Golden Gate Canyon State Park

State Park in Golden, CO

Hours:

Park: Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office: Tuesday through Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Entrance Fees:

Daily Vehicle Pass: $10

Individual Daily Pass: $4

Animals Permitted:

Leashed Dogs
Service Animals
Horses

Park Address:

92 Crawford Gulch Road
Golden, CO 80403
United States

Contact:

303-582-3707

[email protected]

Golden Gate Canyon State Park

State Park in Golden, CO

Hours:

Park: Daily, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Office: Tuesday through Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Entrance Fees:

Daily Vehicle Pass: $10

Individual Daily Pass: $4

Animals Permitted:

Leashed Dogs
Service Animals
Horses

Park Address:

92 Crawford Gulch Road
Golden, CO 80403
United States

Contact:

303-582-3707

[email protected]

Navigate to:

Golden Gate Canyon Activity Trail

Activities and Trails

What to Do at Golden Gate Canyon

Just an hour from Denver, Golden Gate Canyon has 35 miles of trails for your outdoor adventures. Explore mountain meadows, streams, rocky peaks and forests year-round. The park offers hunting and fishing opportunities for all skill levels. Rent a cabin or yurt, or camp in one of four backcountry shelters. Panorama Point Scenic Overlook features stunning views of Colorado's Continental Divide.

Biking
Camping
Education Programs

Fishing
Hiking
Horseback Riding

Hunting
Picnicking
Rock Climbing

Best of Golden Gate Canyon

Trails

More than 12,000 acres of dense forest, rocky peaks and aspen-rimmed meadows laced with miles of trails awaiting the hiker, horseback rider and mountain biker.

Find a Trail

Fishing

Fishing is permitted in any stream or pond at Golden Gate Canyon State Park with the exception of the Visitor Center Show Pond. The daily bag limit at Golden Gate Canyon is four fish. There is an ADA-accessible fishing pier at Kriley Pond. The Park’s ponds include Kriley, Slough, Dude's Fishing Hole, Forgotten Valley and Ranch Ponds. Ponds are stocked regularly during the spring and summer.

Picnicking

There are 125 scenic picnic sites throughout the park. Sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis and include a table and charcoal grills for cooking.

Beautiful Views of the Continental Divide

Panorama Point or the Ken R. Larkin Memorial showcases a 100-mile view of the Continental Divide.

Upcoming Events

Aug

Spider Night Hike

Friday, Aug 23

Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Join Volunteer Vickers and other members from the Denver Nature and Science Museum for an evening program about spiders! Learn how spiders are important to the ecosystem and go one a short night hike on a nature trail to learn how to safely catch and release spiders. Flashlights are recommended for this event. The park has a few to loan out if needed. The program will meet at the amphitheater behind the Reverend's Ridge Campground office.

View Details

Aug

Registration Required:

Event participants must register

Spider Night Hike

Friday, Aug 23

Golden Gate Canyon State Park

View & Register

Aug

Jr. Ranger Orienteering

Saturday, Aug 24

Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Join Park Staff Nathan for a program about orienteering. Come learn how to use tools like compasses and maps. Test the knowledge that you learn with a fun activity before you go!    

View Details

Aug

Registration Required:

Event participants must register

Jr. Ranger Orienteering

Saturday, Aug 24

Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Join Park Staff Nathan for a program about orienteering. Come learn how to use tools like compasses and maps. Test the knowledge that you learn with a fun activity before you go!    

View & Register

Aug

Nature's Dark World

Saturday, Aug 24

Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Join Park Staff Bronwyn and Sarah on a guided night hike along our nature trail to better understand and appreciate the adaptations of animals at night. Please bring a flashlight or headlamp, if you do not have one we will do a craft ahead of time to make your own lantern.

View Details

Aug

Registration Required:

Event participants must register

Nature's Dark World

Saturday, Aug 24

Golden Gate Canyon State Park

View & Register

Aug

Spider Night Hike

Friday, Aug 23

Golden Gate Canyon State Park

View Details

Aug

Registration Required:

Event participants must register

Spider Night Hike

Friday, Aug 23

Golden Gate Canyon State Park

View & Register

Aug

Jr. Ranger Orienteering

Saturday, Aug 24

Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Join Park Staff Nathan for a program about orienteering. Come learn how to use tools like compasses and maps. Test the knowledge that you learn with a fun activity before you go!    

View Details

Aug

Registration Required:

Event participants must register

Jr. Ranger Orienteering

Saturday, Aug 24

Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Join Park Staff Nathan for a program about orienteering. Come learn how to use tools like compasses and maps. Test the knowledge that you learn with a fun activity before you go!    

View & Register

Aug

Nature's Dark World

Saturday, Aug 24

Golden Gate Canyon State Park

View Details

Aug

Registration Required:

Event participants must register

Nature's Dark World

Saturday, Aug 24

Golden Gate Canyon State Park

View & Register

View All Events

Trails

Easy Trails

Visitor Center Show Pond Trail

0.25 miles
Walking only
Dog friendly
ADA accessible

Moderate Trails

Blue Grouse Trail

0.8 miles one way
Hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking
Dog friendly

Buffalo Trail

1.2 miles one way
Hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking
Dog friendly

Horseshoe Trail

1.8 miles one way
Hiking only
Dog friendly

Mule Deer Trail

8.8 mile loop
Hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking
Dog friendly

Raccoon Trail

2.5 mile loop
Hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking
Dog friendly

Visitor Center Nature Trail

0.10 miles
Hiking only
Dog friendly

Reverend’s Ridge Nature Trail

0.25 miles
Hiking only
Dog friendly

Difficult Trails

Beaver Trail

2.3 mile loop
Hiking only
Dog friendly

Black Bear Trail

2.5 miles one way
Hiking only
Dog friendly

Burro Trail

4.1 mile loop
Hiking only
Dog friendly

Coyote Trail

2 miles one way
Hiking only
Dog friendly

Mountain Lion Trail

6.7 mile loop
Hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking
Dog friendly

Snowshoe Hare Trail

3 mile loop
Hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking
Dog friendly

Trail Map

Rock Climbing

Multiple climbing opportunities can be found throughout the park. Access to these areas requires hiking into the backcountry.

Big Game, Small Game and Elk

Hunting

At Golden Gate Canyon, big game and small game hunting are allowed on the Jefferson County portion of the park. Elk hunting is allowed on the Green Ranch portion of the park with a limited access permit.

Jefferson County

Hunting is allowed on the Jefferson County portion of the park (the orange portion of the map) from the Tuesday after Labor Day through the Friday before Memorial Day. All hunters are required to purchase a vehicle pass and register at the Visitor Center. All Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Golden Gate Canyon State Park rules and regulations apply. Hunting is limited to 35 hunters per day. Hunting is never permitted in the Gilpin County side of the park.

Elk Hunting on Green Ranch

How to Apply for a Hunt
Applications are due by 5 p.m. Please read the full hunting rules, regulations and application instructions before submitting a hunting application.

Rules, Regulations and Application Instructions
Green Ranch Hunt Application
Hunting Boundary Map

Please call the Visitor Center at 303-582-3707, or email Todd Farrow at [email protected] for more information about the ranch or applying for a hunt.

Green Ranch Hunting Orientation
Registration is required to attend a Green Ranch hunting orientation. Please call the Visitor Center at 303-582-3707 to sign up.

Who should attend an orientation:

Hunters who have successfully drawn a Green Ranch hunting permit.
Hunters who have not attended an orientation in the last five years.

Dates: August 21 and October 2
Time: 10 am–12 pm (noon)
Location: Golden Gate Canyon State Park
Meet at shop at Highway 46 and Mountain Base Road