Elaine, my best hiking partner, and I hiked, along with my adult children, our last summer hike this week as teachers head back to school. We usually end our season with a 14er, but weather being what it can be in Colorado, our double 14ers were shrouded in clouds with fresh snow and rainfall and so we went to plan B.

Golden Gate Canyon State Park is such a beautiful place! With 12,000 acres to be explored, and numerous moose siting noted in the visitor center, we knew it would be a great day. We started at what I like to call the “treehouse” which is known officially as Panorama Point where there is a massive tree house-like covered deck allowing you to view incredible vistas.

From there we took the Coyote Ridge trail to intersect the Mule Deer trail, bringing us about seven-and-a-half miles back around to the tree house just as it started to rain and fog rolled in. We ate our well-earned lunches and, of course, our Salted Nut Rolls before we added up our summer hike stats for what we accomplished together. 

Total miles: 80.5

Total elevation gain: 18,000 feet

We have plans to continue over the fall and winter, just one little day a month with fall leaves, winter snow-shoeing, and spring with snow and rain and flowers. What an incredible state we live in, from the plains to the foothills to the high mountain passes.