Golden Gate Canyon State Park
Golden Gate Canyon State Park offers a variety of recreation opportunities within an hour’s drive of the Denver metro area. Over 35 miles of trails await the outdoor enthusiast, providing access to high mountain meadows, lush streamside corridors, rocky peaks and dense forest. Overnight accommodations range from tent and RV sites at the family-friendly Reverend’s Ridge Campground, to rustic backcountry sites with no amenities. Panorama Point Scenic Overlook offers spectacular views of over 100 miles of Colorado’s Continental Divide throughout the year.
Things to Do
Explore Trails Over 35 miles of hiking trails draw visitors to the park. The 12 trails at Golden Gate Canyon are each named after an animal and marked with a two-letter abbreviation that corresponds to that animal.
Fishing Fishing is permitted in any stream or pond at Golden Gate Canyon State Park with the exception of the Visitor Center Show Pond. The daily bag limit at Golden Gate Canyon is four fish. There is an ADA-accessible fishing pier at Kriley Pond. The Park’s ponds include Kriley, Slough, Dude's Fishing Hole, Forgotten Valley and Ranch Ponds. Ponds are stocked regularly during the spring and summer.
Picnicking There are 125 scenic picnic sites throughout the park. Sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis and include a table and charcoal grills for cooking.
Hunting Hunting in the Park is permitted in the Jefferson County portion of the Park only. Hunting is only allowed from the Tuesday after Labor Day through the Friday before Memorial Day. Reservations are required and can be made up to 14 days in advance.
Campgrounds Open to the public year-round, Golden Gate Canyon offers camping, cabins, and yurts. Full hook-up camping and more rugged backcountry experiences are available. Cabins and yurts can accommodate up to six people, and have electric lights and natural gas heating.
Plan Your Visit
Hours
- Park: Day use, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Visitor Center: Daily, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Campground Office: Sun-Thurs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fri-Sat 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Entrance Fees
- Daily Vehicle Pass: $12
- Individual Daily Pass: $4
Directions Take Highway 93 north from Golden 1.5 miles to Golden Gate Canyon Road. Turn left and continue for 13 miles to the park.
There are multiple entrance routes to Golden Gate Canyon State Park. Nine self-pay kiosks are located throughout the park for your convenience. Passes and permits can also be purchased at the Visitor Center during business hours.
Visitor Center Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The Visitor Center is located at the intersection of Golden Gate Canyon Road (Highway 46) and Crawford Gulch Road.
Visting in Fall If you are planning on coming up to see the changing of the aspen leaves, please be aware that our park will reach capacity on weekends by 9/10 am. No parking is allowed on any of the roadways, you will get ticketed or towed, please only park in designated areas.
Trusted Sources
Park Brochure and Map Bird List Events-Colorado Parks and Wildlife Hunting Camping Volunteer