There’s something quietly rebellious about hiking in winter in Colorado, especially when the season forgets to act like winter at all. This year has been unseasonably warm, and instead of snowshoes and microspikes, I found myself lacing up regular hiking boots and heading out for one of my favorite cold-season trails: Rattlesnake Gulch in Boulder.
A Front Range Classic with a Backstory
***Stock Photos
Located in the foothills just west of Boulder, Rattlesnake Gulch offers a satisfying blend of forested trail, historical intrigue, and one of the most picturesque views of the Continental Divide you can get without a full alpine ascent.
The trail is best known for the ruins of the old Hotel Colorado, a once-ambitious mountain retreat built in 1908. Designed to be a luxury getaway for wealthy travelers arriving by train to Boulder, the hotel boasted sweeping views, fresh mountain air, and even electricity. But after a fire and financial struggles, it was abandoned only a few years later. Today, all that remains are stone foundations and crumbling walls, softened by moss and pine needles, slowly being reclaimed by the mountain.
There’s something haunting and beautiful about the hotel ruins in winter light. With fewer hikers on the trail this time of year, the quiet around the site feels almost reverent. You can stand in what was once the hotel’s grand footprint and imagine guests in long coats and hats stepping out to admire the same ridgelines we see today.
The Continental Divide
From the hotel ruins, the trail continues to a scenic overlook that opens dramatically toward the Continental Divide. On a clear day, the peaks stack up in waves of blue and white across the horizon. Even with this winter’s lighter snowpack, the Divide still carried streaks of white, just enough to remind you of the season.
The view feels expansive in a way that only Colorado can deliver. You’re not just looking at mountains, you’re looking at the spine of the continent. The Continental Divide determines which way water flows across North America. Standing there, warmed by sunshine in what should be the heart of winter, I felt both small and grounded.
Winter That Doesn’t Feel Like Winter
This season has been noticeably warm across Colorado. Trails that are typically packed with snow and ice have been dry or only lightly dusted. For winter hiking, that means easier footing and more spontaneous outings. But it also brings a strange awareness, bare ground where there should be snow, dry grasses instead of drifts.
Still, the gift of a bluebird winter day in the foothills is hard to resist. The sun filters through ponderosa pines, the air is crisp but not biting, and the climb up Rattlesnake Gulch offers just enough elevation gain to warm you from the inside out.
Why Rattlesnake Gulch Is Perfect for Winter Hiking Season
- Moderate distance and elevation – Enough of a workout without committing to full alpine conditions.
- Historical interest – The Hotel Colorado ruins add texture and story to the hike.
- Rewarding overlook – One of the most accessible big views of the Continental Divide near Boulder.
- Lower crowds in winter – A quieter, more reflective experience.
Winter hiking season, for me, isn’t about conquering summits, it’s about staying connected to the landscape when most people retreat indoors. Rattlesnake Gulch reminds me that adventure doesn’t have to be epic to be meaningful. Sometimes it’s a sun-warmed February trail, the echo of a long-lost hotel in the woods, and the vast sweep of the Continental Divide glowing under a sky that feels almost like spring.
And in a winter that doesn’t quite feel like winter, that connection feels more important than ever.