Want a hike to please everyone?The Clear Creek Trail in Golden, Colorado is it! It’s got shade, the kids can bring their bikes, and you can finish your hike with a stroll around downtown. We might get some flack for calling this a hike, because it runs through the business district of Golden, CO.But you can wear the soles of your shoes down on this one. Jefferson County even has plans to expand the trail several miles into Clear Creek Canyon. Explore the full trail profile for all the details: hiking trails, trail map, and detailed directions to the trailhead.
Trail Snapshot:Clear Creek Trail in Downtown Golden
Hike Distance | 1.8 Miles |
---|---|
Difficulty | Easy (super easy) |
Duration | 1 hr |
Trail Type | Out and Back |
Seasons | All Season |
Denver Drive Time | 30 min |
Directions | Click for Google Map |
Town Nearest Hike | Golden, Colorado |
Beauty | Clear Creek, Cliff Swallows, Tree lined river |
Activities | Parks, Shops, Kayaking, People Watching, Rollerblading, and Biking |
Handicap Accessible | This Trail is Handicap Accessible |
When you have small children, some mornings can be harder than others to get through the foothills and into the mountains. This trail is made for those mornings. We like to park downtown, grab coffee at the Windy Saddle, then stroll down the trail. A local training school is often seen near the Washington Street Bridge doing water rescue training. It’s highly entertaining and a great opportunity. Visiting family and friends will find this trail accessible, easy, and refreshing.
- Bring a Picnic and throw down a blanket at one of the several parks along the way (see map)
- You can start outside of town at the 6th Ave parking area and you have two options: Hike into town, or hike west in Clear Creek Canyon for .7 miles of the Grant Terry Trail
- Don’t miss the cliff swallows that have built their nests along the 6th Ave. bridge.
- The Windy Saddle Cafe, on Washington Street offers a kids’ playroom and their coffee is fantastic.
Tips & Resources for Hiking the Clear Creek Trail:
City of Golden Trail Map Link
City of Golden Open Space Map Link
Colorado Road Conditions
Weather
Map & Driving Directions
Click for Driving Directions
Aaron Johnson has been hiking in Colorado for over 20 years. The owner and editor of Dayhikes Near Denver, Aaron writes every trail profile as a local guide who has hiked hundreds of miles of trails along the Front Range and deep in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.
We went into Golden on Memorial day weekend, this is really easy to access and was a really cool trail. Lots of fun watching the kayaks and people tubing down the river. Plenty of shade and fun.
We hiked the Clear Creek trail and it was really great, but I do want to note that the 6th Ave. Parking mentioned here is not available to the public.
This is especially a good hike for those with small kids as the kids can stay in their strollers and there is a great park to play right off of the trail. Lots of great places to eat as well.
A wonderful place to take all family members to enjoy a beautiful day!
This is one of our family’s favorite picnic spots in the Denver area. Kids love playing by the creek, and mom & dad like stopping by Coors for a short tour afterward. Make sure to pick up a sandwich from D’ Deli on Washington Street–they have the best sandwiches on the Front Range.
The address in the map link (1130 10th St) took us to a parking lot at a playground near the trail, which was perfect to let the kids play after our hike! And we took Colin’s advice and grabbed a buffalo Reuben at D’Deli for lunch. Great page, thanks for the suggestions!