Mount Galbraith Park, Golden

What a beautiful hiking trail! I really enjoyed the views, and the hike wasn’t that bad! There were a few breathless moments, some cool wildlife, and cool rocks! I would definitely suggest some sunscreen, as it is sunny for most of the hike. The parking lot is on the smaller side, but I actually used LotSpot to help see if there was parking available!

Taking Cedar Gulch Trail to Mount Galbraith Loop makes for a nice hike - albeit with some consistent gain in elevation. Galbraith Park trails are well maintained with clear signage. They are very exposed to the sun with shade areas spaced far apart so be prepared to sweat on a hot day and don’t forget the sun screen. I don’t begrudge mountain bikers access to trails but it is nice that these are “hiker only” and you don’t have to worry about jumping out of the way. I had a hiking/trekking pole epiphany on this hike. I’ve been taking it easy on my old knees by using trekking poles lately. They take some getting used to in terms of coordinating their use and placing your steps. I used one pole on Mount Galbraith instead of two and found it much more satisfying. One pole gave me the balance point I needed when navigating rocky stretches both up and down hill. Using two poles frequently becomes too many sticks to maneuver. Just a tip for those that are experiencing advance youth (old age) - take two poles just in case but trying using one.