Colorado's 5 Best Family-Friendly Hiking Trails, According To Reddit

Hiking down a trail, breathing in fresh air, and taking in outdoor vistas can be the perfect family-bonding experience. The trick is finding a route that's family-friendly — long enough to burn off some kid energy, but not so long that anyone has a meltdown. If you're in Colorado, Reddit has some great suggestions.

We looked at a number of threads and subreddits, including r/Denver and r/coloradohikers, to find consistently recommended family-friendly hikes. We also researched the trails themselves and how far they are from major cities. Among the most frequently suggested are the Bear Creek Trail to the Castle in Lair o' the Bear Park, Castle Trail to Meadow Trail Loop in Mount Falcon Park, Perkins Central Garden Trail in Garden of the Gods Park, Rattlesnake Gulch Trail in Eldorado Canyon State Park, and Upper Maxwell Falls Trail in Arapaho National Forest. There is a range of lengths and difficulty levels in these hikes, so take everyone's abilities into account. There are also some where you can bring your family dog. 

If you opt for these trails, keep Colorado's weather in mind. The Centennial State certainly gets low winter temperatures and snow, so if you're bringing young children, check the conditions before you go. Make sure you have enough snacks, water, and the right hiking shoes for everyone, and let someone know where you'll be and when to expect you back. 

About 22 miles southwest of Denver, Lair o' the Bear Park in Idledale features a trail many Redditors suggest is a great spot for family hiking. The park has several easy trails, but the hike kids are most likely to enjoy is the Bear Creek Trail to the Castle. This out-and-back route is about 2 miles round-trip with a small 157-foot elevation gain. It's largely a 5% incline or less, with a few steeper sections. There are benches along the way, and much of the trail follows Bear Creek.

The trail offers a view of a castle, though it sits on private land and cannot be accessed. In a post in r/WildernessBackpacking asking about hikes with children, one person mentioned that the park has picnic tables, making it easy to have lunch there. In another thread about kid-friendly hikes for a 4-year-old, users said it's great for the younger set, with one poster writing, "Castle is a nice touch to the experience for kids."

Others suggested bringing a bathing suit and water shoes so kids can wade in the creek to cool off, something echoed in r/coloradohikers in a post about family-friendly moderate hikes near Denver. Leashed dogs are allowed.

A bit over 25 miles southwest of Denver, in Morrison, Colorado, sits Mount Falcon Park. On the west side of the park is the trailhead for the Castle Trail to Meadow Trail Loop. This trail is 2.1 miles with a 252-foot elevation gain. Along the way, you can see the ruins of the Walker Mansion, built in 1909. There are signs explaining its history, and in spring, you may see wildflowers. No matter when you go, the meadow views are a highlight.

In a post about easy hikes in r/Denver, the west trailhead is mentioned, as it is an r/coloradohikers thread on family-friendly hikes near Denver. One poster wrote, "If you park on the west side, you can do a two to three mile loop that includes the Eagle Eye picnic shelter, the summit tower, and the castle ruins." In another post in r/Denver about hikes for kids under 8, someone said, "I think Mt Falcon is great for young kids. I have taken 4yr olds and up. Beautiful views."

If you're looking for something a bit more challenging, Mount Falcon Park Upper Loop was mentioned more than once in a r/Denver post about less-crowded, family-friendly hikes. It's 3.9 miles with 544 feet of elevation gain and includes loose dirt and gravel, so sturdy shoes are a must. Parking and restrooms are available at the trailhead. While you're visiting, you may also want to check out Morrison's pretty and historic downtown.

If you have very young children or you're bringing a stroller, mobility equipment, or a wheelchair, this trail is a strong option. It's located in Colorado Springs' Garden of the Gods Park, a spot that rivals national parks with its beauty. The Perkins Central Garden Trail is a paved loop just over a mile long, with grades of 5% or less. It sits near the base of several rock formations and offers wide-open views. The park is free to enter, as is the Visitor and Nature Center, which has free, full-color trail maps, restrooms, water bottle filling stations, and a cafe. You can also bring your leashed pup. 

The park itself is mentioned as great for kid hikes in a post on r/WildernessBackpacking, though Redditors note it can get busy on weekends and during the summer. One poster said the hikes are "pretty easy and super pretty in May." In r/coloradohikers, another user wrote, "Garden of the gods is a great one." The park's official site also recommends the nearby Siamese Twins Trail, a short loop with about 100 feet of elevation gain and some great vistas.

Another family-friendly option is the Rattlesnake Gulch Trail in Eldorado Canyon State Park, a short 30-mile drive from Denver and roughly 9 miles from Boulder. This popular hike is on the longer side, about 3 miles out and back, with 728 feet of elevation gain. While it may be too steep for very young kids, it offers plenty to keep older children engaged. You'll get canyon views and see the ruins of the 1912 Crags Hotel, along with signs explaining its history. There's also an overlook with views toward the Continental Divide.

As of this writing, the park charges a vehicle entrance fee of $10 and an individual entrance fee of $4. Timed-entry reservations are typically required on weekends and holidays from May 1 through October 1.

The Rattlesnake Gulch Trail is mentioned in a thread in r/WildernessBackpacking about kid-hiking recommendations. It's also suggested in r/boulder about a great place to take seniors, so if your family hike includes grandma and grandpa, it's a good option. It's also praised in a post about family-friendly, moderate hikes near Denver. 

Finally, another trail mentioned in several Reddit posts is great for families, though you may want to skip it if your kids are very young. The Upper Maxwell Falls Trail in the Arapaho National Forest in Conifer, Colorado (about 37 miles from Denver), is a 2.5-mile loop with a 511-foot elevation gain that takes you past the titular waterfall. (You may not see much water if you go in late summer or early fall, though.) It's listed as kid-friendly on AllTrails and is recommended on Reddit. (You can also try the lower Maxwell Falls Trail, which is a 3.9-mile loop with an 830-foot gain, which takes you past three waterfall views, but it's more strenuous.)

The Maxwell Falls trail is mentioned in a post on r/Denver about less-crowded kid-friendly hikes, as well as one about easy and cool hikes for kids. A user said it's great during the week, though it's more suited for older kids. Leashed dogs can go with you, but if you're worried about anyone, dogs, or children running off, this hike may be a bit too dangerous. It's also worth noting that there is parking at the trailhead but no restrooms, so plan accordingly.

To find the best family-friendly hikes in Colorado, we looked at lots of Reddit threads about some of the state's bigger hiking areas. We consulted a number of posts in the subreddits r/WildernessBackpacking, r/Denver, r/coloradohikers, and r/boulder to see which hikes people were recommending if you have kids along. We then researched the hikes themselves on AllTrails and on park websites for any fees or other information. We also made sure these hikes weren't too far from major cities, as smaller kids may get tired from long drives.