Explore the best rated trails in Columbine, CO. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Switzerland Trail and Big Dry Creek Trail (Littleton). With more than 85 trails covering 605 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
_148666_st.jpg)
_159277_st.jpg)
_121534_st.jpg)
_138900_st.jpg){kind=spacer}
The Cook Creek Trail is a short, paved trail located in the suburban community of Lone Tree. The trail originates in Cook Creek Park, home to a local pool, tennis courts, and a portion of the Willow...
_123199_sc.jpg)
The Mary Carter Greenway (a.k.a. Arapahoe Greenway) runs for 8 miles along the South Platte River from Chatfield State Park near Columbine north to Englewood. Here it meets up with the Platte River...
The Niver Canal Trail parallels the Coronado Parkway for nearly 2 miles across Thornton, a northern suburb of Denver. About mid-way, the trail passes Rotella Park, which offers restrooms, picnic...
The Pikes Peak Greenway Trail runs throughout Colorado Springs, from just south of the United States Air Force Academy to the El Pomar Youth Sports Park. The popular trail connects at both ends to...
The Clement Park Lake Trail is a 1.4 mile loop trail around the Johnson Reservoir in suburban western Littleton. The trail is paved and lit, and takes users around the sixty acre lake and into the...
The Skyline Trail offers rolling hill climbs through the community of Briargate in northeastern Colorado Springs. It begins at Research Parkway and travels south until it ends at an electric...
The Legacy Loop is a ten-mile system of greenways ringing around downtown Colorado Springs. The trails serve to highlight the waterways and picturesque landscape that are such a core part of the...
_148666_sc.jpg)
The Bear Creek Trail provides a taste of the country in the city, connecting downtown Denver with the foothills of the Rockies. Along the way, enjoy scenic views of woodlands, meadows and Bear Creek,...
Aurora’s Piney Creek Trail provides a pleasant route across town with few street crossings. The paved pathway begins at the Ponderosa Preserve and heads northwest, winding through residential...
The Firestone Trail mostly parallels Colorado Boulevard between Dacono in the south and north of Firestone, at the northern end of the trail. The trail is paved and provides access to parks,...
The Snake River Recpath begins in Dillon and follows the river southeast just over 6 miles to the popular Keystone Resort. Along the way, you'll enjoy spectacular mountain scenery and views of Dillon...
The Weaver Gulch Regional Trail runs east-west across the northwestern edge of the suburb of Littleton, following the course of a greenbelt converted from a drainage ditch through a series of...
The Scott Lancaster Memorial Bike Path is a short, but pleasant 5 miles of mostly off-road route that allows cyclists and walkers to get between Idaho Springs and Floyd Hill, which is otherwise only...
_0_sc.jpg)
0.8 miles of trail isn't much on its own, but as part of a connective tissue of little trails linking major regional regional trails, the Turnpike Trail plays an important role. On the west side, it...
When complete, the US 36 Bikeway will offer a convenient and safe non-motorized route for traveling between Denver and Boulder. Eleven miles of the paved trail—which locals refer to as a “commuter...
A short, but useful suburban trail, the Lilley Gulch Regional Trail helps to connect numerous neighborhoods in the community of Columbine with local parks and schools, and provides a safe and off-road...
_132309_sc.jpg)
Note: As of April 2018, the trail is temporarily closed west of the Dublin Park spur while the city of Colorado Springs builds an extension westward along the creek to meet the Pikes Peak Greenway...
Students of the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs will appreciate the Austin Bluffs Trail. It runs through the campus, connecting the north and east sides of the school. The trail travels...
The Briargate Trail is located in northern Colorado Springs, beginning at the athletic fields of John Stone Park. From there, this pleasant trail travels southeast through residential areas for just...
_137948_sc.jpg)
About an hour south of Denver, the Rock Island Trail offers a nearly 15-mile pathway in two disconnected segments in El Paso County. Future plans call for linking the two sections for a seamless trail...
The Stetson Trail is a concrete pathway through residential neighborhoods that stretches 2 miles across northeastern Colorado Springs. It closely follows the south side of Stetson Hills Boulevard. As...
The Left Hand Greenway is a diagonal path along its namesake creek in southern Longmont. It begins at a juncture with the St. Vrain Greenway, a scenic 8-mile route across the city. From there, you'll...
The Wonderland Creek Greenway stretches just over a mile along its namesake waterway on the north end of Boulder. The trail begins at Norwood Avenue near Centennial Middle School and meanders...
Note: As of April 2018, the trail is temporarily closed west of the Dublin Park spur while the city of Colorado Springs builds an extension westward along the creek to meet the Pikes Peak Greenway...
The Farmers’ High Line Canal Trail provides an easy, pleasant way to traverse the northern suburbs of Denver. The paved pathway stretches more than a dozen miles, connecting Westminster, Northglenn,...
The Rockrimmon Trail, named for the Colorado Springs neighborhood in which it lies, begins in Foothills Park, adjacent to Foothills Elementary School. From there, the crushed-stone trail winds its way...
Although less than a mile long, the Inca Street Multi-Use Path provides an important connection between the neighborhoods of Sunnyside and Globeville on Denver's north end. The paved pathway and its...
The Scott Lancaster Memorial Bike Path is a short, but pleasant 5 miles of mostly off-road route that allows cyclists and walkers to get between Idaho Springs and Floyd Hill, which is otherwise only...
Located on Aurora’s south end, the Railroad Bed Trail offers a 2-mile diagonal pathway within Cherry Creek State Park, a recreational gem with opportunities for camping, fishing, swimming and...
_160853_sc.jpg)
The Foothills Trail runs along Colorado Springs' western border at the base of the majestic Rocky Mountains. You'll begin near Oak Valley Ranch Park and travel south along an irrigation channel,...
The Clement Park Lake Trail is a 1.4 mile loop trail around the Johnson Reservoir in suburban western Littleton. The trail is paved and lit, and takes users around the sixty acre lake and into the...
Aurora’s Piney Creek Trail provides a pleasant route across town with few street crossings. The paved pathway begins at the Ponderosa Preserve and heads northwest, winding through residential...
Although just over a mile long, the North Douglas Creek Trail provides access to one of Colorado Springs' natural treasures: Ute Valley Park. The trail begins at the intersection of Vindicator and...
The Fowler Trail is an easy hike in scenic Eldorado Canyon State Park that provides a great place to sight wildlife, watch rock climbers, or take in stunning views of the surrounding canyon....
The Greenwood Gulch Trail is a short paved trail that runs along the path of its namesake gulch in the Denver suburb of Greenwood Village. The trail offers residents the chance to experience a little...
With only 4 miles of an eventual 65 miles open, the already award-winning Peaks to Plains Trail is attracting new users every day. While US 6 basically parallels Clear Creek, the Peaks to Plains Trail...
The UCAR Multi-Use Path runs just a short distance from the campus of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research on Center Green Drive, linking buildings CG 1 and CG 3, to the other side of...
The Bear Creek Trail provides a taste of the country in the city, connecting downtown Denver with the foothills of the Rockies. Along the way, enjoy scenic views of woodlands, meadows and Bear Creek,...
The Weaver Gulch Regional Trail runs east-west across the northwestern edge of the suburb of Littleton, following the course of a greenbelt converted from a drainage ditch through a series of...
The Cook Creek Trail is a short, paved trail located in the suburban community of Lone Tree. The trail originates in Cook Creek Park, home to a local pool, tennis courts, and a portion of the Willow...
The New Santa Fe Regional Trail provides a scenic journey along the front range of the mountains, from Palmer Lake Recreation Area in northern El Paso County through the U.S. Air Force Academy in...
The Legacy Loop is a ten-mile system of greenways ringing around downtown Colorado Springs. The trails serve to highlight the waterways and picturesque landscape that are such a core part of the...
Two segments of the LaForet Trail are currently complete, offering 2 miles of pathway in northern Colorado Springs, just outside the United States Air Force Academy. The western segment is a...
The Cherry Creek Spillway Trail offers wide open views with the Denver skyline as a distant backdrop. Along the way, recreational opportunities abound as the path winds through Aurora's Wheel Park and...
Note: Like most of Lyons' parks system, the Corridor Trail has been closed since a devastating flood in September 2013. Work is currently underway to reopen the closed parks and trails. See the city's...
The Little Dry Creek Trail provides a paved, relatively flat pathway for bikers, walkers and skaters through areas of Westminster and northern Arvada. The tree-lined route follows its namesake, Little...
The Skyline Trail offers rolling hill climbs through the community of Briargate in northeastern Colorado Springs. It begins at Research Parkway and travels south until it ends at an electric...
The Niver Creek Trail winds through Thornton, a northern suburb of Denver, connecting parks, riparian areas and open space inhabited by prairie dogs, coyotes, numerous bird species, and other...
The Mary Carter Greenway (a.k.a. Arapahoe Greenway) runs for 8 miles along the South Platte River from Chatfield State Park near Columbine north to Englewood. Here it meets up with the Platte River...
The Stetson Trail is a concrete pathway through residential neighborhoods that stretches 2 miles across northeastern Colorado Springs. It closely follows the south side of Stetson Hills Boulevard. As...
Built on the site of the historic "City Ditch" in Littleton, which is over 150 years old (portions of which are still in use today), the Littleton Community Trail provides a short but pleasant urban...
The Montezuma Spur Recpath is a short trail along Montezuma Road near Keystone, Colorado, home to the popular Keystone Resort. From the path's western end, trail users can take the Snake River Recpath...
Most of the Ralston Creek Trail follows its namesake waterway, winding through several parks, neighborhoods and open areas in Arvada. On its western end, the trail becomes gently hilly and passes...
The Farmers’ High Line Canal Trail provides an easy, pleasant way to traverse the northern suburbs of Denver. The paved pathway stretches more than a dozen miles, connecting Westminster, Northglenn,...
Colorado's West Rail Line Bike Path parallels the W Line, a new light rail corridor through Denver and Lakewood that was known during construction as the West Rail Line. The Regional Transportation...
The Snake River Recpath begins in Dillon and follows the river southeast just over 6 miles to the popular Keystone Resort. Along the way, you'll enjoy spectacular mountain scenery and views of Dillon...
The Columbine Trail runs across the eastern edge of the suburban community of Columbine, paralleling the busy S Platte Canyon Road. This paved trail serves as an important resource for local...
The Foothills Trail runs along Colorado Springs' western border at the base of the majestic Rocky Mountains. You'll begin near Oak Valley Ranch Park and travel south along an irrigation channel,...
Located on Aurora’s south end, the Railroad Bed Trail offers a 2-mile diagonal pathway within Cherry Creek State Park, a recreational gem with opportunities for camping, fishing, swimming and...
_145943_sc.jpg)
The Pioneer Trail links Bergen Park to Evergreen Lake through Elk Meadow Park. The trail can be accessed from the Bergen Park and Ride, and stretches south for about a mile before ducking under SR 74...
This trail from Mile High Stadium north to Thornton was awesome. The path is all concrete with a few brief exceptions. The trail is well laid out, good signage. The are frequent rest spots and even quite a few places to relieve yourself if need be with porta potties that were surprisingly clean. Lots of wildlife and open areas. Well worth the trip.
This is one of the loveliest and nicely maintained urban bike trail I have ridden. The trail is paved and wide without many hazards on the pavement. The trail is well marked for the most part. I did miss a turn at one point and found myself on a different trail. Eventually, I turned back and found the correct trail again. I had missed the sign on a fork in the road and turned on to the wrong trail. The scenery is very lovely - it follows along a stream with pretty waterfalls.
I started at the northern terminus (small parking area) at 136th and Brighton Rd. I rode out to 88th Ave and back, which was 20 miles total. The first 6.5 miles to 104th Ave are very nice with less obvious/ugly man-made intrusions and lots of natural scenery. South of 104th, you see more fences, power lines, construction areas, urbanization, etc., but it is still nice as you travel along within the river's greenbelt. In this section, near the crossing at McKay Rd., there a couple of short gravel detours but also some nice new path [re]construction just being finished up. Overall, the path itself is excellent as it is wide and very smooth concrete. The course it takes is flat and easy though there is an overall ascent/descent (~10'/mile) based on whether you are going up or down river. Despite it being mid-December with no leaves in the trees and most everything browned out, there are some very pretty cottonwood groves and marshland areas Also, there was plenty of waterfowl varieties to see including Great Blue Herons and a fair number of raptors including a couple of Bald Eagles. I plan on returning during other times of the year to how it looks in the other seasons and because it is such a great recreation resource.
I had the opportunity to take this trail from mid-section to end at Cherry Creek State Park. I enjoyed it so much. The trail takes you through parks and follows streams and creeks. You get a diverse view of Colorado landscape including breathtaking views of the mountains on a clear day.
This is my second review for this trail. The starting point is S. Public road in Lafayette. The trail parallels the river and is quite nice. It goes by the park in Lafayette, then up toward 42. There is a decent climb up to the Aquarius trail head and a spectacular view. From then on, you are heading down hill with some lessor hills along the way. The trail goes by the back of the Dillon road tech center. Then you will go by the Rock Creek country club. There are signs saying to watch out for golf balls. At Superior, you have the opportunity to link with the Coulton trail. The trail does a button hook by the town hall. This is an out and back trail for the most part with nice scenery and wildlife. Note that there will be construction from Nov 19, 2018. The Coal Creek Regional Trail will be closed between McCaslin Boulevard and the US 36 Bikeway on Monday, November 19th. This closure will be ¿in place for approximately 6 months while improvements are made to the Coal Creek corridor. A signed detour will be available to guide bicyclists and pedestrians from the US 36 Bikeway through Downtown Superior to McCaslin Boulevard.
Did this trail in 2 sections. First, starting at Hwy 36, I went east all the way to I-25 and back (~14 miles). This section of the trail is wonderful. The new, wide smooth concrete path weaves and rolls following the creek though a surprisingly wide open and pretty green belt. There are wetland and prairie areas where it is possible to see various bird and wildlife. You feel like you are in the middle of a wildlife area for the most part. 5 stars.
From Hwy 36 to the west, the trail is not nearly as good quality as the other direction. To me, it was more convoluted and confusing as it goes close by office buildings, apartments/homes, stores, schools, etc. There are some new concrete sections to go with older areas and the pea gravel section on the climb to Standley Lake. Though there are pretty areas and some wildlife, for the most part, it feels like you are in the middle of suburbia. 3 stars.
Though not overly busy, I encountered other riders, runners, stroller pushers, dog walkers, etc. All seemed to be enjoying themselves!
I bike this trail every few weeks or so. Great scenery, people are courteous.
We rode the section from the McCabe Meadows Trail Head to the Cherry Creek Reservoir around 27 miles round trip. Although it's mostly only 8 ft. wide, the trail is in very good shape and has lot's of wooded, prairie and urban sections. It's a mellow ride with very few big inclines! We really appreciated that there were several trail heads with facilities (restrooms, picnic table, etc.). We plan to ride the next section north into Down Town Denver soon, we really enjoyed this trail!
I started on S Public road in Lafayette. The trail is well marked and a mixture of gravel, small sections of concrete. There were underpasses to avoid major roads. The countryside was pretty, starting out very lush by the creek, then turning more arid from Lafayette to Eire. There are sections of the trail that were washed out, so while biking, care is needed to navigate those sections. There is a good deal of wild life in and around the trail. Watch out for several prairie dog holes right in the middle of the trail. Bring water and some snacks. Overall, I would recommend the trail.
We bike a portion of the Lake Link Trail just east of Sheridan Boulevard every weekday morning and afternoon to take our daughter to and from her elementary school. We love it! It makes for such a pleasant commute as the trail runs along a pretty creek with tall grasses and trees set amid a quiet residential neighborhood. Here, the trail is paved and well-used by families with young children.
Get Your 2018 RTC TrailNation Jersey!
Download the TrailLink mobile app and take TrailLink with you!
Donate and Get a FREE 2018 RTC Guidebook!
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Map Search
_132309_st.jpg)
_160853_st.jpg)
_113847_st.jpg)
_123199_st.jpg)
_92088_st.jpg)
_145943_st.jpg)
_162277_st.jpg)
_0_st.jpg)
_137948_st.jpg)
_0_st.jpg)
_16126_st.jpg)
