Hotels near Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Golden Gate Canyon State Park covers about 12,000 acres (4,860 hectares) of forest, meadows and rocky ridges in the foothills, only 45 minutes from downtown Denver. Its aspen groves grow lower than those on the high passes, so they colour through most of October, well after the high-country aspens have dropped their leaves.

Panorama Point Scenic Overlook looks across around 160 km (100 miles) of the Continental Divide, including peaks in Rocky Mountain National Park, and is a short walk from its parking lot. More than 55 km (35 miles) of trails cross the park, with the Raccoon Trail loop near Panorama Point a good half-day option. A daily vehicle pass from Colorado Parks and Wildlife is required.

Pro Tip: Buy the daily parks pass online before you arrive and start at the visitor centre, where rangers can point you to the groves that are peaking that week.