Golden Gate Canyon State Park
Share Best State Park Within an Hour of Denver
You can access all of Colorado’s wonderful state parks for just $29 per year by opting into the Keep Colorado Wild Pass when registering your vehicle. And for an easy, satisfying trip to the outdoors from Denver, we recommend Golden Gate Canyon State Park for hiking, sightseeing and more. Located less than 45 minutes from the city, Golden Gate Canyon has more than 35 miles of trails, 125 picnic areas and over 150 campsites, and visitors often report seeing bighorn sheep, black bears, beavers, foxes, moose and golden eagles. The park is a hot spot for fall leaf-peeping, thanks to its old-growth aspen trees, which you can see from horseback on your own steed or by booking a ride with Bear Creek Stables. Golden Gate Canyon also has hunting grounds and five fishing ponds, and stays open during the winter for cross-country skiing. Head home for a cold beer after all the fun, or book a hotel for a different kind of game at a casino in Black Hawk, which is just fifteen minutes away.