- Hike Distance: 3.7 Miles
- Denver Drive Time: 40 min
- Difficulty: Easy
- Duration: 1hr 30 min+
- Activities: Picnic Area, Horseback Riding, Mountain Biking, Hiking Trails
- Dogs: Allowed on Leash in Most Areas
- Directions: Click for Google Map
- Trail Type: Loop
- Seasons: All Year
- Beauty: Front Range Views, Denver Views, Fire Tower, Ruins, & Deer.
- Trail Map Link: Click Here
Mount Falcon features several trails. By combining a few, you can create a 3.7 mile loop and take in several historic sites as well as breathtaking views of Denver, Red Rocks, and the Front Range. This is makes it one of the best hikes close to Denver for visiting friends and family. Because it is an easy hike and has a relatively flat and wide trail, you can take the jogging stroller on this one, too.
The Loop: Start at the parking lot and when you come to a fork in the trail, take the Tower Trail to your right. Soon you’ll pass the Eagle Eye Shelter which offers great views towards Mount Evans and the surrounding foothills. Stay on the Tower Trail until you get to the Fire Tower which commands a panoramic view of Denver, Red Rocks, and more of the Front Range of Colorado.
Then continue on the Tower Trail until it intersects with the Meadow Trail. Take the Meadow Trail North/Left for about .3 miles. It will end at the Castle Trail – take a left. The Castle Trail will lead you back to the parking lot, but don’t head back until you stop at the ruins of the old Walker Home. The views from here are beautiful as well. Click here for a link to the Mount Falcon trail map.
Tips:
- Bring a Lunch and stop at the Eagle Eye Shelter for a Picnic
- Go early or late to catch some of the best sunsets along the Colorado’s Front Range
Related Hikes:
- Hike Distance: 2.5 to 4 miles approx (RT)
- Denver Drive Time: 45 min
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Duration: 1.5-2.5 hrs
- Activities: Picnic Areas, Horseback Riding, Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing
- Dogs: Allowed on Leash
- Directions: Click for Google Map
- Trail Type: Loop w/Spur Option
- Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall
- Beauty: Canyon, Waterfalls and Cascades, Cliff Swallows, Cliff-Top Views, Geologic Features
- Trail Map Link: Click Here
If your legs are ready to gain some quick elevation
to some rewarding views, the Rattlesnake Gulch trail will give you just that. This trail starts at the west trailhead of the Fowler Trail about 1/2 a mile into Eldorado Canyon. Read More
- Hike Distance: 2.6 Miles
- Denver Drive Time: 40
- Difficulty: Easy
- Duration: 1.5 Hrs
- Activities: Hiking, Dog Park Nearby
- Dogs: Allowed on Leash
- Directions: Click for Google Map
- Trail Type: Loop
- Trail Map: Elk Meadow Park Map
- Seasons: All Season
- Beauty: Meadows, Old Barn, Ponderosa Pine, Wildlife: Elk, & Abert’s Squirrel
Elk Meadow Park has just over 13 miles of hiking trails near Denver that wind through it’s lower meadows, through ponderosa forest, and two more strenuous options that lead to the summit of Bergen Peak. This profiles a 2.6 mile loop that begins at the south parking area. To form the loop, Read More
- Hike Distance: .7 (RT) (see trail options below)
- Denver Drive Time: 50min
- Difficulty: Easy to Medium
- Duration: 30min+
- Activities: Rock Climbing, Hiking, Picnic Areas, Birdwatching, Wildlife Viewing
- Dogs: Allowed on Leash in Most Areas
- Directions: Click for Google Map
- Trail Type: Out & Back & Loop Options
- Seasons: All Season
- Beauty: Cherry Creek, Waterfall, Interesting Geology, Canyon Views, Ruins
- Fee Required: Visit Colorado State Parks Site
The Homestead Trail in Castlewood Canyonis the first trail you will encounter as you enter the west side of the park. Park at the first lot and you’ll immediately see the ruins of the old Lucas Homestead, an unusual concrete structure built in the late 1800′s.
The trail is less than a mile round trip, but it links up with several other trails which form 2 loops. Read More
- Hike Distance: .14 mile (.26 RT)
- Denver Drive Time: 50 min
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Duration: 30 Min Round Trip
- Activities: Rock Climbing, Hiking, Picnic Areas, Nearby Waterfall
- Dogs: Allowed on This Trail
- Directions: Click for Google Map
- Trail Type: Out & Back
- Seasons: All Season
- Beauty: Cliffs, Caves, Mature Ponderosa Pines
- Fee Required: Visit Colorado State Parks Site
Looking for caves close to Denver? They may not be extensive, but they are still fun to explore. There are actually two caves along the top of the trail. One is a kind of large crack in the rock that leads to a larger chamber. I wish I could describe it better, but my 2 1/2 year old, when I asked if she wanted to go inside, was concerned that the “bears might be awake.” There are more caves hidden in Castlewood Canyon waiting to be found, but that is for another post.
Tips:
- Access the cave trail by hiking across the dirt road from the parking lot. The google map is very specific and should be helpful in finding the correct lot.
- Hike Distance: 1.3 Miles (RT)
- Denver Drive Time: 40 Min
- Difficulty: Easy
- Duration: 45 Min
- Activities: Picnic Area, Hiking Trails, Boating, Fishing, Ice Skating.
- Dogs: Allowed on Leash
- Directions: Click for Google Map
- Trail Type: Loop
- Seasons: All Season
- Beauty: Lake, Sunsets, Wetlands, Wildlife: Elk & Migratory Birds.
- Portions of this Trail are Handicap Accessible
Evergreen Lake Trail is a 1.3 mile loop in the quaint mountain town of Evergreen, Colorado. If you have a young family like us, and are looking for an easy hike near Denver, this is a great choice. Read More
- Hike Distance: 100 yards
- Denver Drive Time: 50min
- Difficulty: Easy
- Duration: 10min
- Activities: Short Trail
- Dogs: Allowed on Leash
- Directions: Click for Google Map
- Trail Type: Out & Back
- Seasons: Closed from Nov. 1 to May 1
- Beauty: Waterfall, Boulder Creek, Cliff.
Boulder Falls is only about 70 feet high, but it’s really breathtaking. The combination of the tight canyon, giant ponderosa pines, and the pouring waterfall makes it a great place to take visiting friends and family. Read More
- Hike Distance: .8 to 4 Miles
- Denver Drive Time: 50
- Difficulty: Medium
- Duration: 45min to 2hr 30min+
- Activities: Picnicking, Hiking Trails
- Dogs: Allowed on Leash
- Directions: Lower Parking Area – Upper Parking Area
- Trail Type: Out & Back and Loop
- Seasons: Spring thru Fall
- Beauty: Waterfall, Overlooks, Creek, Woodlands
Waterfalls close to Denver don’t have a lot of wow-factor, but they make great for great destination hikes. There are 3 ways to hike to the falls. Our favorite is the Cliff Trail loop because it gives you the falls a reward at the end. The falls are more of a series cascades, but are worth the hike.
You have several options for your hike to Maxwell Falls.
1. The Short Version: Less than 1 mile round trip – Begin at the Upper Trailhead and follow the signs to the falls. It’s just under half a mile, one way.
2. The Cliff Trail Loop: 3 Miles – Start at the upper trailhead lot. The trail will split a couple times and you’ll want to bear left, following the signs that point you down the Cliff Trail. You’ll climb a bit to a rock promontory that gives you beautiful views of the valley below. You will begin a descent to the creek bed, then the trail will turn and head upstream. Follow it until you hear the falls. After the falls, follow the trail back up to the upper lot.
3. Lower Maxwell Falls Hike – 4 Miles Round Trip – Begin at the lower parking area and hike up the valley and along Maxwell Creek for about 2 miles. About 1.7 miles along the trail, you’ll cross to the other side of the creek. Shortly after that, you’ll hear the falls. Return the same way you came.
Related Hikes:
- Hike Distance: 1.4 Miles+Spurs
- Denver Drive Time: 40
- Difficulty: Medium (can be difficult over rocks)
- Duration: 1hr+
- Activities: Hiking Trails, No bikes or horses are allowd
- Dogs: Allowed on Leash
- Directions: Click for Google Map
- Trail Type: Loop
- Seasons: All Season
- Beauty: Historical Monument, Rock Formations, Front Range Views, Wildlife: Rock squirrels and cliff swallows
- Hike Distance: 1.2 (2.4RT)
- Denver Drive Time: 50 min
- Difficulty: Easy
- Duration: 1hr or less
- Activities: Guided Audio Nature Tour, Hiking, Picnic Areas, Visitors Center
- Dogs: Allowed on Leash in Most Areas
- Directions: Click for Google Map
- Trail Type: Out & Back
- Seasons: All Season
- Beauty: Interesting Geology, Canyon Views, Interpretive trail, Wildflowers, Birdwatching
- Fee Required: Visit Colorado State Parks Site
One of the best handicap accessible trails near Denver, the Canyon View Nature Trail at Castlewood Canyon State Park is a 1.2 mile interpretive trail. It runs along the western edge of the top of the canyon and weaves through ponderosa pine and a wonderful variety of wildflowers. Read More
