The Best Hikes in Golden, Colorado — From a Local
Golden, CO is a top destination for outdoor adventure and it’s conveniently located only 20 minutes away from Denver—providing an easy escape for city dwellers and tourists alike.
This tiny mountain town offers a variety of outdoor activities all year round like mountain biking, climbing, tubing, and snowshoeing.
But I’ve found that hiking is the easiest way to access the natural beauty of Golden, CO—where the wild west lives.
So if you’re looking for the top 15 hikes in Golden, CO, you’ve come to the right place.
Hikes in Golden have so many diverse landscapes—flat mesas, wooded trails, tall grassy meadows, and even some steep climbs that offer sweeping views of the front range of the Rocky Mountains.
The trails here also have a wide range in the level of difficulty, so there is a little something for everyone depending on your hiking ability.
Why take my word for it? I’ve lived in Golden for over two years and feel like I have thoroughly explored Golden and the surrounding area.
Although I still have so much to explore, I’ve definitely discovered some favorite trails that aren’t talked about enough.
In no particular order, this list names some of the best hikes in Golden from my perspective.
For your convenience, each hike is linked with the AllTrails information in the title so you can easily pull up the web page which will provide you with more specific details about the trail.
Trail difficulty: Easy
Trail length: 0.5 mi
Elevation gain: 242 ft
Highlights: This is the perfect hike for anyone who wants to see amazing mountain views without hiking that much at all. You’ll park at Windy Saddle and then the trail is basically a staircase to a lookout point with 360 degree views of the front range and Golden. Not to mention the scenic drive up Lookout Mountain is beautiful. This is a great spot for snapping some cool mountain photos and then carrying on with the rest of your day.
If you’re only looking for easy hikes in the area, then check out my blog on 10 Easy Hikes in Golden, CO.
Trail difficulty: Moderate
Trail length: 4.6 mi
Elevation gain: 1,020 ft
Highlights: This is a proper hike with a steady incline and great views of the surrounding area. It feels like you’re deep in the mountains, without being that far from Denver. I love this hike because it’s easy to access from Golden and has pretty significant elevation gain if I’m looking for a trail that’s more of a challenge. Unlike the table mountains, this trail has more greenery and evergreens which had more layers to the landscape.
Trail difficulty: Moderate
Trail length: 4.4 mi
Elevation gain: 777 ft
Highlights: Super fun trail that’s a mix of hiking through wooded space and open, rocky areas. This is one of the best trails in the area because it has some awesome lookout points over both Golden and the mountains in the Front Range. It’s another great trail if you’re looking to get some mileage in, moderate elevation gain, and see great views. This trail offers a unique angle of the table mountains in Golden, CO and Windy Saddle Park.
Trail difficulty: Easy
Trail length: 2.4 mi
Elevation gain: 232 ft
Highlights: This is probably one of the most popular hikes in Golden, CO and the surrounding area. It’s great for casual walkers and hikers because most of the trail is paved making it perfect for families with strollers. If you’re looking for just a casual hike through Clear Creek Canyon this hike is for you. You can access it from Clear Creek Trail in downtown Golden or at the Gateway Trailhead parking lot which is closer. Turn it into a loop by taking the Welch Ditch Trail if you’re looking for more of a hike, because it will take you off of the paved trail. You can walk this trail all year round and get close to the creek and the mountains in the canyon.
For more detailed information, check out this post: Everything You Need to Know about the Peaks to Plains Trail
Trail difficulty: Moderate
Trail length: 5.1 mi
Elevation gain: 1,122 ft
Highlights: This is one of the most peaceful hikes I’ve been on in the Golden area, especially in the winter after a fresh snow. If you like long walks through the forest, you have to do this hike. The wooded trail is particularly great in the summer time when you’re in need of some shade or want to escape the intense Colorado sun. The Chavez and Beaver Brook Loop is within Genesee Park, located just off of I-70 in Golden, CO.
Trail difficulty: Easy
Trail length: 2.9 mi
Elevation gain: 410 ft
Highlights: This might be one of my favorite trails locally. The trailhead starts at Matthews Winters Park right next to Green Mountain and the trail actually connects to the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison. This is such a cool hike in the spring and early summer when the hills are bright green and the wildflowers are in bloom. It’s on the easier end when it comes to hikes, so it’s perfect if you’re looking for a casual walk or an easy path for trail running short distances.
Mount Galbraith Loop via Cedar Gulch Trail
Trail difficulty: Moderate
Trail length: 4.2 mi
Elevation gain: 925 ft
Highlights: Mount Galbraith is another very popular hike in Golden, CO with fantastic views of the surrounding area. Unfortunately, it was raining when I hiked this so I didn’t snap any good photos. The moderate incline and distance is perfect for a local adventure without driving that far into the mountains. Be aware that this parking lot gets full quickly and hikes often have to park on the side of the road. Plan accordingly and get there early if you are hiking on the weekend.
Snowshoe Hare Trail - Golden Gate Canyon State Park
Trail difficulty: Moderate
Trail length: 3 mi
Elevation gain: 649 ft
Highlights: If you’re wanting to spend a whole day outdoors in Golden, then visiting Golden Gate Canyon State park is a must. With over 35 miles of hiking trails, you can easily spend a weekend here and still have more to explore Plus, there’s a little something for everyone depending on your hiking ability, making it one of the best hiking destinations in Golden. This park checks all the boxes for mountain views, lookout points, and wild forests.
Trail difficulty: Moderate
Trail length: 1.4 mi
Elevation gain: 367 ft
Highlights: Did you know you can hike up to the top of the iconic rock formation that towers of Golden? You sure can! You can access Castle Rock, located on South Table Mountain, via the Olivine Trail. It’s a fairly steep switchback to the top, but it’s pretty short and very rewarding. From the top, you get a birds eye view of the mountain town, the Coors Factory, and the front range. If you’re a tourist staying in downtown Golden, you can walk to the trailhead making it a great outdoor activity for visitors. Would recommend making it a sunset hike!
Trail difficulty: Moderate
Trail length: 6.4 mi
Elevation gain: 1,082 ft
Highlights: Green Mountain is a wonderful park to visit all year round, although it’s only green for a few months out of the year. Walk beside the tall grass and enjoy close up views of the front range mountains along the way. You can make this hike as difficult as you like. If you want a more challenging hike, you can climb to the top and get unobstructed views of the entire area. Or you can just hike around the base of the mountain for a more leisurely stroll. Pro tip: Go on a cloudy day, since there is little shade on this trail.
Trail difficulty: Moderate
Trail length: 3.2 mi
Elevation gain: 541 ft
Highlights: North Table Mountain highlights some of the coolest rock formations in the area. Every time I hike here, I feel like I’m on mars because it’s so rocky and barren on the top. This is a popular spot in Golden for hikers, bikes, trail runners, and mountain climbers, so this trail is pretty busy all year round. One of the biggest highlights is that it’s right next to New Terrain Brewery, so you can easily grab a post-hike beer afterwards.
If you’re looking for other trail to tap combinations in Golden, you’ll want to read this: 7 Perfect Trail to Tap Combinations in Golden, CO.
Trail difficulty: Easy
Trail length: 1.9 mi
Elevation gain: 393 ft
Highlights: I love this hike because it’s relatively easy and you get great views of Red Rocks and the surrounding area. It’s a great spot for a quick hike, although it is fairly steep, so you should still wear appropriate footwear and bring plenty of water. I was surprised at how beautiful and well kept the trail was, especially during the spring time when the wildflowers were in bring. There are several rocky lookout points that are great for just hanging out, so make sure you bring your favorite snack or a lunch and just simply take in the views for a while.
Trail difficulty: Moderate
Trail length: 3.7 mi
Elevation gain: 800 ft
Highlights: This is such a great hike to do in the summer because you’re basically in the woods the whole time, so you can escape the intense Colorado sun. This trail takes you down into the Enchanted Forest which really does provide a magical feel. There’s a small creek bed which keeps the trees looking green all year round. I’d say this is a beginner friendly moderate hike, so it’s great for people just getting into hiking but are wanting to push themselves a little bit.
Trail difficulty: Moderate
Trail length: 3.5 mi
Elevation gain: 518 ft
Highlights: White Ranch Park is another popular spot for outdoor adventures in Golden. This trails is notable for it’s mix of terrain and views and offers a range of forested areas as well as open meadows. From here, you can get a unique vantage point of downtown Denver. I found this trail to be relatively easy, since the elevation gain was pretty moderate and the trails were well maintained.
Trail difficulty: Easy
Trail length: 19.1mi
Elevation gain: 223 ft
Highlights: Don’t let the length of the trail intimidate you! You can hop on this trail at any point (see AllTrails map), but the best spot to access this trail is in downtown Golden from Washington Ave. From there, you can walk the paved trail for about a mile west into Clear Creek Canyon until it connects to the Peaks to Plains Trail. Feel free to walk the Peaks to Plains Trail, or you can simply turn around at any point. This trail follows the creek the entire way and is super fun in the summer time where you can watch all the tubers float by—it’s free entertainment.
Want to learn how you can float down Clear Creek? Read this: Everything You Need to Know about Tubing Clear Creek in Golden, CO.
