Hike To See Beautiful Fall Colors Near Denver
Golden Gate Canyon State Park - Raccoon Trail Review
Fall is in the air and the leaves are changing! I love this time of year and love the views even more. Take advantage of the nice autumn weather in Colorado while it lasts.
Golden Gate Canyon State Park is home to over 35 miles of hiking trails and 12 trails of various levels of difficulty. Leaves are changing right now and this is the perfect time to go explore the outdoors before the leaves fall.
Raccoon Trail
Raccoon Trail is located in the Golden Gate Canyon State Park, 45 minutes northwest from Denver, Colorado. Signs are pretty easy to follow that will get you to the parking lot right at the start of the trail. There is no service in the park so make sure to get your directions set up beforehand. Raccoon Trail is a 3.4 mile loop, considered moderate. There is a park fee so make sure to bring cash to leave in an envelope near the trailhead and restrooms. Yes there are restrooms at this trail which is a huge plus, and dogs are always welcome, on leash of course!
I've done this hike a handful of times, always in the fall to see the colors and it never disappoints. The trail isn't super hard and there are many spots to pull over for a break and take in the amazing views, don't forget to look up every once in a while because there are so many along this trail! Towards the end there is some elevation gain and this is the hardest part, especially to those not accustomed to Colorado elevation, so take your time when needed.
The Hike
To kick off October, my family and I went on this hike. We met at the parking lot around 8, it was pretty full but we all lucked out and after circling a few times, secured a spot. I went with my two older sisters and their husbands as well as my boyfriend and two of my sister's dogs. We started the hike and immediately saw this photo opportunity and my sisters and I had to capture it.
The hike took about an hour and 15 minutes with a few stops along the way to see the beautiful views. One of my sisters is six months pregnant right now and had no problems with the difficulty. This was my boyfriend's first hike in Colorado since moving from North Carolina and did great as well. Towards the end there are some steep parts that we had to take breaks during to make sure everyone could catch their breath and drink some water, stay hydrated!
The end of the trail leads you to the Panorama Point with a large viewing area, also great for pics.
Afterwards, we headed down to Golden, a 25 minute drive towards Denver, for some brunch at Windy Saddle Café. Their Meat Breakfast Croissant was my favorite, but they also offer other sandwiches, burritos, pastries and coffee. We ended this morning by walking around Downtown Golden and taking in this beautiful day.
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