Triceratops Trailhead — Attraction in Golden

It's a decent walk, if you're looking to stretch your legs, but not if you're looking for any kind of a workout or an educational experience.

Parking is from the paid lot adjacent to the School of Mines campus, it's about $1/hour, which is par for the area. From there, you can walk to the trailhead (~1/4 mile). The trailhead is easy to spot.

The trail is an easy, short out-and-back with a few points of interest along the way, including a few imprints of possible dinosaur feet, small animals and plants as well as a clay mine, and some unique sculpture to commemorate the geological overlook. I think the trail guides overreach on the appeal of all of these points.

If you take this trail for what it is - a nice walk, it's exactly that, and you'll surely have...

This trail is an out-and-back trail of about a half-mile. It leads to some late Cretacous impression fossils that include footprint casts of Triceratops (or potentially Torosaurus) and Tyranosaurus as well as duck-billed dinosaurs. While not nearly as spectacular as the trackways at dinosaur ridge they are worth the trip nonetheless. There are also trace fossils of palm fronds, leaves, and invertebrates. The trail does connect to the golf course, but there is no easy return to the trailhead and parkinglot...

This was so much fun!!! We were looking for a quick walk just before dinner and we definitely found a gem.

Now that being said, parking is beyond weird. You will hear highway noise. And I think with lack of funding it’s become quite over grown. However, it’s definitely worth the visit!

I would like to note: It’s also easy for those with little kiddos or out of shape. We went just a few weeks post surgery and it was very doable. Couple hills but nothing too bad or strenuous especially...