The views were beautiful! Lots of fun rocks to climb. Took us about two hours with some good breaks. Super sunny! Be sure to bring sunscreen and water.
My roommates and I tackled this bad boy last Saturday (5/12) as a part of a challenge checklist associated with Cotopaxi's Questival. We started our trek around 12:30 pm after completing Mount Falcon a little earlier in the day. It took us a little over an hour and a half to complete the loop.
It would have been prudent to start this one earlier in the day, as the tiny little parking lot only has the capacity to facilitate about 20 vehicles max.We had to wait about 10 - 15 minutes for someone to come back from their hike and steal their spot before anyone else had the ability to do so.
The hike itself was packed with people, especially on the way down. Like Mount Falcon, Galbraith was also covered in mist all the way up to the summit.
This was a relatively easy hike, but was definitely a bit more challenging for our group after summitting Falcon a few hours prior and then driving directly to the Mount Falcon trailhead to complete that, as well. This brought our hiking total for the day to 11.6 miles roundtrip.
This is a nice little trek that almost anyone in somewhat decent shape could complete with little to no problems.
Fun hike - saw a couple of snakes and thought one to be a rattle because it was coiled and hissing. Met up with some Park rangers and confirmed it. Bummed I didn’t get to finish it, but had a good time anyway. Will probably be back! Just be suuuuper careful of snakes.
It's a bit odd in that it starts in a residential neighborhood but this was a nice hike and with the exception of a few technical bits, an easy trail run. We started early and encountered very few people (until the Mt. Galbraith loop). I'm guessing lots of people come out later on the weekends so keep that in mind if congestion bugs you. This is also an exposed trail with little to no shade until you hit the loop so be sure to pack your sunscreen.
Despite of the rain, I ran into 6 different group of hikers. Since not much of shades, best do complete this trail is fall, winter and spring or rainy day like today. Parking is a challenging part, as the trailhead is basically in the residential area.
Beautiful hike! Lots of rocks along the trail but it made it fun. First mile has a pretty steady incline after that it’s pretty easy.
Good hike. The loop gets a little crowded but the trail up to it was pretty quiet. Some small muddy spots, but overall the trail was dry. A good amount of rocks to navigate. The loop is shady but the trail there and back is completely exposed so it'll get hot in the summer. Will definitely go back when the wild flowers have had more time to bloom
Trail was nice. Crowded and a bit too easy for me. Views ok.
Bring sun protection, the Nightbird portion is exposed, there is more cover once you get to the Mt G. loop. Took me about 3 hours with a few small breaks. Great leisurely hike with a couple areas to get your heart up!
Lovely hike with nice views and gradual elevation gain. Very limited parking in the designated lot on the weekend. I had to park a ways down the road. Rare shade on the trail so keep that in mind. I did see a snake that some other hikers believed to be a rattlesnake...so watch your feet, kids & dogs! Probably a good rule of thumb anywhere really. Overall it was a great hike and I’ll do it again.
Great trail! A little muddy at the start and still some snow on the shade side of the mountain (April 25th), but I loved the trail ánd the views. Definately going back again.
Good trail, had a little bit of everything- slight inclines in open areas to rocky climbs in the trees. Great view from the top!
Some very steep drop offs if you are afraid of heights, which I am. I was able to do the whole thing but would not do it again or recommend to someone afraid of heights.
It was a nice hike, but be aware of the summit- it’s not very spectacular. There are nice views on the way up and on the first half of the loop (going clockwise) but not much to see at the top but burned trees. The trail was in good shape and we enjoyed the walk. It took us (a family of 4) just over 2 hours.
It’s a beautiful Sunday so we expected it to be a little crowded and it was- but only for the first part of the trail. Once we hit the loop, we only ran into a few people throughout the hike. The views are amazing- especially once you get into the loop. It does get tight in places and there are quite a few rocky areas to navigate but overall it was a fun and interesting trail!
Awesome short day hike! It is a little rocky in some spots just as a heads up. Took about 2hours to complete.
Great trail- I’d head south on the trail first to do the loop. Trail was dry and clear. Minor traffic- great views of Golden and Denver from the summit.
I went on Thursday 4/12 at around noon. I really enjoyed this hike but we also had beautiful weather. Not far from Denver, parking lot was pretty full though. However, once on the trail I didn't see many people. Very scenic views of Golden. Was a relatively easy trail, I was going to do another loop but ran out of time. Took me about 2 hours and I took my time. Trail was marked pretty well except for a couple spots.
Parking lot was completely full (1pm), had to park down the highway a bit on the side of the rode. Trail was in good condition, though, mostly dry. Long stretches where there was no one else on the trail with me, which was great. Beautiful views of Golden, Denver, and the mountains. Great afternoon hike only 30 minutes from my house.
Decent trail. A bit muddy at first this time of year but it dries up not far in. The trail is narrow with a lot of rocks. Nice sweeping views of the valleys below.
Easy to get to, located right outside of town. Went on a weekday morning and it wasn’t busy at all. Single-track, dogs allowed. Some areas with loose rock but overall moderate is a good rating for this trail. Nice 2 hour hike with good views!
Moderate length and ability mostly single track trail. There is a range of open, forest, and rocky terrain. A few good picnic spots up top. The views of Golden and Denver are pretty nice, but can't compare to some of the truly 5 star hikes in this state.
Love this hike! I have two pugs and it’s perfect hike for them and myself as well. Great views and easy terrain.
Lovely local hike. With the recent snow, there were some sections that have a couple of feet of packed snow and are slippery at points while other places are totally dry. I did the whole loop without spikes or poles and was fine. Easy-moderate trail with pretty views!
A solid choice for a quick hike near the city. Trail was almost totally dry this weekend. Lots of runners, tons of dogs, many families. Seems like a good trail for almost anyone.
It’s not even a trail. You park on a residential street, walk 3,000 ft up the mountain to a dead end with no trail. Waste of time.
Perfect day hike. Good distance with some nice elevation gain. Had to go back down to grab the crampons we forgot but it’s doable with out them and some hiking boots. Great view of Coors and even saw about 10 deer. Parking lot was full and plenty of people on the trail but it was still enjoyable.
Nice, quick workout close to Denver! I agree with the review before me...The trail is mostly dirt, but the sections where there is ice it's super slippery!! I had to put my Yaktrax on because I could barely get traction without them. I also went super early in the morning so the icy sections might be softer later in the day. Happy hiking!
if you're afraid of slipping down a steep hill perhaps this isn't the one for you till all the snow melts :)
Beautiful hike. Not very strenuous. At this time of year, it is still icy in some spots where it’s shaded so some spikes would probably be helpful. You can definitely get by without them though.