle in Elk Meadow — arguably the best hiking of the year.
• Winter (Nov–Mar): the lower loops stay walkable with traction devices; pack layers and start when the sun is up.

Good to know — You're at 7,000+ feet here. Drink more water than feels necessary, start slow your first day to adjust to the altitude, and always carry a layer — mountain weather turns quickly.

Distances, seasons, hours, and reservation rules are approximate and change — please check current conditions before you head out.