Before jetting down to the Outside Festival in Denver this summer, I detoured over to Golden Gate Canyon SP for a pre-fest hike. First time at this park and I loved it! Gorgeous drive and the place is packed with sweet trails laced among its 12,000-acre spread. I made a short, 4ish-mile loop From the Ralston Roost trailhead, made up of a paring of the Black Bear and Horseshoe trails.

The path climbs steadily from the start, through a handsome aspen stand up into a bulbous nose of boulders high above the canyon road. A gradual drop down the other side leads to and across Rim Meadow, heartbeat quiet and host to a handful of backcountry campsites. I’ll bring the pack next time! The return leg on Horseshoe squiggles amidst more aspen alongside a waterfall-packed tributary of Ralston Creek. It’s a peaceful easy feelin’ heading down this homestretch. A right turn just before the bottom leads up and over a short hump back to the trailhead.

This is a great launch pad trail to areas deeper in the park, and don’t miss the views of the Continental Divide and Indian Peaks from Panorama Point on Gap Road at the north end of the park.

Why this place matters

The circa 1800s Swedish homestead in the valley is a fascinating look into the hopes and dreams of the area’s early settlers. Much earlier, the lower canyons and meadows attracted Ute, Arapaho, and Cheyenne peoples, following the paths of buffalo and elk.

Today the park is home to a rich variety of wildlife species. Mountain lion, black bear, mule deer, and elk are common, and threatened species including Cooper’s hawk, olive-sided flycatcher and Western Green Hairstreak butterfly also find solace here.