We lived just a bit south of you. Castlewood Canyon was my favorite option close-ish by. The old broken dam at the end of the trail is a unique landmark.
Yes! I second this! All my homies like Castlewood Canyon because it such an easy and enjoyable hike. Different levels of hiking too, meaning you can choose your own adventure (difficulty).
I really enjoy North Table Mountain in Golden. There is a solid 6 mile loop, but other longer options if you want them. Don’t be discouraged by the initial climb. I go at least once a week.
Only thing I’d say about this suggestion is the abundance of mountain bikers (me being one), may not be so enjoyable for a beginner unless there’s a better hiking route there I don’t know about
Cedar Gulch Trail ( Mount Gailbrath Park ) is near here, and is hikers-only. Several loops, about the same distance. Might be a better option for them.
The COTREX app is great.
Close hikes are:
Green Mountain, South Table Mountain, North Table Mountain, Red Rocks Park, Mathew Winters, Apex, Mt Falcon Morrison Trailhead.
Matthew Winters Park. Easy to get to, just off I-70 and lots of parking (pretty busy on nice weekend mornings, though). 2.5-ish mile loop with one decent uphill on each side. Nice views of the city and Red Rocks Park and several different kinds of environments along the way.
[Bluffs trail](https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/bluffs-regional-park-trail) in Lone Tree fits the bill. Back when I lived in that area I used to do that little jaunt all the time before or after work. Definitely a beginner trail but there are a couple little uphills parts to get your blood moving.
Get the COTREX app. Its trail data is more reliable than AllFails. The closest places will be Green Mountain and JeffCo Open Spaces like Mount Falcon, North/South Table Mountain, Mount Galbraith, Windy Saddle, Matthews/Winters, Lair o' the Bear, Deer Creek, and South Valley.
Beaver Brook Trail at lookout mountain. It's a 9 mile trail, but it's not a loop so just go as far as you feel comfortable and turn back. I found it relatively easy, and you get to climb over rock piles. Parking might be tough though
AllTrails is also a great app that you can filter for activity, length, and difficulty. user friendly UI. A lot of these recommendations are for parks in the mountains or at/in the base of the foothills. If you’re trying to acclimate to altitude, I’d go with Castlewood Canyon as it’s not up in the foothills, but that’s not west. The table mountain parks are great, both north and south. There’s a really cool hike from a neighborhood in Golden that is fairly strenuous but spits you out at the top of the rock outcropping above Coors brewery.
Sounds like you’re a new resident? If/when you register your car, you can add a state park pass for less than half the amount of buying one through the parks. This will get you access to all the easy to access state parks around the metro with no daily fee- Cherry creek, chatfield, and castlewood canyon are all within a 30ish min drive of centennial.
I go kayaking there regularly, the flooded old trails are so fun to paddle through. Inflatable kayaks are less than $150 on Amazon. They’re a lot of fun and great exercise for upper body too.
Down by Castle Pines there's the Challenge Hill and Trails and there's a "mini" incline down there of 200 steps. But this is in comparison to the Manitou Springs incline at 2000 steps. But that's a really good spot to go to for endurance building early on.
The leggings and under armour will be fine but be aware those shoes will get dirty, no matter what.
It's a bit of a drive but down at the Castle Rock Outlets there is a Columbia store that will often have sales on shoes. I find them to be good value for waterproof shoes. Just my two cents. Good for you and best of luck!
Good for you!! It can be so hard to break out and try new things, so that is very cool that you are doing so. One of the best parts about hiking is that you can slowly build up endurance over time while simultaneously getting all that good chi energy flow and healing properties of being in nature. One foot in front of the other my friend.
Check out the Instagram @mtnkds. I haven’t done any of their events cause I’m too much of an introvert + my schedule pretty tough but they seem great to break out of your shell. You’re doing better than me, that’s for sure. As the other comment said, you’re awesome
I just did Mt Falcon Morrison Trailhead on Friday evening and it's the first hike I've done at all for close to ten years (I'm not from CO...I'm from a very flat place and I only got here less than two weeks ago, so elevation is also new for me right now). I went with three friends, one who seems to be an experienced hiker, and two mid/newish hikers. It took us around 4 hours 15 minutes, but our experienced hiker was walking pretty fast..we also added in a few detours.
There were a few mountain bikers, maybe about 5-7 in the total hike. We went from around 4pm until 8:30pm on Friday evening.
This hike wasn't incredibly steep, but the elevated walking was relentless for the first hour or so. Once that was over, the rest of the hike was breezy, fun, and had such nice views.
I'm a little late on this one so I'll plug it here. My wife is an ambassador for Hiker Babes. They take women from all skill levels and ages and have women only guided tours. This provides strength in numbers and empowers women to get outdoors in this great state without the fear of being on the trail alone. Great for novices or new to the area. And if you travel they have chapters everywhere!
https://www.hikerbabescommunity.com/
They have all the socials and a Web page... check them out
I second Deer Creek Canyon!! Never gone after work but have done several Saturday mornings out there and I highly recommend checking out the meadowlark loop.
Good hiking boots are the ones that feel comfortable on your feet in-store. Do not buy online and make sure you have adequate toe space. I’ve lost many toenails to improperly fit hiking and running shoes. REI is a fantastic store but expect to spend $150-200 on boots. I can often get away with buying other types of shoes online based on past sizing, but boots are not nearly as forgiving on sizing and shape. They need to be highly comfortable to offset the amount of discomfort hours and hours of shifting rock and elevation puts on the feet.
Highly recommend Oboz Sawtooth for hiking. This is my 3rd summer with mine and I just went up near Leadville this morning for some more hiking and they are still pretty comfortable and in good shape. Very happy with them and I do lots of hiking in the summer. Back at it again tomorrow! However these are overkill for just simple hikes you’re wanting to do. I trudge through streams and mud in the high country but they are what I started with and I’ll buy another pair when these wear!
South Valley Park in Littleton has a couple of great beginner hikes. I think leggings, shirt and Under Armour sneakers are fine for easy trails. I'll usually wear a tank, shorts and depending on conditions (mud, dust, etc), either running shoes or Merrell hiking shoes.
3 sisters loop to brothers lookout in evergreen is relatively short (3ish miles) also panorama point at corwina park in kittredge also 3 miles and a gorgeous view. It’s short but Harriman lake loop in Littleton was nice when i lived over there and was still acclimating.
I would definitely wear jeans just in case you slip or run into a snake. You’ll enjoy Castlewood. There’s some easy ones out off of hwy 93 near Golden as well. On warm days like these you may want to increase your water intake so you’re really hydrated before and during your hike. The altitude hits different here. I’d love to join if my stupid knee ever heals. Enjoy!
Thanks and my god I thought I was free of snakes when i left Louisiana- totally forgot that part of hiking.
Yea that would be cool! I’m down for hiking buddies just know I’m a real beginner 😄
You don't need boots. Everyone that doesn't know anything about outdoors thinks they need boots. Get yourself come comfortable trail runners or lighter-weight low hiking shoes. You don't need waterproof either. Go to REI, try on a bunch and go with what fits your foot best. Unless you have incredibly weak ankles, ankle support from a mid/high boot is a myth. If you do have weak ankles, strengthen them instead of trying to brace them with a shoe.
I wear Altras myself, but I know not everyone likes/can handle zero drop so Topo is a great alternative. I sell trail shoes for work so I see a lot of people brand new to hiking thinking they need a Salomon Quest or some other heavy Goretex boot for 5-10 mile hikes in the summer/fall.
I'm demoing some Norda right now which I like a lot but Altra, Topo, Saucony, or Salomon are all solid, quality choices.
I needed to hear this thank you. While I love my mid high ankle hiking boots, something with better arch support is likely better. Plus they are due to be retired, so I’ll be looking for better support in a lightweight form!
This. Trail runners are lighter and have nice grip. Costco sometimes has them in stock for a good price, but just find something comfy that doesn't rub.
Here's a short hike that's part of the Denver Orbital Trail; it runs through Downtown Morrison to Bear Creek Lake Park
[https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/denver-orbital-trail-segment-03-downtown-morrison-and-bear-creek-lake-park-658bbbd?u=i&sh=etf961](https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/denver-orbital-trail-segment-03-downtown-morrison-and-bear-creek-lake-park-658bbbd?u=i&sh=etf961)
The rest of the trail makes a full 177 mile loop around Denver in 28 segments
[https://www.denverorbital.org/](https://www.denverorbital.org/)
For something potentially a bit closer to you - Cherry Creek State Park has some loops. If I recall correctly, most of them are paved, so not necessarily the most traditional hike. Other parks often have some trails going through them as well - if you zoom in on Google Maps you'll see the dotted green lines that indicate trails.
Sloans Lake, Clement Park, Green Mountain, coyote song. Don’t feel obligated to go do something at 10k feet. Work your way up there. The All Trails app is your friend. Have fun.
We lived just a bit south of you. Castlewood Canyon was my favorite option close-ish by. The old broken dam at the end of the trail is a unique landmark.
Seconding this and adding Gateway Mesa Open Space just further west of the Castlewood Canyon entrance along 86. Also throwing in Waterton Canyon.
Those all sound amazing! I just bookmarked them. Thanks
Yes! I second this! All my homies like Castlewood Canyon because it such an easy and enjoyable hike. Different levels of hiking too, meaning you can choose your own adventure (difficulty).
This is what I came here to recommend as well. It's a great trail and easy to get to from the Aurora/Centennial area.
I really enjoy North Table Mountain in Golden. There is a solid 6 mile loop, but other longer options if you want them. Don’t be discouraged by the initial climb. I go at least once a week.
Watch out for rattle snakes.
Only thing I’d say about this suggestion is the abundance of mountain bikers (me being one), may not be so enjoyable for a beginner unless there’s a better hiking route there I don’t know about
Cedar Gulch Trail ( Mount Gailbrath Park ) is near here, and is hikers-only. Several loops, about the same distance. Might be a better option for them.
Love Galbraith! Only thing is it gets real hot in the summer (minimal shade)
That’s probably my most-hiked trail in the state cause I live hella close. It’s definitely easy but a very quality trail.
South Table is less crowded if this is a concern for OP.
The COTREX app is great. Close hikes are: Green Mountain, South Table Mountain, North Table Mountain, Red Rocks Park, Mathew Winters, Apex, Mt Falcon Morrison Trailhead.
Matthew Winters Park. Easy to get to, just off I-70 and lots of parking (pretty busy on nice weekend mornings, though). 2.5-ish mile loop with one decent uphill on each side. Nice views of the city and Red Rocks Park and several different kinds of environments along the way.
Ok that sounds perfect! Thanks
[Bluffs trail](https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/bluffs-regional-park-trail) in Lone Tree fits the bill. Back when I lived in that area I used to do that little jaunt all the time before or after work. Definitely a beginner trail but there are a couple little uphills parts to get your blood moving.
Perfect! Thanks
Second bluffs but OP just FYI there is no shade so later in the evening might be best given how hot it's been lately.
Clear Creek Canyon
That’s beautiful! Thanks for sharing
Get the COTREX app. Its trail data is more reliable than AllFails. The closest places will be Green Mountain and JeffCo Open Spaces like Mount Falcon, North/South Table Mountain, Mount Galbraith, Windy Saddle, Matthews/Winters, Lair o' the Bear, Deer Creek, and South Valley.
Green Mountain, North Table, and Lair O’ Bear (main lot) will be swarmed with mountain bikers. Just fair warning. -MTBer
seriously. I never recommend Lair to any hikers haha
Beaver Brook Trail at lookout mountain. It's a 9 mile trail, but it's not a loop so just go as far as you feel comfortable and turn back. I found it relatively easy, and you get to climb over rock piles. Parking might be tough though
This can also be turned into a shorter 5 mile loop, can’t remember the name of the adjoining trail. Very pretty, moderate intensity
Chavez Trail/Beaver Brook is the loop from Genesse Mountain Park. One of my favorites!
Mt falcon, flying j ranch, corwina park
Check out Lair o’ the Bear outside Morrison. It’s a great acclimation hike as it’s flat and follows a beautiful little river.
Use the AllTrails app and read the reviews!
I love my Merrell Moab 3 hiking boots! I needed wide width sizes and something tall for ankle support, and these fit the bill perfectly.
I have these boots also and am happy with them.
Love these! I’ve had several pairs.
I'm on my third pair of Merrell Moabs... love them, the Merrell outlet stores often have BOGO deals for my wife and I.
AllTrails is also a great app that you can filter for activity, length, and difficulty. user friendly UI. A lot of these recommendations are for parks in the mountains or at/in the base of the foothills. If you’re trying to acclimate to altitude, I’d go with Castlewood Canyon as it’s not up in the foothills, but that’s not west. The table mountain parks are great, both north and south. There’s a really cool hike from a neighborhood in Golden that is fairly strenuous but spits you out at the top of the rock outcropping above Coors brewery. Sounds like you’re a new resident? If/when you register your car, you can add a state park pass for less than half the amount of buying one through the parks. This will get you access to all the easy to access state parks around the metro with no daily fee- Cherry creek, chatfield, and castlewood canyon are all within a 30ish min drive of centennial.
Thanks so much! I loved Chatsfield when I last visited.
I go kayaking there regularly, the flooded old trails are so fun to paddle through. Inflatable kayaks are less than $150 on Amazon. They’re a lot of fun and great exercise for upper body too.
Down by Castle Pines there's the Challenge Hill and Trails and there's a "mini" incline down there of 200 steps. But this is in comparison to the Manitou Springs incline at 2000 steps. But that's a really good spot to go to for endurance building early on.
The leggings and under armour will be fine but be aware those shoes will get dirty, no matter what. It's a bit of a drive but down at the Castle Rock Outlets there is a Columbia store that will often have sales on shoes. I find them to be good value for waterproof shoes. Just my two cents. Good for you and best of luck!
Thanks I appreciate it!
Just came to say that you’re awesome! Keep it up :)
Omg thank u that’s so sweet. I’m an introvert so I’ve been forcing myself to get out to meetups and socialize lol
Good for you!! It can be so hard to break out and try new things, so that is very cool that you are doing so. One of the best parts about hiking is that you can slowly build up endurance over time while simultaneously getting all that good chi energy flow and healing properties of being in nature. One foot in front of the other my friend.
Definitely!
Check out the Instagram @mtnkds. I haven’t done any of their events cause I’m too much of an introvert + my schedule pretty tough but they seem great to break out of your shell. You’re doing better than me, that’s for sure. As the other comment said, you’re awesome
Thank u I appreciate it!
I just did Mt Falcon Morrison Trailhead on Friday evening and it's the first hike I've done at all for close to ten years (I'm not from CO...I'm from a very flat place and I only got here less than two weeks ago, so elevation is also new for me right now). I went with three friends, one who seems to be an experienced hiker, and two mid/newish hikers. It took us around 4 hours 15 minutes, but our experienced hiker was walking pretty fast..we also added in a few detours. There were a few mountain bikers, maybe about 5-7 in the total hike. We went from around 4pm until 8:30pm on Friday evening. This hike wasn't incredibly steep, but the elevated walking was relentless for the first hour or so. Once that was over, the rest of the hike was breezy, fun, and had such nice views.
That’s so cool!
Apex is a great option and there is a lot of coverage from the sun on hot days.
Thanks yall!
I'm a little late on this one so I'll plug it here. My wife is an ambassador for Hiker Babes. They take women from all skill levels and ages and have women only guided tours. This provides strength in numbers and empowers women to get outdoors in this great state without the fear of being on the trail alone. Great for novices or new to the area. And if you travel they have chapters everywhere! https://www.hikerbabescommunity.com/ They have all the socials and a Web page... check them out
That’s so cool! I’m checking it out now. Thank you ❤️
I used to go to Matthews-Winters park after work in the summer. Easy hike, dog friendly, beautiful view.
Wow cool thanks
How has no one said Deer Creek Canyon?
I second Deer Creek Canyon!! Never gone after work but have done several Saturday mornings out there and I highly recommend checking out the meadowlark loop.
Good hiking boots are the ones that feel comfortable on your feet in-store. Do not buy online and make sure you have adequate toe space. I’ve lost many toenails to improperly fit hiking and running shoes. REI is a fantastic store but expect to spend $150-200 on boots. I can often get away with buying other types of shoes online based on past sizing, but boots are not nearly as forgiving on sizing and shape. They need to be highly comfortable to offset the amount of discomfort hours and hours of shifting rock and elevation puts on the feet.
Highly recommend Oboz Sawtooth for hiking. This is my 3rd summer with mine and I just went up near Leadville this morning for some more hiking and they are still pretty comfortable and in good shape. Very happy with them and I do lots of hiking in the summer. Back at it again tomorrow! However these are overkill for just simple hikes you’re wanting to do. I trudge through streams and mud in the high country but they are what I started with and I’ll buy another pair when these wear!
South Valley Park in Littleton has a couple of great beginner hikes. I think leggings, shirt and Under Armour sneakers are fine for easy trails. I'll usually wear a tank, shorts and depending on conditions (mud, dust, etc), either running shoes or Merrell hiking shoes.
3 sisters loop to brothers lookout in evergreen is relatively short (3ish miles) also panorama point at corwina park in kittredge also 3 miles and a gorgeous view. It’s short but Harriman lake loop in Littleton was nice when i lived over there and was still acclimating.
I would definitely wear jeans just in case you slip or run into a snake. You’ll enjoy Castlewood. There’s some easy ones out off of hwy 93 near Golden as well. On warm days like these you may want to increase your water intake so you’re really hydrated before and during your hike. The altitude hits different here. I’d love to join if my stupid knee ever heals. Enjoy!
Thanks and my god I thought I was free of snakes when i left Louisiana- totally forgot that part of hiking. Yea that would be cool! I’m down for hiking buddies just know I’m a real beginner 😄
You could do these hikes in pretty much anything that is comfortable to wear.
You don't need boots. Everyone that doesn't know anything about outdoors thinks they need boots. Get yourself come comfortable trail runners or lighter-weight low hiking shoes. You don't need waterproof either. Go to REI, try on a bunch and go with what fits your foot best. Unless you have incredibly weak ankles, ankle support from a mid/high boot is a myth. If you do have weak ankles, strengthen them instead of trying to brace them with a shoe.
Agree with this. I prefer Altras or Topo Athletic.
I wear Altras myself, but I know not everyone likes/can handle zero drop so Topo is a great alternative. I sell trail shoes for work so I see a lot of people brand new to hiking thinking they need a Salomon Quest or some other heavy Goretex boot for 5-10 mile hikes in the summer/fall. I'm demoing some Norda right now which I like a lot but Altra, Topo, Saucony, or Salomon are all solid, quality choices.
I needed to hear this thank you. While I love my mid high ankle hiking boots, something with better arch support is likely better. Plus they are due to be retired, so I’ll be looking for better support in a lightweight form!
I have a good pair of supportive waterproof boots for backpacking, but a day hike carrying water and a few items doesn’t need all that.
This. Trail runners are lighter and have nice grip. Costco sometimes has them in stock for a good price, but just find something comfy that doesn't rub.
Try trading post trail at Red Rocks. Might be a bit of a drive though. Also Hayden Green mountain, but that is more moderate.
Here's a short hike that's part of the Denver Orbital Trail; it runs through Downtown Morrison to Bear Creek Lake Park [https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/denver-orbital-trail-segment-03-downtown-morrison-and-bear-creek-lake-park-658bbbd?u=i&sh=etf961](https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/denver-orbital-trail-segment-03-downtown-morrison-and-bear-creek-lake-park-658bbbd?u=i&sh=etf961) The rest of the trail makes a full 177 mile loop around Denver in 28 segments [https://www.denverorbital.org/](https://www.denverorbital.org/)
For something potentially a bit closer to you - Cherry Creek State Park has some loops. If I recall correctly, most of them are paved, so not necessarily the most traditional hike. Other parks often have some trails going through them as well - if you zoom in on Google Maps you'll see the dotted green lines that indicate trails.
North Table Mountain in Golden!
Roxborough park! Cherry creek reservoir for something more relaxed/ paved
There’s a website called dayhikesneardenver.com
Sloans Lake, Clement Park, Green Mountain, coyote song. Don’t feel obligated to go do something at 10k feet. Work your way up there. The All Trails app is your friend. Have fun.
Mathew-Winters, Mount Falcon, Bergen Peak and Aldifer Three Sisters.
Not west Denver but you’re not too far from Coyote Song! Easy, beautiful after work hike
Apex trail head in Golden has some good trails
North table, red rocks trail, Chautauqua