Hiking to Elk Falls in Colorado's Staunton State Park

Elk Falls at Staunton State Park near Conifer, Colorado, is one of the most beautiful hikes in the Front Range within an hour of Denver. It's an easy, well-maintained trail the entire way.
The trails pass through aspen and pine forests, lush meadows, and along the Elk Falls Pond.
I chose to hike up to the overlook before going down to the waterfall itself, but if one goes directly to the waterfall and back via the main trail, it is only a bit under seven miles round trip. I also added a bit more mileage on by heading back via the Marmot Passage trail. In total, I covered 10.1 miles with 1,900 feet of elevation gain.