Golden Gate Canyon State Park is a Colorado State Park located in Gilpin and Jefferson counties northwest of Golden, Colorado. The 12,119-acre (49.04 km2) Front Range park established in 1960 has 42 miles (68 km) of hiking trails. Horse and bicycle travel is allowed on 27 miles (43 km). Facilities include a visitor center, over 100 campsites and 125 picnic sites. In 2019 the park recorded 1,045,131 visits, a 20.6% increase over 2018.Plan a Golden trip in moments using our itinerary builder.
Wetland and riparian plant communities are found along Ralston, Nott and Deer creeks and small ponds within the park. Ponderosa pine, Rocky Mountain juniper, Douglas fir and aspen are found in forested areas. Commonly seen wildlife includes mule deer, elk, black bear, mountain lion, Abert's squirrel and pine squirrel. Visitors also occasionally spot moose, which are increasing in the park. Common birds include turkey vulture, Steller's jay, Clark's nutcracker, mountain bluebird and mountain chickadee.
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Golden Gate Canyon State Park reviews
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Golden Gate Canyon State Park is very special place. Everyone should go here and have an amazing time. more »
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If you're going to go here, go very early in the morning, especially on the weekend! It costs $9 for a day pass that you need to pick up upon entry into the park. They have plenty of hikes for all... more »
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I have hiked quite a few trails here, and all are beautiful. I like Mountain Lion Trail the best for the ever changing terrain. The start is green and feels like Hawaii on a humid day, while the last part opens up to dry, rocky, Colorado landscape with wide views of the surrounding hills. The best part for me is that because you do need to pay either for a yearly pass (highly recommend) or one time per car, it encourages car pooling and means less people on the trails.
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What a great park! Perfect if you're a tent camper, RVer, or like us...went for the cabins-for-rent. Lots and lots of hiking trails with beautiful scenery. If you're an autumn "leaf-peeper," a park ranger told me that the end of September or beginning of October are the times to visit. Always, repeat always, pay for the daily park pass. Regarding the cabins, they are perfect for those of us that still like a little bit of comfort to blend with "roughing it." The cabins have 2 sets of bunk-beds, each bottom bunk being a full-size and the top bunks are singles. The cabins have electricity and heat. And if you struggle with being disconnected, no worries...we had 4G coverage the whole time.
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