Description

Mount Falcon is a prominent summit of the Rocky Mountain foothills near Denver that’s steeped in history and rich in scenery.

Tall pine forests, open meadows, and craggy outcrops define the foreground, and a Rocky Mountain skyline makes the backdrop.

Mount Falcon Park has two entrances, an east trailhead in Morrison and a west trailhead near Indian Hills.

The west trailhead is the place for easier hiking, as the mountain’s east slopes have only very steep trails.

The loop described here begins from the west trailhead and includes a lot of Mount Falcon’s historic and scenic highlights. Castle Trail is a wide and mostly flat dirt path.

The views get really good right away.

From a treeless burn area, you can see way down the valley below and across to the mountain’s summit.

Take the side trail at a small pavilion shelter for an even better vantage from a rock outcrop.

Continue on Tower Trail, and you’ll soon find another incredible highlight—a large picnic shelter with a balcony and panorama of distant peaks. Beyond there, the trail gets narrower and steeper, but the climb is brief.

Soon you’ll reach Mount Falcon’s summit and the tower viewing platform.

To continue the loop, hike down the other side to meet Meadow Trail, and follow it through a sunny valley rimmed by proud ponderosa pines.

Be sure not to miss The Castle—stone ruins of a 100-year old home that belonged to entrepreneur John Brisben Walker.

Its unexpected architecture and mountaintop location are deserving of at least a few photos.

From there, the same trail you started on leads back to the parking area. Sources: https://dayhikesneardenver.com/mount-falcon-castle-tower-hike/ https://www.jeffco.us/DocumentCenter/View/9378/Mount-Falcon-Park-Map https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Brisben_Walker