Golden Gate Canyon State Park- Colorado
The state of Colorado has 42 State Parks that attract over 11 million visitors each year. These parks provided many opportunities for recreation and present an excellent avenue for enjoying the scenery and beauty of Colorado. Golden Gate State Park is the second largest of the state parks. It is in realatively close proximity to the Denver metro area. Yet despite it's size and location near the most populated cities in Colorado, Golden Gate State Park receives fewer visitors in a year then one might expect. Check this park out for your self and discover what it has to offer. Hiking, fishing, camping, backbacking, horseback riding, hunting and mountain biking are some of the main attractions,
Golden Gate Canyon State Park
What To Do
Golden Gate Canyon State Park is located in the Rocky Mountains west of Denver. The park offers over 12,000 acres of rocky mountain beauty to relax and enjoy outdoor activities. Golden Gate Canyon offers fishing in several small ponds and streams. Rainbow trout are regularly stocked into several of the lakes and offer easy access for family and even places for handicap access. Boats and float tubes are not allowed on the lakes, so you will have to fish from the shore most of the year. During the winter ice fishing is the way to get out to the deeper parts of the lakes.
Golden Gate Canyon offers 35 miles of trails for hiking and getting into the back country. 19 miles of those trails are open to mountain biking. Those 19 miles of bike trails are also open to horse back riding. The remaining trails are a little more difficult and are left to those that are just hiking. While you are out on the trail there are several older homestead type historic buildings through out the park. Find out where they are at the visitor's center and at information signs along the trails. Enjoy the back country and learn about the families that originally settled the land. While the trails are covered in snow you can bring your snow shoes or cross country skis.
There are 132 campsites in the park that are accessible by vehicle. Reverend's Ridge campground has showers and flush toilets available. It also offers electric hook ups at many of the sites. Aspen Meadow campground offers 35 of the sites for tent campers. These sites have vault toilets and are great if you want to be more in the wild. The Rifle Phillips camp ground is available for larger groups.
If you want to be even more alone while camping there are 20 back country camp sites that can be reserved to enjoy the night along the trail. If you want a little more protection there are four back country shelters that offer three walls and a roof. These are great places to pitch a tent for extra protection or if you want to sleep without a tent while still having a roof over your head.
As Colorado's second largest state park it has plenty to offer you. Make sure you consider Golden Gate State Park the next time you are looking for a place to camp and visit.
Ralston Roost in Golden Gate Canyon State Park
Check out some of my other hubs and information about the Colorado State Parks and what to do in Colorado:
