Saturday hike at the end of November

Some days are good for staying home and some days are good for a short hike. Sometimes you are ready to drive for hours just to find a nice place to be and sometimes you are not in the mood for going places. Or you just wake up too late and don't have time for a long trip. If so, Mount Galbraith trail is right for you.

 

It's one of the closest places for a short hike you can find in the area. Just a few minutes out of Golden and close to Denver. Quite a popular place too, so still try not to be too late if you want to find a place to park your car. It's not too high in the mountains, so it can be really hot here if you choose hiking during the Summer months, but perfect for Spring or Fall. Winter is fine too, as long as you have the proper gear, because the trail will be snowy and icy.

But if you choose the right time, this hike is really pleasant. It's not flat and not steep. It's not long and not short either. It's picturesque and scientific. You can find some birds and animals while you are on your way and it's a loop ;) 

You can see Golden and Denver on one stretch and at this moment I am always surprised, how close I am and how far away at the same time. But all other times you are in the wilderness and have no connection with civilization. Except your cell phone reception of course ;)

The rocks you are walking on are old... Really old. Estimated age for those is at least 200 million years. And, probably, even older. You can find some 1 billion years old formation here too. You are walking on the surface that dinosaurs were walking on. And other creatures that don't exist anymore. It is bizarre...

The trail is going up like a spiral and soon you find yourself at the top of Mount Galbraith, which is not very high, just about 7300 feet. Now it's a good time to take a short break, bite your sandwich (if you have one) and continue back to the parking lot.

2-3 hours walk and you put 4.4 miles of the rough terrain behind you. 1100 feet elevation gain is not much, but exactly what you need if you wanted a short and not very tough hike. And... it's close to Denver and you can reach this place any time you feel like escaping from the city and enjoying fresh air and solitude...

Pictures were taken on November 30, 2013.