State Park
Golden Gate Canyon State Park
92 Crawford Gulch Road
Golden, Colorado1075 Park Ave W, Suite 110, Denver, 80205
“Wilderness is a necessity… there must be places for human beings to satisfy their souls”
The State Park is a sacred place. State Parks protect the natural beauty of Colorado for both recreational and conservation purposes. They provide a place to experience the natural beauty of the seasons and retreat from the built environment of cities. They are ecologically important as they regulate the temperature of our cities, preserve our water and provide a habitat for wildlife. State Parks in Colorado span the diversity of topography of our state from the plains and prairies to the forests and mountain peaks. They provide a natural context to recalibrate our perspective and be reminded of the immense beauty of this place.
Colorado is home to 4 incredible National Parks: Rocky Mountain, Mesa Verde, Great Sand Dunes, and Black Canyon of the Gunnison. While National Parks are an invaluable treasure, there are 42 State Parks in Colorado, which makes them far more accessible to visit. One beloved State Park is Golden Gate Canyon, which was designated in 1960 as the second State Park in Colorado.
Golden Gate Canyon State Park is located 14 miles west of the city of Golden. It’s 12,000 acres serve as an entry to the expansive Rocky Mountains. The park is spectacular in all four seasons - summer camping, spring hiking, winter snowshoeing and sledding, and incredible views for the changing of colors every fall. It is a place that makes outdoor adventures accessible and available to all.
Golden Gate Canyon has miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horse-riding. It has year-round campsites along with a guest house, cabins, and yurts available for lodging. There is limited cellphone service which creates a disconnection from digital devices. This encourages families and friends to connect to each other and the vastness of the place around them. Panorama Point provides year-round, awe-inspiring views over 100 miles of Colorado’s Continental Divide. The park has 9 employees and more than 180 volunteers who care for the park and its visitors from 5am – 10pm every day of the year.
State Parks exist because of the commitment of citizens of Colorado over 60 years ago to preserve places where all people can experience our state’s natural beauty and be inspired to protect it for the future. State Parks belong to the people and the place. The State Park is a sacred place.
