5 best hikes for Late Fall/Winter in Denver

Wondering where to hike with your dog once the aspens are done changing? Here are my favorite front range hikes for November and throughout winter.

Sandstone Ranch, Larkspur

Douglas County’s newest Open Space property has red rock formations, meadows, forested canyons, and even some Colorado ranching history. There isn’t much shade, but that’s perfect for a winter hike. It might be too hot in the summer, but ample sunshine is welcome in winter. The trails are wide and soft underfoot so ideal for older dogs.

Tip: If your dog is freaked out by horses, this isn’t the hike for you. There are almost always a few horse trailer in the parking lot. Once, we even saw a dozen donkeys running with their owners!

Sandstone Ranch is located at 9268 S Perry Park Rd, Larkspur, CO 80118
From I-25, north or south, take the Larkspur exit 173. Continue to S Spruce Mountain Rd for nearly one and a half miles. Upon reaching the stop sign in Larkspur, turn right onto Perry Park Avenue. Where Perry Park Avenue dead ends, take a left onto CO-105 E. Sandstone Ranch is approximately 0.6 miles ahead on the left.

North Table Mountain, Golden

It took me 23 years to finally try this hike, but now that I know about it, I’m obsessed. In the past, I tended to keep driving west into the mountains instead of stopping in Golden. The flat mountain didn’t look that appealing from the highway, and I wondered how grueling it would be to get up to the top. It turns out it wasn’t that hard, and the views are well worth it! The canyons are stunning, with ice waterfalls and unusual birds. It’s interesting how different the wildlife habitat is on top of the mesa. There are many endangered birds up there, and I’m sure I would have seen even more if I hadn’t had a golden retriever with me!

My tips for North Table Mountain are:

1. Skip it if it’s windy. 17 mph winds in town felt more like 50 mph winds up there. We almost blew off the mountain!
2. If there’s no parking in the lot, don’t be tempted to join everyone in parking illegally along the road. We noticed they all got tickets. Ouch.

White Ranch Park, Golden

The elevation isn’t too high, but it feels like the mountains. We always park at the west trailhead (25373 Belcher Hill Road, Golden CO, 80403), but there’s an east trailhead closer to town. There are stunning city views in one direction and mountains in the other.

Bear Creek Greenbelt trail, Lakewood

If you prefer hikes that are flat but still scenic, try the Bear Creek Greenbelt trail. There are two lakes, a river, and views of the foothills. The Stone House parking lot at 2900 S. Estes St., Lakewood, CO 80227 is a convenient place to park for the Bear Creek Greenbelt trail.

There’s also a beaver pond near Wadsworth. Who knew Lakewood could be so beautiful and wild?

Palmer Park, Colorado Springs

Every February, I get cabin fever and crave a new trail outside Denver. This year, we chose Palmer Park in Colorado Springs.

We hiked the Templeton Trail. It’s rocky and more challenging than a casual stroll, but it was refreshing to do a bit of bouldering instead of sticking to the city’s flat sidewalks. We passed more than a few happy Labradors powering their way up the hill! I recommend wearing trail running shoes with excellent grip because this trail is rocky, sandy, and steep in places. My normal running shoes lacked grip, so I was slipping and sliding in several spots.

At the top of the mesa, Palmer Park has one of the largest off-leash areas in the county. However, it has minimal shade, making it best suited for fall or winter. There’s a separate enclosed dog park, too.

The park sits just east of I-25, so there is some highway noise. From the Templeton Trail, the view looking west over the city is striking, with Pikes Peak as the backdrop.

If Templeton Trail sounds too difficult, there are 25 miles of trails in the park, so you can find one that best fits what you’re in the mood for.

Main Entrance Address: 3650 Maizeland Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80909

The Templeton and Mesa Loop Trail also departs from the North Canyon Trailhead.
We parked in the lot at 3344 Paseo Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80909

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