Golden Gate Canyon State Park: Go Forth and Wander

We all need to escape the city, if only to forget about those mornings when the interstate turns into a parking lot, complete with a thick blanket of noxious smog holding in all that smoldering heat and road rage. If only to forget those nights when the couple next door quarrels loudly about furniture until 2am, followed by even louder make-up sex until 4am, complete with their headboard slamming rhythmically against the wall, your own framed photographs bouncing with each thrust.

Our ancestors were wanderers, constantly exploring new lands, pulled onward by the distant horizon. That yearning to explore is deeply embedded in us all, and thankfully there’s a brilliant patch of land in Denver’s own backyard where we modern humans can still wander … and revitalize.

Located 16 miles northwest of Golden, I first discovered Golden Gate Canyon over a decade ago when I first moved here, searching for a place to calm my mind from the ceaseless cacophony of city life. And it was indeed tranquility I found as I navigated the meandering Golden Gate Canyon Road, rolling down my windows and filling the cab with fresh air and the sharp scent of pine.

Golden Gate Canyon boasts over 12,000 acres of public land, with almost 40 miles of hiking trails, some of which are designated for mountain biking and horseback riding — plenty of ways to wander.

There are also areas for rock climbing, fishing, picnicking, and of course camping. All kinds of camping. There are designated areas for RV campers complete with electricity (for those who can’t quite relinquish the conveniences of city life). There are designated areas for group camping. (Can’t go wrong with friends around a campfire drinking libations and smoking weed.) And my personal favorite, individual backcountry campsites that require a fair amount of hefty hiking to get to (for when you want to be alone to contemplate your aloneness).

One hike I recommend is Coyote Trail off of Mount Base Road.

This two-mile trek features several steep switchbacks to get those legs muscles burning. The trial rises almost 1,000 feet in elevation, a great way to burn away all those residual holiday cookies and pies. The top of Coyote Trail flattens out into the serene Frazer Meadow surrounded by groves of tranquil Aspen trees and tall prairie grass that tickles the knees. It’s there that I bivouacked one clear summer night, unrolling my sleeping bag outside my tent, staring at the unfathomably distant stars for hours.

Free from most of Denver’s light pollution, I got a front-row seat to the cosmos and began to wander internally. As I traced the now-visible Milky Way Galaxy with my finger, I thought about my own finite and infinitesimal place in the universe. Then I ate a homemade turkey sandwich with lots of mustard and hot sauce.

If you’re feeling adventurous after camping, I recommend a scramble to the summit of nearby Tremont Mountain. There’s no trail, but you won’t need any climbing gear either. And at 10,400 feet, it’s the highest point in the entire park, offering remarkable views of the surrounding area.

There’s so much more to discover, such as Panorama Point where you can view a 100-mile stretch of the Continental Divide, or Reverend’s Ridge Campground where you can spend the night in a yurt.

Liberate yourself from traffic gridlock and humping neighbors. Tap into that ancient need to roam in Colorado’s own Golden Gate Canyon State Park.