Boulder is a beautiful place with friendly people, but be warned, it's easily as preppy as the Orange County, so if that isn't your scene you may not want to spend much time here.
Hostels in Colorado 
Looking for the best hostels in Colorado? You are in the right place!
On this page, we have listed every city in Colorado with backpacker hostels and budget-friendly stays. Hostelz.com makes it easy to find your ideal Colorado hostel by comparing prices across major booking platforms. Save money while backpacking Colorado and sleep comfortably on a budget.
All Backpacker Hostels in Colorado
We have got you covered with a complete list of every hostel in Colorado, across 17 cities! Not all cities have hostels, but many offer alternative budget options like guesthouses and affordable hotels. Use our filters to quickly find cities with hostels or other budget accommodations to simplify your trip planning.
All Colorado hostels on a map
Alright, you are more the visual type? Planning your trip with a map is always handy.
Therefore, this map shows you all cities with hostels in Colorado. It will help you to plan your trip. Just zoom in the map and click your destination for more details. Just so you know: If we do not have a hostel in a city, it is likely that there is no hostel in that city.
All Top Hostels in Denver
We help you pick your hostel like no one else. Check our detailed guides to:
"…Able to relet room when plans changed due to accident. Very comfortable and hospitable - Breakfast more
from
$58.98Our handwritten guide on Backpacking Colorado
Colorado is a state located in the Rockies of the Western United States. It is best known for being a place of natural beauty. While that's certainly true, there is also a wide array of things to enjoy, and especially enough hostels for the backpacker to appreciate.
The eastern half of Colorado is plain and flat. This area is like much of the Midwest: farmland and prone to tornadoes. The state is most memorable for the area in the Rocky Mountains. This chain of mountains includes several tall peaks, some of which are over 1400 feet. These "fourteeners" are sought-after goals for avid climbers. In fact, many of the must-visit places in Colorado are not in cities, but rather in the natural forested parts. A car is recommended to get to these places, but several do have at least one hostel in the area. If you'd rather just stick to the cities, you may be able to get by without driving if you utilize buses, trains, and planes.
Denver is the capitol city of Colorado. Besides the capitol building, another government place to see is one of the few US mints, which you can tour to see how money is made. Denver offers a healthy balance of city charm right next to outdoor adventure. Many of the residents are focused on health aspects, which you will be able to tell by your shopping, dining, and sightseeing experiences.
Boulder is another popular destination near Denver. This is an ideal city if you'd like to hike, climb, or do any other of the outdoor activities, as it is near many mountains and parks. There are also attractions in the city, such as a tour and tasting room of the Celestial Seasonings Herbal factory.
Colorado Springs is at a high elevation, which is why it is an Olympic training center and hangout for adrenaline junkies. The other tourist aspect of Colorado Springs is that it is home to many famous Christian organizations.
Estes Park is a smaller city, but still offers attractions such as the hotel that served as the inspiration for "The Shining" movie. Estes Park is also a gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, a scenic natural place with animals such as elk and birds, and mountains, forests, and rivers to enjoy.
There are so many more cities and attractions in Colorado. The selection of hostels will be diverse depending on which part of Colorado you're interested in. It's a big state, so focus your trip on just a few cities or natural areas.
Handwritten by local expert for Colorado hostels Jessica Lippe
Travel Tips for Colorado - from the Community
Hey fam! Here are a few more tips from the community, from them to you, and you to them. This space is dedicated for travellers to share their best tips on backpacking Colorado. Have a closer look - the Hostelz community share real hidden gems, insider knowledge and overall impressions of Colorado. Everyone is welcome to add something useful, funny, unexpected and the "absolutely necessary to know before you go" - share, share and then share a little more!
FAQ on Hostels in Colorado
There is a lot of travel planning to do. So let us help you once again by putting together the frequently asked questions:
Finding Hostels and Prices
What hostel booking sites are best to use?
There is several hostel booking sites, such as Hostelworld.com, Hostelsclub.com and Booking.com. While every platform has its pros and cons, there is a universal truth you as a traveler should be aware of: Not a single booking site can always offer the best prices.
This is where Hostelz.com comes in. You can compare all major booking portals with one click.
For you as a traveler, Hostelz.com is the best booking site to actually save money.
How much are hostels in Colorado?
Prices always vary, depending on various factors. Weekends tend to be more expensive, same goes for special holidays. Please also take into account local vaction time.
You can search for exacty hostel prices in Colorado here on Hostelz.com. Pick your destination and pick a date. The system will track down the prices to give an idea of what budget and prices you can expect.
When to book hostels?
If you want to stay at the best hostels, it is a good idea to have your hostel booked around 1 month before you travel. For the regular hostels, booking one week before should be okay. Yet again, this always depends.
We dedicated a full article to the topic of when to book hostels.
Safety and Packing
Are hostels in Colorado safe?
Generally speaking, hostels are as safe as you make them. We highly recommend always to bring your own padlock, using the lockers and taking care of your belongings. Make sure you pick a safe hostel, offering lockers and a safe location. Please always pay attention to the reviews; they can give you a great insight on what to expect and safety tips.
What to pack when staying in hostels?
There is a few basics you should always pack when staying in hostels.
There is more actually. We wrote a complete guide with more details. Read our full hostel packing list.