Fjällräven local’s Colorado guide

What do you see when you think of Colorado? Massive mountains, mirrored in sky blue lakes? Trees as far as the eye can see? Elk, eagles and bears? From 28-30 June 2017 you’ll see all this but also see some Fjällräven Classic trail markers dotted along a roughly 56km stretch of the Colorado Trail.

Whether you’re coming from another part of the US or anywhere else on the globe, we strongly advise you to spend a few days in Colorado before or after your Classic trek.

Of course there’s the capital Denver, with its microbreweries and laidback neighbourhoods. It also has the most city parks in the US – there are 205 of them! Then there’s Boulder and its renowned fair-trade coffee and almost-too-good-to-be-true combination of city parks, vintage stores and access to Colorado’s backcountry.

And although the towns and cities are great, we know you’re going to Colorado for its nature. It’s raw, expansive and wild. So we asked our US team, based in Boulder, for their best outdoor tips – just in case 46km on the Classic trail leaves you hungry for more.

Not all mountains are made of rock

The tallest sand dune in America is in Colorado. The 18,615ha landscape of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Reserve, outside of Alamosa, is home to sand dunes that top 200m. They were created by ocean waters and wind more than one million years ago.

Fire up your adrenaline

Colorado is a state of superlatives. It’s also home to the world’s highest suspension bridge. And like with many tall, high things, people like to test their nerves. The Cloudscraper Zip Line at Royal Gorge Bridge is the highest zip line in America and soars some 365m above the Arkansas River below.

Swap your hiking boots for cycling shoes

Colorado’s not just well endowed with high-altitude dirt trails, it’s also home to – yep you guessed it, another superlative here – the US’s highest paved road. The road climbs Mount Evans to a height of 4,345m above sea level. A test of any cyclist worth his salt.

You can find out more on the official website for Colorado’s tourist board: http://www.colorado.com/