Deer Mountain Trail

Deer Mountain is one of those Rocky Mountain trails that punches well above its mileage. The three-mile climb starts in a mixed forest of ponderosa and Douglas fir, switchbacking steadily through dappled shade before the trees thin out and the real views start announcing themselves. The trail surface is well-worn but rocky in places — nothing technical, just enough to keep your eyes on your feet. The final push to the summit breaks above treeline onto an open, windswept knob where the payoff hits: a full panorama stretching from the craggy face of Longs Peak across the broad sweep of Moraine Park and down into the Estes Park valley. The total elevation gain is roughly equivalent to climbing a 140-story building, so your legs will know they worked. This is the perfect summit hike for someone who wants the bragging rights of topping out above ten thousand feet without committing to an all-day death march.