We did a 6 or so mile hike. The views were okay, but what I liked the most were the rocks on the trail (smaller ones that were red, orange, yellow, clear, and metallic). We did this in the snow, so wearing spikes helped. The trail was shaded a lot, which would be great in the summer. read more

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Beautiful space for hiking, biking - right outside Golden with a pretty scenic drive. Parking is ample, views are gorgeous, altitude isn't bad and I have to say that spring is a nice time to visit as everything is so green and the lack of tree cover isn't unbearable - yet! Perfect place to come for an easy hike or ride, with lots of spots for a picnic lunch. The history of this park is interesting and I love the random barns scattered throughout the space. read more

White Ranch Open Space Park - Hiking Near Me - Golden, Colorado

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Some nice Trails although not the most challenging. Easy to get to from Denver. Great facilities for parking and bathrooms. Rawhide trail is a very pleasant trail to enjoy. read more

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Gets kinda treacherous with the mt. bikers on Upper Longhorn, be alert! Also the declines give little reaction time for hikers/bikers. Be sure not to use earbuds, although you rarely should while hiking, IMO. Two puddled areas and still some snow on Maverick Trail on 4/01/20 - if you decide to cut through Longhorn & Belcher. Maverick is easy to miss but it's behind you right at the marked Upper Longhorn sign (on the map). Really helped me to take a map from the lot because there's no cell reception up here (or at least a pic of it). Upper Longhorn is a rather steep downhill, so backtracking will get you breathing! (Again, bikers!) Saw some deer & birds wildlife, some very narrow paths, parts are more challenging than others. So, I wouldn't suggest taking the fam on Upper Longhorn or Maverick. read more

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Hiked Belcher Hill at White Ranch Open Space Park. Great views and nice hike. Not shaded and gets hot though. Ample parking and not too crowded. Watch out for the many mountain bikers. read more

White Ranch Open Space Park - Hiking Near Me - Golden, Colorado

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White Ranch Open Park is part of the Jefferson County Open Park system. The Jeffco Open Space system consists of 53,000 acres of open space in 29 regional parks and includes over 230 miles of hiking trails. The mountain scenery in these parks is incredibly beautiful. Having these parks so close to urban and suburban population centers makes it easy to access and enjoy them. Also included as part of the Jeffco Open Space system are a number of off-lease dog parks. Any of these parks are an awesome resource to the residents of Jefferson County. read more

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We hiked here on the 4th of July and i really liked that it was close, and that this trailhead had an actual address so it was easy to find. There were plenty of parking, with a main lot and then an overflow lot that had its own entrance to the trail. The trails were very well marked, spots that were very shaded and spots that were all sun. I liked that you could make this a long hike, difficult hike, easy hike or short hike- it was all based on what trails you were taking. There was a bath which is always nice (i didn't use it so not sure how clean or unclean it was). Great views. Highly recommend! read more

White Ranch Open Space Park - Hiking Near Me - Golden, Colorado

I happened upon White Ranch park yesterday while looking for a place to hike. This wasn't my original destination - I was headed in this direction to look for a plan b as my original locale didn't work out. I saw the sign on 93 and figured I'd check it out - so glad I did! I had no idea this place existed and from the parking lot, it's hard to tell exactly where the "open space" is. It weaves through some expansive (ridiculously massive and expansive) homes most with horses right along the trail. There's one trail in from the easy parking lot, and I wasn't entirely sure how far or where it would lead. I hiked up the Belcher Hill trail for about 90 minutes - I kept thinking I had to be getting close to the top but I finally stopped at a point I thought was "close" to the top. Good thing I did - after I picked up a trail map I realized I wasn't ever going to get to "the top." Turns out there are almost 20 miles of trails in this park and most are interconnected somehow. I'm glad I turned around when I did as I was getting close to the west side of the park and had I made it that far I wouldn't have had time to get back to my car before the sun started to set and it really cooled off. Anyway . . . this place was a find! It's close to town - just north of Golden, right past North Table Mountain park just west of 93. I was pleasantly surprised by the elevation gain on a moderately short hike up the mountain - it was a good workout and I'm feeling it today. As you wind your way up the Belcher Hill trail, the views are amazing - awesome views of Denver and then toward the back of the mountain some great views of the foothills. A word of advice though, don't forget to grab a trail map in the parking lot! You'll be glad you did. If you haven't been here, or didn't know it existed, what are you waiting for - it's a great day for a hike! read more

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We had a group hike here on Sunday. It was lots of fun and we got some decent weather. The trail we had planned was closed so we took a slightly more strenuous one. It would not have been a big deal in difference of ability for the group but some of the steeper areas were wet and muddy and one section still had some ice. I thought spring had sprung, but not at that altitude in the shade. The directions to get there were easy to follow, once I checked some details with someone who had been there before, though a bit long from my home. As the crow flies the trail head parking is only 12 miles from my house, but by windy mountain roads around to the park entrance was 28! Parking was easy and not crowded yet for the season. Dogs on leash and mountain bikes are allowed here. This is a nice park that is part of Jefferson County Open SPace. read more

We hiked here last Saturday afternoon after worked half day. Didn't want to go too far from home, that's was a very good choice! We been here years ago with kids, but it's still very helpful to have a map with us. There are different trails in this open space, depends on the distance and difficulty of the trails. Hikers, bikers and horse back riders were very friendly, sharing the trails. Enjoy the beautiful mountains and great views of huge houses, table mountain and the metro Denver including downtown! read more

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I have now been to this park three times as a hiker. Twice to the upper Western parking in the mountains a little bit, and once hiking from the bottom parking lot in Golden which would be the East parking lot. I am very happy with the selection of trails, the variety of the terrain, flora, and fauna. I don't know what else to say other than that it's a beautiful place. After walking this I can't wait to bring a mountain bike up here. Has plenty of very easy to mountain trails and some extremely technical Sprint's as well. Like the rest Colorado this place can be very easy or can kick your rear end depending on what you're looking for. read more

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I am a big fan of the JeffCo Open Space and White Ranch is a fun park. It has great trails and something for everyone: hikers, runners, mountain bikers, backpackers, and horseback riders (you can even camp overnight with your horse at the equestrian camp). Our group hiked a 2.4 mile loop in early Spring. I think the route we took was Belcher Hill Trail to Maverick Trail to Longhorn Trail. Most of the terrain was easy but there were a couple of short, steep hills. Some of the trails were closed due to flood damage, so be sure to check the website or watch for information at the trailhead before you head out. We encountered a good amount of mud and some lingering snow and ice at this time of year. We also got a beautiful view of the city, which would have been better if it hadn't been so cloudy. The long and winding road that leads to the West access trailhead is clearly marked with easy to spot signs along the way. There is an overflow parking lot a short distance away from the main lot but, surprisingly, the main lot had plenty of available parking spots in the late morning on a late March Sunday. read more

I had done the other half of the park a year or so ago, decided to come back and do the upper portion. Rawhide trail. It was early in the season - may 4. Only a handful of bikes - and super polite to boot! Not too many hikers, wind was blowing which helped cool things down, and make it not quite the almost 80 degree day it was. We went counter clock wise. The first half was lots of tree cover, up and down, and a stream crossing (currently some parts of the park are still under reconstruction from last years flood damage). The second half was in the sun! So it might more beneficiary to go clock wise (left from the parking lot) if you start late in the day! A couple cute benches to sit and enjoy. But other than that, a nice walk with some beautiful scenery! Love the well marked trails that Jeffco are known for! Good amount of parking, some camp sites if you want a place close to town. Bathrooms are to the right and in from the second parking lot. read more

This has been my go-to hiking spot for the past 5 years now, and it never gets old! The views of the city & table mountain are phenomenal, the trails are great for the most part, although it gets a bit tricky in the late winter/early spring on some spots that don't get much sun. I've never run across an overly muddy spot, though! There have been a few times I've been running around in minimal clothing in the snow - it's the perfect altitude to enjoy in most weather conditions - although I don't recommend it on a super windy day. Most days there are not too many folks on the trails and everyone I have met has been very kind and respectful. A couple years ago I met a ranger that wasn't the friendliest to me in the parking lot, but other than that I have no complaints! I'll continue to take my friends and visitors up here for years to come, and hopefully camp here this summer! read more

Came here for a nice quick hike with my hound and thoroughly enjoyed it. It wasn't that far removed but it was nice and peaceful. We only saw one other person on the trail, a female mountain biker, kudos to her, I was impressed. We took the rawhide trail which was a nice little five mile loop. You get some nice views of the city as well as a lot of forest space, and some open fields. We saw a couple of deer hiding in the bushes looking at us, and a lone coyote by the herd over cattle that is on private property bordering the end of the trail. They say coyotes are active in the area so beware of that. We will be back to try the other trails. read more

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Watch out for bikers if you're on foot, they come by fast. Also this trail can be arduous. Lots of uphill bits. Young children and the elderly will probably struggle. read more

The plan was to backpack in and camp the night. It's a beautiful spot... We did our homework, dug around the website, mapped it out, etc... We got there, parked in the upper west lot and headed to the sawmill campgrounds. Nice hike, butt kicker hill to start, very well maintained camp ground.. then we realized we needed a permit! Lesson learned (not on the website): park in the lower west parking lot, sign up, get the permit, leave the pink slip in your car, and bring the yellow with you! Also, the trailhead from the lower west parking lot is a lot less steep (we took this on the way out) for hauling in gear (more beverages next time?? :)). Feeling defeated as we trudged uphill back to the car (hoping it wasn't about to pour rain on us), our consolation was spotting a black tailed deer! Very cool =) read more

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One of the largest JCOS sites with an extensive trail system and great views. Recommend using the west parking lots if you want to stay flexible on hike duration. read more

White Ranch Open Space Park - Denver with North Table Mountain. - Hiking Near Me - Golden, Colorado

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This park has become a horrible place!! There is park rangers and police that have turned it into a ticket trap!! Do not come here I live next to the park. The amount of ticketing because of rude police officers which get joy out of putting multiple tickets on cars will blow you away. As well the eye swore of a orange sign. read more

I can't believe how great the trails are here and so close to Arvada and Golden. I've hiked these trails plenty of times, and on this day I came by to Mountain Bike them. When you're walking and hiking..there are trails that look easy enough..."Yeah, that's doable." And then there are trails that make you say, how the heck does a biker get up there, let alone ride down it. On this day I found out and created a new sport, take your bike for a hike. I have never gripped handlebars so tight, my hands fell asleep. I know when I'm over my head and on this day, most of the day, my bike was over my head. I will work on my biking skills, but I will continue to enjoy these trails as a hiker...from that long tedious first climb, to the off shoot trails taking you on switch back adventures and open spaces. Go enjoy White Ranch, on foot though. read more

Always a great place to get away to. I usually go to the upper parking lots to catch a little cooler weather. You head up Golden Gate Canyon until you hit Crawford Gulch but it's all well marked with signs that will lead you there. I've done the Rawhide Loop many times now and it takes almost 2 hours. There's a few creeks to step over or let the dogs cool down. There's a bathroom a ways in at one of the campsites and the grass is tall enough in some places that if I ran through it I'd be thinking about that scene from Jurassic Park 2 where they get picked off one by one. I digress. Great spot and not too far from downtown Golden or Denver for that matter but it still feels like you're getting away. read more

White Ranch Open Space Park - Great spot to take in the view. Rawhide trail - Hiking Near Me - Golden, Colorado

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The campsites, parking lots, and trails are well kept and the views are amazing! And best of all... it is all free!

Nice hiking area close to town. Large parking area unfortunately after a nice hike we returned to our car only to find it along with 10 other cars blocked in by inciciderate idiots parking their cars in a 3rd row 3 deep. There was plenty of room to have another row of cars and still leave a lane in between, but apparently these people who went out to get some exercise and fresh air were to lazy to be considerate and walk an extra 10 steps to the trail. I guess jeffco open space will need to place some parking control devices in place to keep the brain deficient from causing issues for other users of the open space facility. Unfortunate that funds may have to be diverted from trail and facility improvements to parking control because of a few idiots. Just hope the Deputy and tow trucks arrived in time to cost the special people some inconvenience and money. Hence my 2 star rating. read more

My girlfriend and I went on a three hour hike and it was wonderful. The park was very clean, the trails challenging. I would go again and try new trails. read more

First time at White Ranch Park and really liked the trail options. The group I was with did not want to travel far for from Denver for a hike. Someone recommended White Ranch Park and it was a great decision. The trails are well maintain and there are several options depending on your level which is great for a small group with people from all levels of experience. The trails weren't too busy although watch out for the bikers! read more

White Ranch Open Space Park - nice view - Hiking Near Me - Golden, Colorado

Don't forget to pick up a map in the parking lots. Also, some great trails for you and your dog! The elevation change is outstanding for the novice day hiker. Only passed a few folks on the trail and enjoyed the views. I shall return. read more