Golden Gate Canyon State Park – Golden, CO | Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Rock Climbing

Golden Gate Canyon is a giant state park with more than 12,000 acres of terrain to explore. The main attractions are camping, fishing, and lots of trails for biking, hiking, and horseback riding.

The park is located just west of Golden in a very scenic part of the Rockies. It’s tucked away in the Front Range, surrounded by high mountains and alpine forests.

Camping, Fishing, Hiking, and Rock Climbing

Golden Gate Canyon State Park — Visitor Center.

Situated in Golden, the main activities are biking, camping, fishing, hiking, and horseback riding. There is a limited amount of rock climbing, but it’s located in the backcountry. The park is open year-round with cross country skiing and snowshoeing popular during the winter.

There is a wide variety of camping options – cabins, yurts, backcountry, and modern campgrounds. All five of the park’s fishing ponds, Kriley, Slough, Dude’s Fishing Hole, Forgotten Valley, and ranch are stocked with fish during the spring and summer.

Activities

Biking/Horseback Riding: 19 miles of multi-use trails.

Camping/Lodging: 2 campgrounds, 132 sites, open year-round, reservable from Memorial Day weekend through September. Reservations

Campgrounds – Reverend’s Ridge has 97 sites, flush toilets, shower, laundry, and dump station. 59 sites have electrical hookups for $38/night. Non-electrical sites – $28/night. Aspen Meadows has 35 tent sites only, 2 of which can accommodate horses for $28/night. Water pump, vault toilets; table, fire rings, and high-use tent pads. All campsites are reservation only, except backcountry camping. Call 1-800-244-5613 to reserve up to 6 months in advance.
Cabins & Yurts – 5 cabins and 2 yurts are reservable year-round. Each can house up to 6 people and is located in an aspen and pine forest. Electric and heat; $90/night. Pets are permitted in some cabins and 1 of the yurts for $10/night. Each unit has a grill and fire ring outside.
Backcountry Camping – 4 backcountry shelters which are built like those along the Appalachian trail with three sides, a roof, and a wood floor. There are also 20 backcountry tent sites open year-round, however, no fires are permitted. $18/night.
Works Ranch Cabin & Group Camping Area – Accommodating up to 30 is a group camping area and a private cabin. Reserve with the park.
Read about the camping near Golden, Black Hawk, and Central City.

Fishing: Permitted in all streams and ponds except the show pond at the visitor center. The park’s ponds, Kriley, Slough, Dude’s Fishing Hole, Forgotten Valley, and Ranch are regularly stocked with fish.

Hiking: There are 36 miles of trails to choose from and all are open year-round. Dogs are permitted on all trails.