Join us for the last Xplore Summer Series hike

We hiked together last summer. This summer, we’re doing so much more.

Kicking off May 21, the Coloradoan and Xplore will host a summer-long outdoor recreation series, inspiring you to get outside and enjoy Colorado's beauty.

We’ll hike in Rocky Mountain National Park and Pingree Park. We’ll stand-up paddleboard at Horsetooth Reservoir. We’ll take photos of pretty wildflowers and fish alpine lakes. We’ll run the trails at Lory State Park.

If you’re new to Fort Collins, join us and we’ll show you where to recreate in this beautiful part of Colorado. Hopefully you’ll make some new friends along the way.

We’re kicking off the seven-event Xplore summer series with something Fort Collins residents do best: ride bikes and drink beer.

Come join the fun. Last year, a group of hikers joined me for a summer of hiking, leading to the summit of 14,259-foot Longs Peak.

Can we top that experience this summer?

Circle the following dates on your calendar and follow the Coloradoan on Facebook and at our Meetup group, Experience Northern Colorado for details on how to sign up for each event.

May 21: Fort Collins breweries tour by bike. Register for this eventhere.

June 4: Trail run at Lory State Park. Register for this event here.

June 18: Wildflower photography hike at Cub Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Register for this event here.

July 9: Hike to Emmaline Lake at 10,988 feet. Register for this event here.

July 23: Alpine lake fishing at The Loch in Rocky Mountain National Park. Register for this event here.

Aug. 13: Stand-up paddleboarding at Horsetooth Reservoir. Register for this event here.

Aug. 27: Hike to Chasm Lake at 11,823 feet. Register for this event here.

Bike brewery tour 

That’s so Fort Collins: Beers and bikes. We do both pretty well here in Fort Collins. We're kicking off the Xplore summer series May 21 with a bike ride down the Mason Trail, hitting three of Fort Collins' newer breweries: Zwei Brewing, 1933 Brewing and Black Bottle Brewery.

Trail running at Lory State Park 

Where: Take Overland Trail north to Larimer County Road 50E (Bingham Hill Road). Turn left, and go west to Larimer County Road 23. Turn left, and go 1.4 miles south to Larimer County Road 25G. Take a right and drive 1.6 miles to the Lory State Park entrance. Follow the road south until you see the sign for the trail.

Information: Lory State Park, (970) 493-1623 or cpw.state.co.us/ placestogo/parks/Lory

Running info: The park west of Fort Collins has one-stop trail running and countless loop combinations. It includes 26 miles of trails ranging from relatively flat valley trails to rolling hills to steep ascents, all in a beautiful foothills setting. The 1.7-mile trek up to Arthur's Rock will get your lungs burning. Hit the 3.7-mile Timber Trail on the way down.

Cub Lake wildflowers 

Distance: 4.6 miles round-trip to Cub Lake; 6.2 miles for full loop with The Pool

Where: From the Beaver Meadows Entrance Station, go 0.1 mile west to Bear Lake Road and make a left. Follow Bear Lake Road 1.2 miles to Moraine Park Road and turn right (look for signs for Moraine Park Campground). This road follows the north side of Moraine Park for a half-mile to another junction. At this junction, turn left (south) toward the Fern Lake and Cub Lake Trailheads. Cub Lake Trailhead is about 1.2 miles from this point. Parking spaces are limited.

Information: www.nps.gov/romo or 970-586-1206

Flower power: You are going to find wildflowers on pretty much any trail in Rocky Mountain National Park, but I recommend checking out this loop in the Moraine Park area where you can see nearly 80 wildflower varieties. In late June the wetlands will sport wood lilies, a dozen or so in an off year, a hundred or more in a good year. Let’s hope it’s a good year.

Emmaline Lake hike 

Distance: 6 miles one way

Difficulty: Moderate to difficult

Elevation range: 8,930 to 10,988 feet

Trailhead: From Fort Collins, take U.S. Highway 287 north to Colorado Highway 14. Take Colorado 14  west for 26.2 miles to Larimer County Road 63E (Pingree Park Road). Go south on Pingree Park Road for 16 miles to Forest Service Road 147. Turn right and drive 0.3 miles to the parking area.

Information: Roosevelt National Forest, 970-295-6700 or visit www.fs.fed.us/r2/arnf

Trail talk: Lose the crowds of the lower Poudre Canyon and Rocky Mountain National Park. A stunning hike through Cirque Meadows and a lush forest, you’ll be rewarded with wonderful views of the rugged Mummy Range and a seat next to a stunning alpine lake beneath the area's tallest peak, 12,702-foot Comanche Peak.

Fly-fishing at the The Loch 

Distance: 5.9-miles round trip

Difficulty: Moderate

Elevation range: 9,240 to 10,192 feet

Trailhead: From the main Beaver Meadows entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, head west for one-quarter of a mile to Bear Lake Road. Take Bear Lake Road a little more than 7 miles to the Glacier Gorge parking lot.

Information: Rocky Mountain National Park, 586-1206 or visit www.nps.gov/romo/

Why go: Fed by streams born from Andrews Glacier and Taylor Glacier, The Loch provides excellent fishing amid a dramatic alpine backdrop.

SUP at Horsetooth Reservoir 

Where: Larimer County roads 38E and 23, just west of Fort Collins

Marina: Full service from Inlet Bay Marina. Call 970-223-0140 or visit www.inletbaymarina.com. Kayak, SUP, canoe rentals.

Information: 970-679-4570 or www.larimer.org/naturalresources

Water talk: A mix between surfing and kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding — or SUP in the paddling community — is fun, easy to learn and offers a great core workout. And a unique way to experience the beauty of coves and beaches along the 2,040-surface-acre reservoir that stretches 6.5 miles.

Chasm Lake hike 

Distance: 4.2 miles one way

Difficulty: Moderate to difficult

Elevation range: 9,380 to 11,823 feet

Trailhead: Rocky Mountain National Park's Longs Peak Trailhead. From Fort Collins, take U.S. Highway 34 west toward Estes Park. Turn left onto Mall Road as you enter Estes Park. Go 0.7 miles, and turn right onto U.S. Highway 36 west. Go 1.1 miles, and turn left onto Colorado Highway 7. Go 9 miles south of Estes Park, and turn right onto Longs Peak Road. The parking lot, ranger station and trailhead are 1 mile from the highway.

Information: Rocky Mountain National Park, 970-586-1206 or www.nps.gov/romo

Trail talk: You don't have to summit Longs Peak to enjoy this hike. Take in the views of Longs' iconic East Diamond wall face that rises above the placid alpine lake.

Xplore reporter Stephen Meyers covers the outdoors and recreation for the Coloradoan. Follow him on Twitter @stemeyer or @XploreNoCo.