If you haven’t hiked at Mount Galbraith Park in a while, here’s an excuse to go back — an official trail was established a couple years ago that takes you right to the summit.
Mount Galbraith is a hiker-only park in the foothills west of Golden. For years, hikers would ask if we were going to the summit. I always said there wasn’t a trail, but that changed a few years ago. The Mount Galbraith Summit Trail is half a mile long and worth every step.
For this hike, we started at the main trailhead on Golden Gate Canyon Road. The trailhead has limited parking so if you come on a weekend, have a backup plan in case the parking lot is full. There is a little roadside parking, but the road also has areas with no parking signs. The park's secondary parking area is on the east side in a neighborhood off Highway 93.
The main trailhead has bathrooms and a signboard with a map. The Cedar Gulch Trail heads up a small canyon about 1/8 mile, then switchbacks up the hill.
Above the parking lot, you’ll turn into a new canyon on a trail along the hillside. The trail is mostly singletrack, meaning it is not wide enough for two people to walk side by side.
The trail winds along the hillside and through the trees.
At 0.6 miles from the trailhead, the trail takes a big right turn into another canyon. If you get a bit confused about where the trail goes, don’t worry, it happens to a lot of people. Just work your way over the rocks until you see the trail continuing on.
The trail winds along the hillside in a canyon. At times, you’ll be on dirt, but the trail does get pretty rocky in some spots.
At 1.3 miles, the Cedar Gulch Trail ends at the Mount Galbraith Loop Trail. You can hike the loop in either direction. We chose clockwise. Be careful here, you may notice another trail split just a few feet away. That’s the Nightbird Gulch Trail. Do not go that way or you’ll end up at that secondary parking lot in the nearby neighborhood. That trail is just an out-and-back.
The Mount Galbraith Loop Trail is pretty rocky as it climbs the hillside. About a third of a mile from the split, you’ll get great views of Golden, North and South Table Mountains and the Coors Brewery.
Turn west and keep climbing. You’ll see Lookout Mountain to the south as you continue uphill.
It’s less than a quarter mile from the viewpoint over Golden to the Mount Galbraith Summit Trail. You don’t have to take this trail, you can stay on the loop, but this is a fun, new trail that runs slightly parallel to the loop trail and rejoins it.
At the summit, you’ll find a wind-swept tree and a rocky outcropping that’s a good place for a snack. Enjoy the views around you and as far as Mount Blue Sky.
When you’re ready, you can backtrack on the summit trail or continue on until it meets back up with the loop trail. From here, continue around the loop back to the Cedar Gulch Trail and back to the parking lot.
NOTE: The trails at Mount Galbraith are hiker-only. If you head here in the summer, keep an eye open for rattlesnakes.
DETAILS: This route is about 4.5 miles with 1,100 feet of elevation gain.
If you have any questions, or hike suggestions, email me at HikingDebbie@gmail.com and find more great hikes by following me on Facebook at Facebook.com/DenverHikingExaminer.
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