Eldorado Canyon Trail Colorado

Posted on August 14, 2019

by Lauren Gibson

If you’re looking for hikes with views of Denver, Eldorado Canyon trail doesn’t disappoint. This out and back trail covers just over 6 miles and dogs are allowed on a leash. You can take the trail to a wonderful viewpoint of Downtown Denver and turn around next to river rapids. Continue reading to learn how to access Eldorado Canyon Trail and what you can expect while hiking.

Eldorado Canyon Trail is located in Eldorado Canyon State Park. The park is a 45-minute drive northwest of Denver or a 20-minute drive if coming from Boulder. The park is a popular spot for rock climbers. You can check the official website for entrance fees.

To get to the park, you will drive through the small town of Eldorado Springs. The road is no longer paved inside the park, and parking is limited. The trailhead is across from the bathrooms & picnic area and has a well-marked sign.

The path is steep at the beginning and levels out as you get higher into the mountains. Once you reach the higher points on the trail, there is less shade but beautiful views in the direction of Denver and to the west into the Rocky Mountains.

One of the things I loved about the trail was the shade. There were plenty of shaded areas to rest. I also appreciated that the trail wasn’t too rocky and had mostly soft dirt for my dog to walk on.

The last half-mile of the trail goes far down the mountain to South Boulder Creek. Once you reach the area marked as Walker ranch, continue down a dirt road to reach Eldorado Falls. The falls were a nice spot to take a break before heading back. The rapids were very strong when I visited and the area should be approached with caution.

This trail was great for its closeness to Denver and for its views of the city and countryside. This was a good trail to try earlier in the hiking season due to there being too much snow on trails further into the mountains. I hiked this trail in early June after a spring and winter with higher than average snowfall.

I felt like this was a great hike to get me warmed-up for hiking season. Not too challenging, just the right amount of workout to build some muscle. I generally seek out shorter trails so that my dog can go and not get overworked. It was a little challenging to hike back up after going down to the rapids, but it was worth it to see the creek. It was also nice to see some wildflowers along the way.