The 7 Best Hikes in Vail, Colorado

If you’ve only skied the mountains of Vail, then you haven’t seen the half of Central Colorado’s majestic peaks. I’ve come across some really beautiful hikes in the Vail Valley the past couple of months — it’s one of the duties of having America’s Best Summer Job — where the town and the highway disappear into mostly untouched nature after only 15 minutes on the trail. Summer hiking in the area is some of the best in the state, if not the country. The wide variety of terrain, wildlife, and flora make for incredible vistas and even more incredible Instagram snaps. The following trails have been some of my favorites.