As SMPS Colorado continues to grow and connect A/E/C professionals across the state, our sponsors make everything we do possible— from educational programs and leadership workshops to networking events and chapter celebrations.

Each year, sponsorship helps us elevate the visibility of Colorado’s marketing and business development community while providing firms with valuable opportunities to connect, learn, and lead.

As the air turns crisp and the mountains glow golden, there’s no better time to hit the trails in Colorado. Whether you’re chasing those iconic yellow aspens close to Denver or heading deeper into the Rockies for more rugged terrain, we’ve gathered a list of some of the state’s best fall hikes complete with views that will make you stop in your tracks. Lace up your boots, pack your layers, and let’s go leaf-peeping!

1. Maroon Bells & Crater Lake Trail 

It's the “Going for Gold” themed title of Jaime Clark Miles’ 2026 SMPS Pacific Regional Conference presentation, a dynamic session intended to guide attendees through a strategic framework for transforming underutilized internal content—like project write-ups, case studies, and event recaps—into high-impact media campaigns that elevate firm visibility and industry leadership.

If you’re still waiting to “see how AI shakes out,” here’s your sign: it already shook. The tools aren’t inching forward by generations; they’re sprinting in short, brutal cycles while your to-do list proliferates and your goals compound. At SMPS AEC.AI Fall 2025 in Denver, Christopher Penn didn’t sell magic (though his magic trick prompt did draw some “oooohs” from the audience); he put us to work—real workflows, real decisions, less theory—sometimes confirming instincts, sometimes flipping the table, always pushing us to ship instead of admire the problem.

And he stuck the landing: AI isn’t your rival; it’s the most eager, overly helpful, occasionally forgetful intern you’ll ever manage. Brilliant once directed, chaotic when left to wander. Treat it like a teammate that can carry weight, not a mind reader, and you stop fearing the shadow and start managing the output.

Networking isn’t just about showing up to events or exchanging business cards. It is about making meaningful connections that last. While your skills and personality matter most, the materials you bring with you can reinforce your professional brand and help others remember you long after the conversation ends.