Highlights: Guided Red Rocks Nature Hike / Naturalist Guide / Scenic Foothills Trails / Colorado Hot Springs

Join us on our guided Red Rocks nature hike & hot springs tour that blends scenic foothills trails, expert naturalist interpretation, and a relaxing soak in one of Colorado’s historic thermal hot springs.

Traveling as a couple or private group?

We also offer private departures for guests who prefer an exclusive experience.

Experience the best of Colorado in a single, unforgettable day. This guided adventure begins with a scenic nature hike through Red Rocks Park, where towering red sandstone formations frame sweeping views of the Front Range. Along the trail, your naturalist guide will share insights into local wildlife, geology, and the natural history that makes this landscape one of the state’s true treasures.

After the hike, enjoy a beautiful mountain drive into Colorado’s high country, stopping at a quiet subalpine lake to enjoy the forest, rugged peaks, and crisp alpine air. It’s a peaceful pause that perfectly balances the morning’s exploration.

The day concludes in the historic mountain town of Idaho Springs with a rejuvenating soak at Indian Hot Springs, one of Colorado’s most iconic thermal pools. Unwind in warm mineral waters, relax beneath the tropical greenery of the geothermal dome, or simply let the day settle in after hours spent outdoors. Afterwards, you will have time to get lunch on your own in town.

This full-day experience blends scenic beauty, natural history, and deep relaxation — thoughtfully crafted for travelers seeking an authentic connection to Colorado’s landscapes.

Colorado’s foothills ecosystem comes alive at Red Rocks Park, where shrublands and rocky outcrops are dominated by plants such as mountain mahogany, rubber rabbitbrush, chokecherry, American hawthorn, American plum, Rocky Mountain juniper, and cottonwoods along seasonal waterways. This diverse habitat supports year-round wildlife, with regular sightings of mule deer, prairie cottontail, and an array of birds including Common Raven, Black-billed Magpie, Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay, Canyon Wren, Townsend’s Solitaire, Prairie Falcon, Red-tailed Hawk, Golden Eagle, Black-capped Chickadee, Dark-eyed Junco, and Bushtit.

Spring and summer bring an added burst of color and sound. Seasonal birds may include Western Tanager, Lazuli Bunting, Yellow-breasted Chat, Cedar Waxwing, House Wren, Yellow Warbler, Gray Catbird, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, and White-throated Swift. Guests may also encounter prairie rattlesnakes, an important native species in this ecosystem. Wildflowers bloom across the park, with highlights such as plains prickly pear cactus, Rocky Mountain penstemon, blanketflower, scarlet gilia, spotted gayfeather, and a variety of foothills daisies and spring ephemerals.

As we travel higher into the mountains, the landscape shifts dramatically. Ponderosa pine forests give way to Douglas-fir, aspen, and lodgepole pine, eventually transitioning into Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir. In these cooler, higher-elevation habitats, we’ll keep an eye out for fox, elk, and occasionally moose, along with mountain birds such as American Dipper, Pygmy Nuthatch, Mountain Chickadee, Pine Siskin, Steller’s Jay, and Clark’s Nutcracker. In the warmer months, species like Mountain Bluebird, Wilson’s Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and Broad-tailed Hummingbird add to the diversity of sightings.

“This was an amazing experience with Ryan showing me the birds and ecosystems of the Front Range. He is friendly, personable, and adapts well to the customer’s expectations. I am a backyard birder from Georgia, so Ryan’s knowledge of the Colorado wild fauna and flora, birds’ calls, and their migratory habits was so interesting. This experience inspired me to take my own birding up a level.”

-Jennifer M., Georgia