Author: Joy Meadows

This spring break, why not learn a fun new skill while enjoying a Golden getaway? Whether you’re in town for the day or for the whole week, Golden serves up sweet options for spring break.

• Climbing classes at Earth Treks Golden– One of the biggest climbing gyms west of the Mississippi resides in our little town, and they offer daily climbing classes for various levels of climbers. Earth Treks is a solid indoor climbing option, and if the weather holds after you’ve secured the skills, head outside to hit up the Golden Cliffs on North Table Mountain, Clear Creek Canyon or Lookout Mountain.
• Candle making at Mountain Lux Candles– Need a cloudy day activity? How about candle creation at Mountain Lux Candles on Washington Avenue? Personalize the scent, container, and label to create a luxurious candle commemorating your trip.
• All things trains at Colorado Railroad Museum– From building model trains to riding behind the historic Galloping Goose, Colorado Railroad Museum is a train enthusiast’s dream. With crafts ranging from Thomas the Tank Engine to Lego train building, the museum promises to keep small hands busy during spring break.
• Budding artists flourish at Foothills Art Center– During Jeffco spring break, FAC offers three days of art classes to inspire and entertain your little artist with gallery activities, studies of original works of art, and creative studio projects.
• Golf at Fossil Trace Golf Club– Golden’s golf club just opened for the 2019 season. Soak up the sunshine and walk the course (among prehistoric fossils), or dust off your skills and take a lesson with one of the pros.

Kid-friendly dining options include breakfast at Windy Saddle Café, lunch at Bob’s Atomic Burgers, or dinner at Woody’s Pizza.

Lodging choices range from the new Origin Hotel to our historic Golden Hotel and Table Mountain Inn.

For more information, visit www.visitgolden.com.

It may not seem like it yet, but Spring is on the horizon in Golden, Colorado, and Denver’s closest mountain town offers an amazing choice of events to get you up and about…starting this weekend!

Feb. 21-23, 2019: The Colorado Environmental Film Festival (CEFF) is a celebration of the inspirational, educational, and motivational power of film, featuring the world premiere of 20 films, including films from six countries. Both local and national, short and feature length films will be shown ranging from award winning pictures such as Elephant Path to new films, including ones made by a six and 12 year old.  Audiences have the opportunity to be more than passive viewers – they will leave inspired, surprised, motivated, entertained, and transformed through events that will involve both filmmakers and audience members in thought-provoking dialogues and filmmaker forums.

Feb. 22-July 31, 2019: The Art of Innovation: DaVinci and Michelangelo and Machines of Change: The DaVinci Machines. These exhibitions are free and open to the public at the Arthur Lakes Library on the campus of Colorado School of Mines with more than 30 high-resolution digital reproductions on display. Viewers will be able to listen to an audio self-guided tour to learn about DaVinci’s innovative techniques in the creation of these masterpieces. Full-size reproductions of the Mona Lisa, Last Supper and other classics will be on display along with a special collection of a dozen high-resolution prints of Michelangelo’s paintings on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.

Feb. 24, 2019: Celebrate Buffalo Bill’s Birthday at the Buffalo Bill Museum on top of Lookout Mountain with cake and fun facts about the West’s most famous frontier scout and showman.

April 11-14, 2019: Colorado School of Mines E-Days. Since 1934, Mines students have put aside studying each spring to celebrate Engineering Days (E-Days) and honor CSM’s unique traditions with cardboard boat races on Clear Creek, a concert, a Tesla coil demonstration, fireworks and more.

April 20, 2019:  The Bunny Express at the Colorado Railroad Museum.   Join the Easter Bunny for a steam train ride, participate in Easter Egg hunts, view model railroads, and climb aboard a caboose at Colorado’s largest railroad museum. 

April 30–May 3, 2019: The Wright.  Inspired by hard working, independent-minded men and women of the Rocky Mountain Region, The Wright brings 3 days of discussions, workshops, keynotes and events all culminating in the high-energy, much-anticipated Award Night program. Throughout Golden.

May 17-19, 2019: The Golden Games.  Declared the best paddleboarding event in Colorado, the three day weekend hosts a variety of sporting events, live music, demos, clinics, and more. Sports to be highlighted are Kayaking, Stand Up Paddle, Fly Fishing, Slack Lining and River Surfing.

June 1 – October 5, 2019: Golden Farmers Markets. Local produce, wines, hand-spun cheeses, and freshly baked bread are just some of the many products you will find at the Golden Farmers Market. Conveniently located near Clear Creek, the Market is where you can find Colorado’s finest foods while also enjoying Golden’s natural beauty.

July 8-14, 2019:  ARTSWEEK GOLDEN  This a week-long celebration of the arts orchestrated by Foothills Art Center in partnership with Golden arts-oriented organizations provides 168 hours of art!  All week long, visit Golden for pop-up art installations, plein air sessions, kids activities and a juried weekend arts festival. 

July 25-28, 2019: Buffalo Bill Days.  Thousands of people fill the streets of Golden for Buffalo Bill Days. Catch Cody's Wild West, the popular parade, mutton busting, live music, an orphan car and a classic car show, a golf tournament, food and merchandise vendors and, of course, Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley!  

August 17-18, 2019: The Golden Fine Arts Festival. A Golden icon for nearly three decades, Golden Fine Arts Festival is a prestigious juried art show located in the heart of historic downtown Golden, Colorado. With free admission to the public, this premier event draws over 35,000 visitors over 2 days to enjoy art, live entertainment, beer and wine gardens, food vendors, and children’s activities. The event is limited to 136 artist booth spaces.  Artists are selected through a competitive jury and traditionally, over half of participating Artists travel to Golden from outside of Colorado. 

For a complete list of events, activities, hikes, bike rides, restaurant and shopping opportunities, go to:  www.visitgolden.com

Love is in the air in February. With Valentine’s Day and the holidays as two of the most popular times to propose, wedding planning kicks into high gear as newly engaged couples ponder their plans for the perfect day.

Golden is a wonderful place for couples to tie the knot. Located only 20 minutes from downtown Denver, Golden is set among the foothills and offers the rugged beauty visitors to Colorado yearn to experience. There are plenty of spots for gorgeous wedding photos and ample recreation for out of town guests to enjoy including hiking trails, rocky overlooks and vistas, creek side paths and more.

If you are interested in making it official in Golden, here are important tips and information to help:

WEDDING LOCATIONS…Golden is home to many spots to consider for your wedding and reception locale, including:

• Table Mountain Inn
• The Golden Hotel
• Boettcher Mansion
• Goosetown Events Center
• Origin Red Rocks Hotel
• Schnepf’s at Fossil Trace
• American Mountaineering Center
• The Rose Event Center

WEDDING PROFESSIONALS…Golden has many photographers, event planners, caterers and wedding planners eager to make your wedding dreams come true. Ask at your wedding venue for a list of preferred vendors.

REHEARSAL DINNERS & GATHERING SPOTS…You can also find a wide array of restaurants perfect for a rehearsal dinner or family gathering in Visit Golden’s meetings and events section or the dining page. From creek side patios to historic banquet rooms, Golden has a thriving restaurant scene.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS…Visit our Lodging Page for ideas on modern hotel rooms or cozy bed & breakfasts. Golden has a number of lodging options to choose from.

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITIES…Getting married in Golden promises to provide your guests with plenty of cultural attractions, outdoor recreation, dining options, family friendly activities and much more. There is something fun for everyone to do while they're here for your wedding celebration. You can also check out our events page for info on what else is going on in Golden the week of the wedding.

COLORADO EXPERIENCE…Golden is the gateway to the gorgeous Rockies. For guests who are coming to help you celebrate from out of state, it's the perfect opportunity to extend their trip into an unforgettable vacation, or a romantic mountain getaway. National Parks, skiing, unique attractions, outdoor adventure – it's all waiting in Colorful Colorado. Visit Colorado.com or VisitDenver.org for more vacation ideas for guests who want to extend their stay beyond your wedding.

DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT…Denver International Airport (DEN) is the sixth busiest airport in the nation and offers non-stops to more than 175 worldwide destinations. DEN is served by 26 airlines, including five low-cost carriers and is a hub for two airlines – United and Frontier.

GETTING STARTED…If you’re ready to begin planning your Golden wedding, fill out the RFP at the bottom of Visit Golden’s Meeting Planner’s page. Your information will be distributed to Golden event venues for follow up.

If you are planning a wedding, our warmest congratulations and we hope you’ll celebrate in Golden!

“Growing up in Golden, when I was younger, I used to look forward to riding on the Christmas carriages in Golden, so now it’s a real thrill to have my own carriage company and give other people rides in my home town,” says Margaret Blaha, owner of Clear Creek Carriages.

The town of Golden will be offering free horse-drawn carriage rides from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 1-2, 8-9, and 15-16.  Margaret will be driving the carriage with Wallace, a Clydesdale, and Sonny, a Paint horse, through the historic backstreets of the town.

Margaret has been around horses since she was nine years old and joined the Westernaires, Golden’s world famous precision riding team.  For many years, she crossed the country participating in the Extreme Mustang Makeover circuit, a competition where riders are required to break a wild Mustang horse, and then have 90 days to train the horse to compete in a variety of events.  The thrilling sport has been the subject of a number of feature films, including “Wild Horse, Wild Ride.” 

She started her carriage company five years ago in Nebraska to earn money for college, and now has brought the family business to Golden where her father and mother both help out.  In fact her mother, Barb Warden, is a historian and goes along on historic carriage tours, telling the fascinating history and folk stories of Golden as the carriage clip-clops past the Golden History Park, down main street, past the Golden Mill, and around many historic Victorian buildings.

Margaret begins her perfect day in Golden with a cup of coffee at the Windy Saddle.  Her day job is working at the Horse Protection League (HPL) http://www.thehorseprotectionleague.org/, a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming equines. Their goal is to find a “forever” home for all of their horses, which come to HPL for many reasons, either being surrendered by their owner, donated by humane societies or abandoned.  Most of their horses find permanent homes with new families.

For lunch, Margaret doesn’t think anybody could make pizza as good as Woody’s, and she also loves Golden City Brewery with their changing array of food trucks.  “My dad has been going there since it opened, and so it was always special to go with him on Friday nights and fill up his growler for the next week,” she says.  She also likes the Old Capitol Grill & Smokehouse.

Margaret really appreciates that the City of Golden and the Chamber have worked together to preserve the tradition of free downtown carriage rides during the holiday season.  Those looking for a truly special event at other times for anniversaries, weddings, family reunions or parties can book private horse-drawn carriage rides and Golden historic tour rides by calling: 303-704-2717 or at http://clearcreekcarriages.com/

Please stop down between noon and 3 p.m. on Dec. 1-2, 8-9, 15-16 at 12th St. between Washington and Arapahoe to meet Margaret, Wallace and Sonny and enjoy a free old fashioned carriage ride in historic Golden.

Ahh – a Colorado ski vacation. While you may be eager to settle in on the slopes, many travelers start – or end – their vacation with an overnight in Golden. Located where the mountains finally hit the plains, and all traffic eases up, the town of Golden is just minutes from I-70, yet the historic town still has a mountain village vibe to it. The closest ski resorts to Golden are Loveland, Eldora, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, Breckenridge, Copper Mountain and Winter Park; most of which are just over an hour away.

Here’s why a quick stay in this charming town is the way to jump-start or end your ski getaway:

• Acclimate to the altitude. Before you schuss down those towering peaks, you may want to enjoy a night at only 5,675 feet. Drink plenty of water, walk the charming town of Golden, enjoy a good meal at one of our restaurants. You can find everything from farm-to-table fare at Abejas to amazing pizza at Woody’s.
• Time your drive to avoid traffic. Spend the night in Golden and get up early to beat the morning rush. Or enjoy a Cajun brunch at Sassafras and head up after rush hour. Sitting in traffic on I-70 is a drag so why not avoid it?
• Gear up with better deals – You won’t find sky-high resort prices in Golden. So grab those rentals or buy your gear from one of Golden’s gear shops like Powder 7. You can also hit the grocery store and local bakeries like the Windy Saddle to stock your ski condo with the essentials at a much better price.
• Visit the world’s largest single site brewery. A visit to Coors is a bucket list item for any beer lover. And Coors offers free tours, samples and has a phenomenal gift shop where you can find fun gifts sure to delight the folks back home.
• Visit Golden’s many museums and attractions. Parents can easily break up a long trip with a fun overnight in Golden. Little ones will love a visit to the Colorado Railroad Museum or Buffalo Bill’s Grave. Or browse the best in local art at Foothills Art Center or step back in time at Golden’s History Museum & Park.
• Avoid the hectic airport rush – After-ski traffic can be a nightmare. And the only thing worse is when you’re fighting it to try to make a flight. Instead, book your final night in Golden. Walk the creek, enjoy the town and when you’re ready to head to the airport, do so without the stress of mountain traffic.                                                     

Settle into your ski vacation or ease out of it with an overnight in Golden!

In this fast-paced, Facebook world, there’s nothing more heart-warming than to slow down and enjoy a small town, old-fashioned Christmas. 

And no place does that better than historic downtown Golden, Colorado.

Located just 12 miles from Denver, this Old West mountain town offers a completely different atmosphere with a main street straight out of a Christmas movie.  There are three holiday parades; a cherished Candlelight Walk with friends enjoying carols, chestnuts, hot cider and fireworks; and a grand illumination with thousands of twinkling lights along the banks of Clear Creek and throughout the town. 

Add dozens of shops, restaurants, beer gardens with outdoor fire pits, festive decorations and you have the makings of an Olde Golden Christmas to remember.  And did we mention FREE horse-drawn carriage rides on Saturdays and Sundays?  

Here are nine ways to start a family tradition in Golden during the holidays.

Holiday Art Market at Foothills Art Center – Opens Nov. 15.  In its 44^th year of operation, HART (The Holiday Art Market) is a cool shopping destination for one-of-a-kind artisan gifts.  The entire historic Gothic Church and manse is filled with works from more than 100 local Colorado artists, offering the highest craftsmanship in fine ceramics, fiber, glasswork jewelry, paintings, woodworking, photography and special holiday items.  HART is open seven days a week, Nov. 15 to Dec. 30, 2018, with free admission.  15^th and Washington.   

Golden’s Small Business Saturday & Be a Tool 5K Elf Run – November 24 – Golden will look like the North Pole on Saturday, Nov. 24, when the entire downtown is overrun with elves!  The celebration begins at 8:30 a.m. with a fun 5K “Be a Tool Elf Run,” in which participants are encouraged to dress as elves.  Afterwards, shop and dine, while supporting incredible local merchants that range from Powder7 in North Golden to the dozens of shops in the historic downtown along Washington Avenue to Pedal Pushers in South Golden.  

Candlelight Walk Adds Fireworks! – November 30 – Join thousands of neighbors and friends for one of the most beautiful holiday experiences in Colorado.  Everyone gathers at the Foothill’s Art Center at 6 p.m., and then Golden’s main street, Washington Ave., is closed to traffic and everyone parades down the street, carrying a candle and singing carols.  There is hot cider and roasted chestnuts along the way.  The Candlelight Walk ends at Clear Creek where tens of thousands twinkling lights along the creekbank are illuminated, followed by a wonderful fireworks display in front of Lookout Mountain. The Candlelight Walk is free and open to all at 6:30 pm on Nov. 30.

Olde Golden Christmas Parades – December 1, 8, & 15 – Golden has not one, but three Olde Golden Christmas Parades!  The free parades are staged on the first three Saturdays in December, starting at 10:30 a.m. with cowboys on horses, floats, old cars, elves on unicycles, the Grinch, and of course, Santa Claus. After the parade, enjoy a free horse-drawn carriage ride down the backstreets of historic Golden.

Free Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides – Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 3 p.m., December 1 – December 16.  What could be more holiday fun than snuggling together in a horse-drawn carriage and clip-clopping down the historic streets of downtown Golden.  Founded in 1859, Golden was the first capital of the Colorado territory and the historic area is filled with beautiful Victorian homes and buildings that you can admire, as you travel back to the 19^th century.  After your ride, be sure to visit the Golden History Park – a full frontier homestead on the banks of Clear Creek with a barn, farmhouse, and a chicken coop.  Bring some quarters and you can feed the exotic chickens.  

Shop Main Street and Take a Picture Under the Famous Arch —  Golden’s 58-foot long Welcome Arch is one of the most photographed sights on the Front Range.  The sign has been saying “Howdy Folks!” to visitors since 1949 and is one of the few surviving welcome arches in the West.   It’s also the gateway to one-of-a-kind shopping.  Golden’s main street is lined with art galleries, candle shops, jewelry stores, bike/hike/raft and climbing stores, toy shops, hardware stores, women’s clothing shops, and designer fashions.  And don’t forget the Foothills Arts Center, where the Holiday Art Market is open seven days a week until Dec. 30 featuring the individual works of 100 different artists.  If you’re looking for a special, unique gift, you’ll find it in downtown Golden.

Enjoy Holiday Cheer!  Golden has two distilleries and a variety of restaurants, including such classics as the Old Capitol Grill & Smokehouse, which is housed in Colorado’s first capitol building; the Table Mountain Inn with its pretty Southwestern decor; the Bridgewater Grill with views of Clear Creek; or the Sherpa House, which is a reproduction of a farmhouse from Nepal serving classic Himalayan dishes, such as yak stew.  And down the block is Coors Brewery – the world’s largest single brewing site with free tours, free samples and a huge Coors gift shop for the beer lover on your Christmas list.

Ride the Polar Express!   The Polar Express steams into the Colorado Railroad Museum three times a night during the holiday season, whistle blowing, bell ringing and steam hissing into the cold air just like the movie.  After the passengers board, the train chugs to the North Pole, where Santa hops on the train and gives everyone a silver bell.  It’s the thrilling and memorable experience for kids – and adults.  Even if you don’t ride the Polar Express (tickets sell out fast), the museum makes a great daytime holiday destination with model railroads (both indoors and out) and dozens of locomotives and railroad cars to climb on and explore.  They also have a large, all trains gift shop.  If you already have tickets for the Polar Express, make it an all-Golden night, enjoying the lights along Clear Creek, dinner on Washington Ave., and window shopping the stores.

Take a Hike!  Have visitors coming from out of town for the Holidays?  No place offers as many great nearby hiking opportunities and the chance to show off Colorado as Golden.  Climb North or South Table Mountain, follow a trail to the top of Lookout Mountain, hike around Mount Galbriath, visit Golden Gate Canyon State Park, or walk around towering red sandstone monuments at Mathew Winters Trailhead.  After some beautiful Colorado scenery, stop in Golden for lunch or beer at one of Golden’s six craft breweries.  It’s a pleasant way to show friends and relatives what Colorado is all about.

For more information on an Olde Golden Christmas, visit:  www.visitgolden.com

In the year 2000, long-distance hiker, graphic artist and photographer Andrew Terrill left his home in suburban London and set off on a little 6,000 mile stroll from the Mexico-U.S. border to Denali National Park in Alaska. As an outdoor photographer, writer and professional wanderer, it was not his longest long-distance trek, but it turned out to be the most important when mid-way through he met his future wife, Joan, and they later settled down in the town where she happened to live: Golden, Colorado. They were married in the Boettcher Mansion, and with their two children now live in the shadow of North Table Mountain.

A graphic designer, part-time PE instructor at Compass Montessori, photographer and writer, Andrew has taken some of the most incredible photographic images of Golden ever captured. His photos of Golden, as well as of Colorado and other locations, can be seen and purchased as fine art prints at his website www.andrewterrillphotography.com. His Golden photos will be featured in an exhibition, Golden Above the Clouds, to open at the Golden History Museum on January 17, 2019.

Andrew considers himself very lucky to live in Golden. “Growing up in London, surrounded by endless suburbia, I could never imagine I’d one day live in a place like Golden, or wake each day to see the foothills of the Rocky Mountains glowing with golden light. Being here never grows old.”

For a perfect day in Golden, Andrew would begin with a short hike up North Table Mountain to watch the sunrise. The park is closed at night, however it opens one hour before sunrise.  It is here that he has captured some of his most dramatic photos, such as those taken when fog covers Denver and the plains, leaving North Table Mountain above in the sun, much like an airplane. “October and November are the best times of year for cloud inversions,” he says, which can also be viewed (when conditions are right) by driving up Lookout Mountain.

Andrew doesn’t always bring a camera with him to the mountains “because sometimes taking photos gets in the way of the experience.”  But when he does, he tries to use photography to connect with nature to tell a story. “As a species, we are natural story tellers, going all the way back to painting on cave walls.  Photography is like that. You try to bring back a story and share a moment. But being out in nature is the key part, more important than returning with a good shot,” he says.

After the morning hike, he would swing by Big Daddy Bagels to bring breakfast home and then gather the family for a walk along Clear Creek. “Golden is such a perfect family town. I always feel like I’m on vacation when I’m in my own home town,” he says.  “No matter how many times I head downtown or along the creek I’ll never lose that vacation feeling. We like to visit the Golden History Park and the Golden History Museum. And we are frequent visitors to the Golden Public Library, which sometimes feels more like a community gathering point than a library. We always meet people we know.”

His kids also love stopping at the Golden Community Center for a swim and some indoor climbing, before visiting D’Deli for some delicious sandwiches to bring home.

On a perfect day, Andrew would fill the afternoon with a big run, a ‘join-the-trails’ 20-mile loop that encircles Golden and visits many of its open space highlights, linking the six summits that rise above town. “I’d travel from North Table to Mount Galbraith, across Clear Creek and up Mount Zion, on to Lookout Mountain, over Apex Open Space to the high point, then finally up South Table Mountain.  Along the way, he might call by Runner’s High, Golden’s running store, to swap running tales with the owners Deb and Ken, and to see what’s new.

For dinner, Andrew can’t wait until the Buffalo Rose re-opens (as a graphic designer, he designed the restaurant’s new logo), but he also loves the Southwestern fare at the Table Mountain Inn. After dinner, he and his wife would finish the perfect day with a quiet walk around the neighborhood, where they always meet and bump into friends and neighbors to catch up. “I will never take any of this for granted,” he says. “Golden is a rare place, special for how civilization and nature sit side by side. I love that the natural world is so easy to access, I love the amenities that Golden offers, and I love the fact that Golden is such a friendly, community town.”

Hiking with the family is the perfect autumn adventure and there’s no better spot than Golden. With options for tots as well as teens, Golden has a hike sure to suit your family. Locals like to repeat Golden Rule #21: "Don't be surprised if someone tells you to take a hike," because many of our coffee shops and brunch spots are located near the trails.

The first three hikes in our top recommendations below are well suited for parents and younger children while the final two family hikes are for more experienced hikers and older kids. 

CLEAR CREEK TRAIL:  Everyone’s favorite all weather, year-round trail follows Clear Creek from the center of historic downtown Golden up into the foothills – the beauty is you can decide just how far you want to go.  You’ll pass Golden History Park, a historic farm museum (stop and feed the chickens), as well as the Golden History Museum and Golden Library. There are lots of sculptures (some are climbable) and even a slide the kids can swoosh down. You and the little ones will enjoy sitting down to watch the fly fishermen and kayakers enjoying the creek.  

DINOSAUR RIDGE & TRICERATOPS TRAIL:  What better way to encourage your kiddos to hike than to add in fossils and dinosaur bones? Families love Triceratops Trail, a self-guided multi-purpose trail in Golden that guides visitors through 68 million years of Colorado pre-history, with footprints and impressions left by dinosaurs, birds, mammals, plants and insects. Also popular, Dinosaur Ridge is located a few miles south of Golden. Here you can see 100 million year old dinosaur tracks sitting atop layers of sand and mudstone, the pads of the toes and patterns of migration seen in over 300 footprints and 37 track ways. There’s also an onsite gift shop, educational workshops and interpretive programs.

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN NATURE CENTER & PRESERVE: Another fun spot to get an introduction to hiking is the gorgeous 1917 Boettcher Mansion on top of Lookout Mountain. Once a summer home for the Boettcher family, this beautiful log building has been turned in a museum along side a nature center in the middle of a preserve.  The preserve has 1.4 miles of gentle trails that wind through ponderosa pine forests mixed with meadows of wildflowers.  Exhibits in the center will tell you about the black bears, mountain lions, bobcats, elk, and mule deer that are often captured on the center’s cameras.  

APEX PARK:  For older kids, Apex Park and the Enchanted Forest Trail is a local’s favorite. Start at the Lookout Mountain Nature Center and head south and walk downhill into Apex Park on the less known and less well used Enchanted Forest Trail, which is quiet and peaceful and takes you through a thick evergreen forest to the bottom of the canyon.  Of course, what goes down must go up.  So you will have a steep climb back up the canyon, unless you’ve made this a two car hike and parked a second car at the Heritage Road Apex Park Trailhead, in which case it’s just a nice 4.4 mile forest stroll downhill.

NORTH TABLE MOUNTAIN:  One of the chief landmarks of Golden is this broad, flat-topped mesa that rises hundreds of feet above the valley and is ringed by cliffs with a half dozen hiking and biking trails crisscrossing the area.  The classic hike or bike trip is a moderate 5.9 mile loop trail that will take you around — and over — the mesa top, with 360 degree views of Golden, Denver and the Front Range.  A parking area on Colorado Hwy. 93 just north of town has maps; trails head off clockwise or counterclockwise around the mountain.  It’s a mixed-use trail with some steep climbs and single-track sections for bikers.  Once on top, look for herds of deer and consider heading to Lichen Peak, which is the highest spot on North Table Mountain.

We recommend a big breakfast in Golden followed by a family hike, but these trails are all so close to the Denver Metro area, you could even make it an after-school weekday outing. No matter when you decide to visit, hiking in Golden is sure to become a family favorite, because hiking in Golden Rules! Share your family hiking adventure and your own Golden Rule on social media and tag @visitgoldenco with #GoldenRules. For more information on Golden, check out VisitGolden.com.

We’ve got the perfect mash-up for you: autumn, bikes, and sips of fall-inspired beer. Now that the weather is cooling down, it’s a great time to explore Golden’s breweries on two wheels. And with the Golden Bike Library handing out free bikes for rides under two hours, what’s the holdup?

Until late October, you can head to the Golden Bike Library to check out a bike outside of the Golden Visitors Center. Consult our handy map and sail under a canopy of fall colors as you make your way to enjoy seasonal tasters.

Our list of fall’s best flavors in Golden…

Barrels and Bottles Brewery– sip the Peanut Butter and Chocolate Stout

Cannonball Creek Brewing Company– try the Solid Gold Belgian Golden

Golden City Brewery– taste the Pumpkin Spice Dunkel (available in late October)

Holidaily Brewing Company– savor a Pumpkin Ale

Mountain Toad Brewing– delight in their Butternut Squash Brown

New Terrain Brewing Company– sample the Cream Ale

Remember to consume responsibly and call the Golden Community Call-n-Ride (303-519-9162) if you need it! The Golden Bike Library is open through Sunday, October 28th. Please note: seasonal beers may only be available for a limited time.

Cheers to a fantastic fall!