What a gorgeous hike! It’s not too long, has great views, plenty of shade and with an elevation gain at only 525 ft it’s never too steep. The hike starts right in Windy Saddle Open Space Park just beyond the city of Golden, Colorado – so only about a half hour drive from Denver. (Parking is free, but the lot is pretty small.)
The trail is well marked and easy to travel, just make sure you take a left at Buffalo Bill Trail, not a right onto Lookout Mountain Trail (which is what we did and it added quite a bit of elevation gain before we realized our mistake.) Once you turn onto Buffalo Bill it’s a relatively flat path to the top of Lookout Mountain, which is also the grave of Buffalo Bill.
The views at the end are gorgeous, but they are in a parking lot so it’s not necessarily an escape into nature. You can also see the road quite a bit on the last stretch, but it’s still a beautiful hike! You can also check out the Buffalo Bill Museum at the top.
There are a few options on AllTrails, so if you’re looking for the 3 mile option to the top here’s the correct link. Keep an eye out for mountain bikers & dogs are allowed on leash!
