Mesa Top and Cottonwood Canyon Loop is a 4.3 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Golden, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from April until September.
March 3, 2021incredible hike, not too difficult, perfect sunshine
March 2, 2021Muddy in spots but a great little hike on a beautiful day! Awesome views of downtown
March 1, 2021
March 1, 2021muddy in spots, no need for spikes though.
February 23, 2021windy and you gotta share the trail with lots of bikers, but so worth it!!
February 19, 2021Fun snowy hike. Very windy on the top (had to brace during some of the gusts). We didn't have micro spikes or snow shoes but both would be useful during different sections. On the top with the wind and snow we had zero idea where the trail was but there's cell service so we used Google maps satilite to figure it out. We went on 2/19 and was almost empty being a weekday. We used the tiny parking area off of Easley right by the trailhead. Would recommend.
February 7, 2021heavy bike trail but plenty of fun for all
February 4, 2021Note: the directions linked for this trail bring you to the larger parking lot at the Tony Grampasas Sports Complex - there's a short access trail that brings you up to a smaller parking lot on Easley Rd, directly across the street from the trailhead. I got to the Easley parking lot at 7:30 on a Thursday. Room for 8 cars but only 3 others were here. Only saw 5 other people the entire time (walkers/runners, no bikes), and most were near trailhead. Take Lithic up to meet the North Table Loop. If you go left (clockwise), you'll hit switchbacks about 1/2 mile in. When you start turning west into Cottonwood Canyon, about 0.1-0.2 before the Cottonwood Canyon trail splits off, the wind picked up dramatically (directly out if the west and through the canyon). Probably took 10 degrees or so off if the "feels like" temperature. With a hat and enough layers you'll be comfortable (though your face might get a little cold). Most of the CC trail was windy, and it stayed windy at the top of the mesa. Saw a few deer grazing along the way. You turn right onto Mesa Top trail in the middle of the mesa, and that brings you back down along the northeast corner of the mesa until you hit the North Table loop again. Between the top edge of the mesa until you reach North Table Loop, Mesa Top trail is pretty rugged and has what would be a pretty good climb if you were doing this loop in reverse (counter clockwise). Most of the trail surface throughout the loop is pretty mild, packed dirt with a few rocks here and there. No snow on the trail at all, and almost no mud. Safe enough to take your eyes off the trail and admire the cliffs (definitely more interesting than the view of the Coors plant below). Bummer that the Rim Rock trail is already closed until July 31, but will definitely be coming back to explore this mountain many more times.
January 31, 2021Great- lots of mountain bikers but to be expected on a Sunday when it’s 50 out in Golden! Was a great work out. Definitely recommend clockwise so you do the switchbacks up!
January 30, 2021January 27, 2021January 24, 2021Great trail!
January 23, 2021Great trail, good conditions today
January 23, 2021Very crowded. Lots of mountain bikers.
January 18, 2021January 18, 2021I’d say more easy. Not very busy, but keep an eye out for bikers. For most of the trial it’s pretty easy to spot them when you turn around to check, but there are a few hidden switchbacks where they sneak up on you
January 17, 2021January 17, 2021January 16, 2021Had a nice time, beautiful sunny weather. This trail is easy with some nice views of Denver/surrounding areas. There’s a lot of bikers on the trail so watch out for those.
January 16, 2021January 16, 2021No snow, lots of sun. Perfect for a warm winter day!
January 15, 2021Great sunrise hike!!! So many good places to see it rise
January 13, 2021Great trail with a little bit of elevation right outside of town. Lots of mountain bikers.
January 12, 2021not crowded today. No mud.
January 9, 2021January 8, 2021Great, gradual incline if you go counterclockwise. Views were great. Walkers be prepared to stop every couple of minutes to let a cyclist go by.
January 7, 20211-6-21--Easy Peacy trail.. fun winter day, perfect trail for a 50° day as there are NO shade on this trail. Very dry today.
January 5, 2021Nice trail. Lots of mountain bikers out today.
