Entry No. 175 — the Denver file — filed under: outdoor

Forgotten Valley Homestead Trail

Most Denver hikers blow past this one for the showier summits, and that's exactly the point. A flat 1.3 miles in — Burro Trail, then a left onto Mountain Lion Trail — drops you into a pocket of meadow where the 1876 Tallman Ranch still stands beside a little trout pond. Four generations of a Swedish immigrant family lived here along Nott Creek, and the weathered ranch house, chicken coop, and stables are still standing, porch facing the water. It's barely a walk and yet it lands somewhere strange and quiet: a forgotten homestead in a state park, hiding in plain sight an hour from the city.

The move: The hike is the date — and it's short enough that there's no pressure, long enough to actually talk. Pack a thermos and walk the easy mile-and-change into the valley, then sit on the homestead's front porch and trade theories about the people who built it: who hauled these logs up here in 1876, who fished this pond, what four generations did through the winters. The walk back is downhill and unhurried. Time it for the golden aspens in fall and the whole valley turns to amber while you've barely broken a sweat.

📍 Before you go A 2.6-mile round-trip out-and-back with about 350 ft of gain — genuinely easy, family-friendly, well-marked. From Bridge Creek Trailhead take the Burro Trail roughly 0.6 mi, turn left onto Mountain Lion Trail, and it's about 0.7 mi to Forgotten Valley. Getting there from Denver: I-70 west to Hwy 58, then Hwy 93 north to Golden Gate Canyon Road, follow it ~13 miles to the park, and continue to the Bridge Creek parking area — roughly an hour total. Best spring through fall; the aspens peak in fall. Expect snow and ice on the trail and possibly snow-packed park roads from about November into March, so check conditions and carry traction in the shoulder seasons. You're at ~7,800–8,200 ft, so afternoon thunderstorms build fast in summer — start early and turn around if it darkens. A Colorado state-parks pass (daily or annual) is required; buy it at the visitor center or a self-pay kiosk. At the end: the historic Tallman homestead and outbuildings beside a small stocked pond, with lake and valley views.

• 📍 Golden Gate Canyon State Park (near Golden), Colorado
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: Bridge Creek Trailhead, Golden Gate Canyon State Park. From the park visitor center, follow the park road to the signed Bridge Creek parking area; the Burro Trail leaves from the lot. The lot is small and fills fast.

Hours: Day-use, free. Best season: Spring through fall (aspens peak in fall); snow and ice roughly November–March. Confirm trail & road conditions before you go.

⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3 · source 4

last checked: 2026-06-10