With the crisp fall air, its a great time to get outside and check out these toddler friendly hikes near Denver.
Lair O’ The Bear-Idledale, Colo.
Lair O’ The Bear is a great place for kiddos. There are numerous picnic
tables throughout the area offering shade and close proximity to the creek. The Bear Creek Creekside Trail is a short hike that follows the creek. It’s a great place for littles who enjoy the water with lots of spots where you can put your feet in, throw rocks or wade around. There are also some fun bridges that cross over the creek. There are several other hikes here that range in distance from .7 miles to 14 miles so you could even try a few short ones.
Alderfer/Three Sisters Park-Evergreen, Colo.
Located in Evergreen, this park is a pretty short drive from Denver. There are two trailheads, East and West. This park is great for little ones because it offers shorter, shaded hikes with lots of rocks to traverse and explore. There are also great areas to picnic ,and you can even watch rock climbers. There are some beautiful views and its a good place to spot some deer and elk. If you baby wear and want to venture out on a longer hike, there are many options here as well.
Mt. Falcon Park-Indian Hills, Colo. and Morrison, Colo.
Mt. Falcon has two different trailheads, one in Indian Hills, Colo. and one in Morrison, Colo. For hiking with little kids, I suggest the Indian Hills trailhead. There are several trails here and you can make them as long or short as you like. The Lookout Trail is a 1.4 mile hike that is easily completed with kids. Castle Trail to Meadow Loop is a 2.2 mile hike but you can always hike to the castle, explore and continue on or reverse course. Mt. Falcon has lots of picnic tables that offer incredible views, especially at sunset. These trails offer good shade and some could be done with strollers.
Be sure to check alerts and closures before you head out, as some of these trails close when they are too muddy. Each of these have parking located close to the trailheads, however, the lots do get busy so you will want to plan accordingly. If you want to get a bite to eat or treat yourself to ice cream after your hike, each of these are within 5-10 minutes of kid friendly restaurants!
