Oric Rei

The REI store in Denver is an amazing store all in itself, partly due to the unique building (renovated industrial relic) and surrounding area (Confluence Park, etc.) and partly due to the expertise and knowledge of the staff. Yet, within the store is a true gem of a resource that seems to be one of the best kept secrets of Denver among the outdoor adventure community: I am talking about ORIC, the Outdoor Recreation Information Center. You pass it on the way to the checkout counter at REI. It’s surrounded by racks filled with topographic maps and pamphlets, which may cause you to overlook it among all the fancy toys available at REI, but if you are ever looking for tips and recommendations on trails and hikes in Colorado, as well as Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico and Arizona, then I highly recommend that you stop at the counter and ask any of the guys working there for advice or their thoughts about the trip you are planning.
We have been in Denver for five years, and we managed to see an amazing number of natural wonders, national parks, state parks, and countless other hikes and historic and geological sites, and we chose to see so many of them based on the advice of these guys. Not only do they know the obvious well-​known places, but they seem to know every stunning nature trail in this vast area. You can’t exaggerate the value of the tips they will give you; they know the best times to visit, the various pitfalls and dangers, current weather and park conditions, as well as little known lakes, caves waterfalls, or slot canyons. I don’t know how REI paired up with ORIC, but they are a fabulous resource and these guys are quite generous with their time and care in giving advice. They seem to just do it out of their love of the nature here. They have nothing to sell; they just seem to want to share their stories about the land. They also provide countless maps and handouts with advice, etc.
Each one of the guys who works there seems to have their own particular interests and strengths. Chuck is an avid photographer, who gave me great advice on the little-​known Snowy Range in Wyoming, and how get a pass to the exclusive Wave trail in Arizona. Brian suggested countless mountain trails that were stunning and we did not know about. He also had great advice for trails that were kid-​friendly and good for beginners. He’s also a fly-​fishing aficionado. Another guy there (not sure his name) gave us excellent advice on places to see in New Mexico, and another guy (not sure his name either) gave us spot on advice on a road trip through the big five national parks of Utah. So it’s good to check in with each one as they all have encyclopedic knowledge and wisdom to share. Every time I have stopped to talk to them, I leave with a list of new places to visit, and I learn something about the geology, climate, and wildlife of this area. I always feel moved by sharing with someone who also has a great passion for the beauty of the land. And, they always say, come back and tell us how it went, so they are also equally eager to hear what you experienced. We are leaving Colorado, so I have to tip my hat to these guys and acknowledge how helpful they have been to us. I hope you check them out too the next time you are in the REI Denver flagship store. You won’t be disappointed!

Very helpful, though they didn’t have real time up-​to-​date trail conditions and they understated the difficulty of the trails and their altitude and length calculations are off by at least 10%. Talk to them before you go on a long backpacking trip. You have to go in person, they don’t have a phone line.

I’m a big fan of the ORIC desk at the REI flagship location. This is a tremendous place for free maps, quality information, and friendly advice. Other than the team at REI these folks were the first people that helped me and my family find some places to go when we moved to Colorado.
I’ve also had the pleasure of previewing a free clinic that they do at the Westminster REI location which is focused for folks that are new to Colorado.
Check out their site… for a TON of free recources put together by a group of folks that care about you and your experience in Colorado!
Thanks ORIC!!!