Cedar Gulch Hiking Trail | Mt. Galbraith Trail Loop

Cedar Gulch Hike: Located 25-30 minutes from Denver, the Mt. Galbraith Loop is a fun moderate day hike. The rocky trail features panoramic views of the surrounding canyons, forest and city of Golden. Hikers can enjoy breathing in the area’s fresh air and climbing approximately 1,100 feet to Mt. Galbraith’s 7,260 foot peak.

The Cedar Gulch trail starts off near a shaded tree area and continues via switch backs up the hill. However, as the trail continues the shade disappears as trail continues up the hill. About 1.7 miles into the hike, the trail splits. It’s possible to go left or right, as the trail loops around the hill. The #GoHikeIt team went left up the mountain, which featured views of downtown Golden, before reaching the Mt. Galbraith’s summit. After the summit, the trail features a shaded trail forest area.

As a Golden hike, the area has its roots mined in gold history. In fact, during the  height of the Gold Rush in the mid 1800s, gold miners climbed the mountain as it was more accessible than the area’s drainages as they made their way west.

Tip: Bring excellent hiking shoes or well protected shoes as sections of the trail are very rocky.

Estimated Time: 2 hour

Total Distance: 4-5 miles (round-trip)