view of snowcapped mountains from Prairie Gateway Open Space

Prairie GateWay Open Space

Post knee surgery, my activities have been limited.  While I can sort of handle being cooped up in the house, Annie, my high energy Doberman cannot!  Despite hiring a dog walker and having awesome friends who have taken her on hikes, she needs to run. 

As a result, I have been scouring Google Maps for less populated Open Spaces and Parks near Denver.  Today, I found Prairie Gateway Open Space in Commerce City.  What a find!

PLAY AT THE PARK!
Mount Galbraith Loop

Roadtrip to the Rockies: Mount Galbraith Loop

Mount Galbraith Park is part of Jeffco Open space and is a convenient place to hike near Denver, Colorado. The park includes 5 miles of trails and provides views of Golden and the Rocky Mountains.

The most common route taken at the park is Mount Galbraith Loop via Cedar Gulch Trail. We changed it up a bit and hiked Mount Galbraith Loop via Nightbird Gulch Trail.

The trailhead to Nightbird Gulch Trail is located in a residential area. As such, we arrived early since parking was along the street. We thought our start might be a little cold, but the immediate incline in beneath sunny skies with no shade, made for a perfect temperature.

GO HIKING!

Roadtrip to the Rockies: Columbine Trail to Helen Hunt Falls

Columbine Trail (Lower Trailhead) to Helen Hunt Falls (8 miles)

Finally, Tanya and I got together for a hike!  It had been a while, and it was a small miracle that we managed to both be free Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend!  We wanted to get in some mileage and knew it was still muddy in the ski towns, so we headed to the foothills near Colorado Springs and knocked off Columbine Trail. Continue reading “Roadtrip to the Rockies: Columbine Trail to Helen Hunt Falls”

Hikes Near Denver: Hildebrand Ranch

Today Ken and I took the dogs to Hildebrand Ranch for a wonderful five-mile stroll.  The park is part of Jeffco County Open Space located in Littleton, Colorado.  The simple five-mile loop starts from the parking lots and leads hikers through a wide open meadow of wild flowers. The trail undulates along the plains and hogback and eventually reaches a residential area by a small pond where the well marked trail zigzags back and forth until it reaches the ranch again. Continue reading “Hikes Near Denver: Hildebrand Ranch”