Colorado Dog Hikes: Lake Dorothy

One of my all-time favorite hikes. The Arapaho Pass and Lake Dorothy trail has it all: cool, fragrant pine forests, a waterfall crossing, vibrant wildflowers, a gorgeous alpine lake and jaw-dropping views at every turn. If your pup’s pads aren’t hardened you might want to consider using booties—there’s a long stretch of hiking over rough dry rocks that will definitely take a toll on sensitive paws.

On our first trip up to the lake several years ago I got altitude sickness for the first time and probably killed off a few brain cells in the process. A loss I still claim as worth it. This time I’m proud to say that I was only slightly light-headed once we reached the pass, and suspect I was most likely suffering from some sort of beauty induced euphoria in which I felt compelled to attempt to photograph all the gorgeousness all at once.