Description

Dakota Ridge is an iconic hike that provides spectacular views of the Denver skyline to the east, and Red Rocks and the Rocky Mountain foothills to the west.

This out-and-back route quickly climbs up to the top of the ridge before following the Hogback formation south for several miles, before turning around and heading back to the parking lot the same way.

The trail itself doesn't gain an exceptional amount of elevation, but it is exceedingly rocky and rough.

Some sections of the trail along the ridge are very exposed–make sure you play it safe around the cliff edges! Despite this exposure and the rocky challenges, this trail is bike-legal, and thus it's still fairly easy to negotiate on foot.

That said, be sure to watch out for bikes, and be prepared to yield the trail in particularly sketchy areas.