Have you thought about a Colorado vacation this year? During the summer, Colorado blooms with wonderful sites and outdoor adventures. And it's hiking that tops the summer activities on a Colorado vacation. While most people think of winter and skiing when they think of vacationing in Colorado you should know that Colorado is known as a summer destination too.

There are so many things to do and places to see in this centrally located state. Colorado is such a varied destination. You can enjoy the rolling plains on the eastern side of the state, mountains and valleys in central Colorado, and mesas and buttes in the west. In every area, there are hiking trails to get you into the remote places that most people miss from there cars.

Hiking is a family favorite when vacationing in Colorado. There are many easy hikes that don't demand more than a couple of hours to complete. Other hikes can take the whole day, while there are even long-distant, camping hikes you can partake in. It doesn't matter if you're a couch potato, from the city, or an athlete, when you come to Colorado you will want to get out of your car and enjoy the abundance of views that Colorado has to offer.

While hiking in Colorado, you will be able to enjoy seeing a myriad of wildlife and wildflowers. This is what Colorado is noted for in the summer months. There are numerous public lands that make a nature hike possible to your family.

Little Causeway lake in the idyllic Flat Tops Wilderness Area is a nice three mile round-trip hike in the Northwest portion of Colorado. Little Causeway Lake sits just below the buttressed walls of the Devils Causeway. This is an extraordinary fin of volcanic rock that connects two high alpine mesas.

The short hiking trail passes though wildflower-filled clearings and arrives at the tranquil Causeway Lake. This area is home to beavers, ducks woodpeckers, and elk. You will love watching the wildlife and viewing the colorful wildflowers in the area.

For a longer day hike you might want to visit the Great Sand Dunes National Park. The only path you will follow through the Great Sand Dunes are the footprints of the hikers that just preceded you. You might not even find their footprints if the wind has come up and erased them.

This wilderness of sand covers 33,000 acres and rewards hikers with a sublime and majestic isolation among the towering sand dunes that are constantly changing with each breeze. After reaching and descending the first dune, you will imagine that you are in the Middle East.

It is a two mile hike through the dunes, but on arrival back to the visitor center you will be greeted by the refreshing river that flows at the base of the dunes. Children love playing in the river as it is like spending a day at the beach. The sand backs up water and makes the river pulsate with waves.

When you're looking for a hiking expedition while on your Colorado vacation, you might want to do a long-distance jaunt. Long distance hikes are intended for the gonzo backpackers. A long-distance trail in Colorado is very strenuous but, because you will be camping along the way, they can be experienced in segments. An example of a hiking expedition is:

The Gore Range Trail, which is outside of Vail, runs 55 miles down the entire length of the Gore Range. Those vacationers that have skied Vail, Copper Mountain, or Keystone in the winter have experienced moments of inspiration created by the spectacular views of the rugged granite peaks of the Gore Range. In the summer, these peaks of the Gore Range provide the best, easy-access backpacking in Colorado.

The Gore Range Trail ascends over one magnificent mountain pass after another. With each mountain crest, the trail descends into lush valleys ablaze with wildflowers. If you want to backpack hike this trail, plan your Colorado vacation for at least two weeks. You can shorten the hike though by hiking to Wheeler Lakes from a trailhead at Copper Mountain.

You will be hiking from 8,700 feet to 12,000 feet along the Gore Range Trail. Remember that this is a leave-no-trace area and you should stay on the trail at all times. Take only photographs and leave no footprints.

Here's a Colorado wildlife fact that may help you plan your Colorado vacation and where to hike: If you want to see bald eagles during your Colorado vacation, you can see them while hiking around Barr Lake in Metro Denver.

Enjoy your Colorado vacation by hiking and viewing the scenery that most people miss from their car. You will love the different parts of the state that you will see while hiking in the tranquil countryside and mountains. You will never regret your Colorado vacation as you will see some of the most beautiful and spectacular scenery in North America.