The Chasm View Nature Trail Might Be One Of The Most Beautiful Short-And-Sweet Hikes To Take In Colorado

There are so many beautiful hikes to take in Colorado that sometimes it can be hard to choose just one. But we'll make it simpler for you to create the ultimate itinerary for the best hikes in Colorado. The next time you need an easy hike loaded with beautiful views, head to Western Colorado for an easy walk along the edge of the magnificent Black Canyon of the Gunnison.

Some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in all of North America are found right here in Colorado, in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

Cutting sharply through Western Colorado, the Black Canyon and the serpentine Gunnison River in its trough wind their way along a 48-mile path of cliff and clay from Delta to Gunnison.

The deepest, steepest portions of the canyon have been designated a National Park, and you can access that park via a north rim entrance and a south rim entrance. Both offer excellent hiking options and gorgeous canyon views.

But perhaps one of the best choices, if you are looking for an easy hike with a breathtaking payoff, is the Chasm View Nature Trail loop along the North Rim.

The total hike is only about half a mile, but what a half-mile it is!

The Chasm View Nature Trail is located at the end of the one-way North Rim Campground loop and passes through pinyon and juniper forests to the North Chasm View Overlook before running along the rim high above the river to a second overlook of the famous Painted Wall and Serpent Point.

You can find the North Rim Campground on Black Canyon Road near Crawford. Note that the last 7 miles of road are unpaved. Once you reach the rim, turn right toward the ranger station and campground. The campground is past the ranger station.

One note: the North Rim is closed to vehicles in the winter but open to snowshoe and cross-country ski traffic.

To learn more about the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in general and the Chasm View Nature Trail in particular, visit the NPS website. Do you think this is one of the best hikes in Colorado? Sound off in the comments section! Or if you've already hiked this trail, make sure to share with everyone what your experience was like!

Also, if you're looking for an easy waterfall hike instead, try this incredible waterfall hike to Rifle Falls!