At Cheley, hiking and backpacking aren’t just about getting outside, they’re about learning how to move through the world with confidence, care, and curiosity. From a camper’s first hike to a high alpine lake to standing on a mountain summit before sunrise or spending five days living out of a backpack, Cheley’s hiking and backpacking program is intentionally designed to grow with campers: step by step, year by year.
Like horseback riding at Cheley, these experiences are about more than the activity itself. They’re about challenge balanced with support, independence built through preparation, and a deep connection to the land.
Hiking That Goes Far Beyond Camp
Cheley hikers don’t stay close to camp. Each day, units typically offer at least one hike that ventures well beyond Cheley’s property into Rocky Mountain National Park, the Indian Peaks Wilderness, and surrounding National Forest lands. These hikes take campers to gulches, saddles, waterfalls, alpine lakes, and mountaintops – all places that feel big, wild, and unforgettable.
Hikes range widely in distance, elevation, and difficulty, allowing campers of all experience levels to participate. Campers learn how to hike safely at altitude, manage changing mountain conditions, and care for themselves and one another on the trail.
For campers ready to push further, Early Breakfast hikes (EBs) begin as early as 2:00 a.m., giving groups the chance to complete longer, more ambitious routes in a single day. Among Cheley’s most iconic summit experiences is Longs Peak, the tallest peak in Rocky Mountain National Park and the only 14,000-foot peak north of I-70. Cheley also climbs numerous 13,000-foot peaks, including Mount Audubon, the tallest summit in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. These aren’t symbolic goals; they’re real mountains, climbed thoughtfully and intentionally as part of a progression that prepares campers for meaningful challenge.
Backpacking: Living Fully in the Backcountry
Backpacking at Cheley is where independence, teamwork, and perseverance come together. Trips range from two to five days, with progression built intentionally by unit. Campers learn how to carry what they need, pitch tents, cook meals, and live responsibly in the backcountry. They share the load of group equipment, navigate challenges together, and build small trail communities shaped by shared effort and meaningful conversation.
Four- and five-day backpacking trips are a highlight for many campers. They are an opportunity to fully settle into life on the trail, travel deeper into wilderness areas, and experience the rhythm of days shaped by sun, weather, and movement. Cheley provides packs, tents, stoves, and technical gear. Campers bring the grit and leave with confidence they didn’t know they had.
Intentional Progression by Unit
Hiking and backpacking at Cheley follow a clear scope and sequence, designed to meet campers where they are and support steady growth. As campers move through units, hikes become longer, routes more complex, and responsibilities greater. Backpacking trips extend in length and challenge. Expectations increase gradually, allowing campers to build skills, confidence, and resilience over time. This intentional progression ensures that challenge always feels meaningful, not overwhelming.
Choice on the Trail
Thanks to Cheley’s FunPlus® sign-up system, campers choose how often they hike or backpack. Some campers head out on the trail four to five times per week, sometimes nearly every day. Others mix hiking with different activities or participate more occasionally. Backpacking trips are optional and designed for campers who want to go deeper into the experience. Challenge is always available, but never required.
Hiking & Backpacking Patches
For campers who want to track their growth and set personal goals, Cheley offers Hiking Patches and Backpacking Patches. These optional recognitions celebrate effort, skill development, and perseverance, whether that means increasing mileage, tackling more demanding terrain, completing an EB, or successfully finishing a multi-day backpacking trip. The focus is growth, not competition.
Learning to Care for the Land
Hiking and backpacking at Cheley are rooted in Leave No Trace principles and a deep respect for wild places. Campers learn how to travel thoughtfully through protected landscapes, minimize their impact, and understand their role as stewards of the environment. Cheley’s close relationship with Rocky Mountain National Park creates opportunities for campers to engage more deeply through the Junior Ranger program, service projects, and other educational experiences that foster a lasting connection to the land. This isn’t just hiking, it’s learning how to belong in wild places.
Experienced Leadership on Every Trail
Cheley’s hiking and backpacking program is supported by Hiking & Backpacking Coordinators, hiking counselors, backpacking counselors, and HGOs in every unit. These are leaders who guide campers across Rocky Mountain National Park, the Indian Peaks Wilderness, and surrounding National Forest lands with experience and intention.
The program is guided year-round by Rhonda, our year-round Out-of-Camp Program Director. With more than 20 summers at Cheley and a professional career dedicated to camping and accreditation through the American Camp Association, Rhonda helps shape route selection, staff preparation, and the intentional progression behind every hike and backpack. She lives in Estes Park and volunteers in the Wilderness Office of Rocky Mountain National Park, maintaining a deep connection to the landscapes campers explore.
Staff complete extensive pre-summer training focused on backcountry travel, risk management, youth development, and Leave No Trace principles. Cheley also partners with Rocky Mountain National Park professionals to help prepare staff for responsible travel in protected environments. Like all Cheley leaders, hiking and backpacking staff are counselors first, mentors who guide campers through challenge, growth, and discovery on the trail.
Why It Matters
Hiking and backpacking at Cheley aren’t about checking off miles or reaching a specific destination. They’re about discovering strength you didn’t know you had. Learning to move through challenge with intention. And building connection to yourself, to others, and to the natural world. Like so many Cheley experiences, the growth happens step by step and together.
