3 Best Hiking Trails in Denver, CO

“Bluff Lake Nature Center is an ideal destination that is dedicated to educating and inspiring people of all ages to respect, protect, and connect to the natural world. This park ensures various ways for people to explore nature. The park is free to visit and is open to the public 365 days a year. The nature center also contains three different habitats, including riparian, wetland, and prairie habitats, as well as hundreds of animal species, including over 220 bird species. Bluff Lake Nature Center also offers families a chance to go 'off-trail' and engage with the natural elements along the trail. More than 8,000 school kids make their visit to this ideal spot each year for field trips, and thousands of families participate in their summer camps, family days, and events.”

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“Roxborough State Park is an ideal destination that features wildlife, hiking trails, and dramatic red-rock formations. The park spans about 3,339 acres and is known for its distinctive red sandstone formations. The state park ensures a wide array of landscapes with ponderosa pine and Douglas fir forests, prairies, and woodlands, home to various wildlife. The park is also home to 145 bird species, more than 50 butterfly and moth species, and 11 amphibian and reptile species. Visitors can also have an elegant view of black bears, coyotes, deer, elk, foxes, mountain lions, prairie dogs, and rabbits. Little Willow Creek, Willow Creek, and Mill Gulch are the primary sources of the park.”

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“Sanderson Gulch features 5 miles of trail that offers a natural oasis right in the middle of a major city. The total length of the trail is 5 miles, and the elevation gain is 13 feet. This is a point-to-point type of trail. It takes approximately 58 minutes to complete the entire trail. The park has an elegant overlook of the town's skyline and includes a pavilion and plaza area with picnic tables, toilets, and playgrounds. Visitors can also take the Platte River Trail, a north-south path that offers almost 30 more biking miles. The Platte River Trail, a north-south path with approximately 30 miles of riding, is also accessible from this end of the trail. Sanderson Gulch also features a wide grassy space with numerous picnic tables. The park offers an on-street parking facility.”

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