Explore the best rated trails in Denver, CO. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Sheep Draw Trail and Loveland Recreation Trail. With more than 81 trails covering 612 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.
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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 Longmont-to-Boulder Regional Trail (nicknamed the LOBO) extends more than 10 miles between these two major cities and taps into the region's vast network of trails. Most of the pathway has a...
The trail on the east side of Bradburn Boulevard is relatively short, but it makes an important connection between two major Denver metro trails. Following the trail north brings you to within feet of...
The Bear Creek Path begins just south of the University of Colorado Research Park and winds its way southwest to the Martin Acres community. The trail is paved and generally flat, although there is a...
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...
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Gaining only 200+ feet in elevation, the Narrow Gauge Trail is in Pine Valley Ranch Park, a beautiful open space near the mountain community of Pine, Colorado. The trail follows the north bank of the...
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 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...
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 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...
Elmer's Two Mile Creek Greenway begins just north of Elmer's Two Mile Park on the north end of Boulder. It's paved and generally flat, traveling through open spaces, parks, neighborhoods and...
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 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 Happy Canyon Trail runs for just over 4 miles through the communities of Centennial, Cottonwood and Parker on the southern outskirts of Denver. To the north, the trail begins at in the Cherry...
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The High Line Canal Trail is a popular stretch of path through Denver's southside suburbs, winding for 71 miles between Aurora and Roxborough State Park. The trail is owned and operated by Denver...
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 Rocky Mountain Greenway Trail opened its first 7-mile section in 2016, but is one day planned to stretch 25 miles across the northern Denver Metro area, including the suburbs of Westminster,...
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The Clear Creek Trail runs more than 20 miles from metro Denver, through Wheat Ridge, to Golden along a picturesque creek with views of the North and South Table Mountains. A highlight of the trail...
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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 Fraser River Trail runs between the town of Fraser and Winter Park, paralleling US 40 for its entire route. The trail offers lovely views of the surrounding mountains and is a great way to connect...
In comparison to some of the lengthy, fantastic trails in the southern suburbs of Denver, the Lee Gulch Trail may not seem like anything special. However, it offers a wonderfully useful off-road...
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...
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....
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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 Mineral Trail, also referred to as the Railroad Spur Trail, is a short trail on the southern edge of Littleton that manages to pack in a suprising amount of variety and utility considering its...
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...
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Big Dry Creek Trail follows an east-west course for 12 miles between Interstate 25 and Standley Lake in Westminster, one of Denver's northern suburbs. The trail is generally flat, with short stretches...
The Long View Trail is a north-south trail connecting Loveland to Fort Collins. The trail is a ribbon of pavement winding across Larimer County’s scenic outdoors. In fact, as it parallels 57th Street,...
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...
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 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...
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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...
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 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...
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The Union Pacific Trail runs for just a short distance between E. 100th Avenue and Thornton Parkway in the Denver suburb of Thornton. The trail runs through a shadeless corridor alongside a railroad...
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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...
Weir Gulch cuts a narrow, jagged path through the landscape of west Denver down to the Lakewood border. A greenway path imitates the course of the stream, winding from the edge of the Platte River...
The Sand Creek Regional Greenway follows Sand Creek in Denver's northeast metro area. The southern end of the trail, through Denver and Aurora, has a soft surface, which can make for a dusty ride when...
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...
As its name implies, the Lake Link Trail connects many of the region's lakes, offering picturesque views of the water and surrounding mountains. The trail begins in Hunter Douglas Business Park and...
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 West Toll Gate Creek Trail provides a convenient north-south route through Aurora from Horseshoe Park to Quincy Avenue. The trail, just over 3 miles long, is dotted with trees and winds through...
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,...
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The Alameda Bike Path is a separated bike-ped facility along Alameda Parkway/ Avenue. The paved trail stretches for over seven miles from Jewell Avenue to just east of SR 95 in Lakewood, a suburb of...
The Willow Creek Greenbelt Trail is a six mile, paved and soft-surface trail that runs along a creekbed in the suburban area around Centennial. The trail begins in the north outside the Holly Park...
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 East Plum Creek Trail begins in a field across the street from the Native Legend Open Space. It goes through an underpass under Meadows Blvd near Castle Rock Middle School. The next few miles of...
The Fraser River Trail runs between the town of Fraser and Winter Park, paralleling US 40 for its entire route. The trail offers lovely views of the surrounding mountains and is a great way to connect...
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...
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 Hangman’s Gulch Trail runs along Hangman’s Gulch, a dry stream in Castle Rock. The trail starts at Castle Rock Recreation Center, where it connects to the Woodlands Bowl Open Space on the other...
The Clear Creek Trail runs more than 20 miles from metro Denver, through Wheat Ridge, to Golden along a picturesque creek with views of the North and South Table Mountains. A highlight of the trail...
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The Platte River Trail is just one of many of Denver's superb multi-use trails, this one stretching from just north and west of Englewood and heading north toward Henderson. The 28.5-mile trail...
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...
The Poudre River Trail tracks a 21-mile, scenic course along Cache la Poudre River between Windsor and Greeley. The paved trail is popular with hikers, runners, cyclists and inline skaters. The path...
The St. Vrain Greenway begins in Golden Ponds Park and travels east along the creek for more than half its distance. At the park, watch for the bald eagles, wood ducks, great blue herons and Canada...
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 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...
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...
Gaining only 200+ feet in elevation, the Narrow Gauge Trail is in Pine Valley Ranch Park, a beautiful open space near the mountain community of Pine, Colorado. The trail follows the north bank of the...
We had a fun day exploring the Clear Creek Trail in Golden and some of the city's numerous attractions. We began at Parfet Park, where there was ample parking along Jackson Street. The trail begins paved, but becomes crushed stone as you head west out of town. The path can get a bit bumpy here, but we were fine on our hybrid bikes. The pathway closely parallels the river and we saw lots of families tubing down the river and a couple of people with fly fishing gear. There was a great playground right along the trail, too, which my daughter loved. Nearby, we also visited the American Mountaineering Museum and took a tour of the Coors brewery.
If you do this ride round trip, the elevation gain is over 1,100 feet. Not a bad ride and if you look in the distance the view is nice. However, the trail is parallel to Kipling so you’re riding next to a busy street with a lot of traffic lights. That said, the drivers were extremely nice. We are cyclists that obey all traffic laws and it was great how we could ride in unison, thanks Lakewood!!
We had a wonderful time on the LoBo Trail, beginning our ride from Boulder's Celestial Seasonings parking lot after a great tour of the tea factory. The trail’s scenery was beautiful: a mixture of shady tree corridors and open fields with long grasses and wildflowers. Quiet neighborhoods buffered the trail just beyond the trees, and we saw many people out enjoying a weekend bike ride or walking their dogs. The trail was largely hard-packed crushed stone, which our hybrid bikes handled easily. There was a short break in the trail between Twin Lakes Road and Lookout Road, but that afforded us the opportunity to access a commercial area where we stopped for lunch.
This is a great concrete running trail that is moderately shaded and pretty easy to follow. It connects with a couple other trail systems, most notably the Clear Creek Trail on the eastern end. Sometimes there are concentrations of homeless underneath Wadsworth Blvd. but they seem to keep to themselves. Occasionally, the disc golfers at Memorial Park will take up the whole path and/or smoke, but that's just a minor personal annoyance.
The worst part of the trail is when the trail briefly ends and you have to run along Brooks Dr. and Johnson Way on either the sidewalk or the road to get back onto the trail at the Apex Tennis Center.
Traveling west is an ever slight incline and as you reach the end of the trail on the western end of the trail, there are some serious uphill climbs. In the winter, the city does a pretty good job of keeping the trail cleared of snow but there are still icy patches around.
Overall, this is a pretty good urban trail.
Pros: Pretty well shaded, well marked in most places and lots of places to access or exit the trail. Great views of the mountains around Pecos and Federal when running westbound.
Cons: There are a lot surface-level street crossings starting at and east of Huron St. Trail runs next to busy roads for stretches.
Perfect for an out of towner like myself. Trail was easy to follow especially with this app!
My wife and I rode this trail out and back this week. Parking was good but you do need to find the lots and that can be difficult. The trail itself is wonderful. Lots of shade, open areas, and mixed riding with a nice climb and decent coming and going. The surface is well packed and wide. We saw many other bikers and walkers even though it was a workday. Our biggest complaint, and it caused more miles than planned, is horrible to non-existent signage. There are large blue signs at some intersections with the trail name but no direction on the signs. There are numerous trail junctions to neighborhoods, other trails, and shopping but not one sign to show where the main trail leads. For added confusion these off-shoot trails have the same surface as the main trail and look the same. At one major intersection the trail split 3 ways, we took what looked like the main trail and ended up in a car wash and the trail literally disappearing. Talking with locals who were on the trail was no help as many only used the connector trails and did not know where the main trail was. After finally figuring out the main trail with many detours we turned around before we would have liked and headed back. So, if going on this trail, know the trail before you go.
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.
Several different trailheads make this a fun spot to try many times. It is deceptively big and can be challenging or moderate depending on the route you choose. It is very popular- and in the fitness crazed Golden CO area, so you will meet others on the way.
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.
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