Description

William F.

Hayden Park on Green Mountain is a large open space in Lakewood.

Several miles of trails weave along its sun-soaked ridgelines, granting views over the city and mountains beyond.

This loop offers the best bang for your buck in terms of distance and scenery.

It’s perfect for an after-work hike or jog because of proximity to town and low time commitment. The trail begins at a free parking area and climbs a ridgeline to the crest of Green Mountain.

It briefly joins a gravel service road and passes radio towers on top, then descends a different ridgeline to return to the trailhead.

You can hike the loop in either direction, but going clockwise (up Hayden Trail and down Green Mountain Trail) is the slightly easier option.

You can, of course, make a longer loop out of numerous other trails in the park as well.

Note that all trails are shared with mountain bikers.

Riders should yield to hikers, but it’s best to remain attentive. There’s almost no shade on Green Mountain.

It’s mostly void of trees except in the bottom of drainages.

Thus, it gets very hot.

Hiking in the middle of the day during summer is not recommended, but the cool of the morning or evening is a perfect time.

Much of this trail is on south-facing slopes, so it’s good in the cold months, too.

Green Mountain is the perfect getaway for a quick workout and dose of nature near the city, at any time of year. Sources: https://www.lakewood.org/Community-Resources/Parks-Forestry-and-Open-Space/A-to-Z-Park-Listing/William-F.-Hayden-Park-on-Green-Mountain https://www.uncovercolorado.com/public-parks/green-mountain-park/ https://www.mobilemaplets.com/showplace/5644