Eldorado Canyon State Park is west of Eldorado Springs, Colorado and is close to both Boulder and Denver. Primary activities at Eldorado Canyon include include hiking, mountain biking, and hiking with dogs but not horseback riding. There were no restrooms or water at the trailhead and cell phone service was weak. A Colorado State Parks day or annual pass is required to enter the park. We parked in the parking lot just south of Supremacy Rock (i.e., see map below) at an elevation around 6,100 feet.
Rattlesnake Gulch Trail
The Rattlesnake Gulch Trail is a moderately difficult trail too narrow for off-roading vehicles but wide enough for a couple of hard-core mountain bikers that we saw on our way up (not seen in pictures). If you have a dog, I recommend putting him/her to work with a dog backpack so he/she can carry their own water and hiking dog bowl; especially since dogs get thirsty on high altitude hikes. Finally, Eldorado Canyon State Park is host to serious rock climbers that can been seen climbing high in canyon.
Most the trail is unshaded but there are a few stretches where forest canopy provides coverage from the sun.
It is a 1.4 mile hike to the Crags Hotel Ruin which is located 700 feet above the trailhead. The Crags Hotel burned down in 1912 and was previously a destination for singing, dancing, and poker playing. In 1908, a $1 could buy you a round trip ticket from Denver to Crags Hotel. The ruin in the following picture used to be a baking oven with ceramic dinner plates on the floor.
The continental divide overlook is about 1,000 feet above the trailhead and an additional 0.2 miles from the Crags Hotel Ruin. Total hiking time to the continental divide overlook was one hour. The overlook provides a nice park bench for eating lunch and a view of south boulder to the east. The best part about the continental divide overlook is the sound of the wind going through the trees. Specifically, it sounds like you are listening to the roar of the ocean while standing on a sandy beach.
The view of the continental divide is barely seen because it is obstructed by trees and the overlook is not quite high enough to provide a panoramic view.
In sum, this is a great hike that can be completed in a short amount of time and, thus, can be a good option for a family and/or dog hike on a warm summer evening after work. Other trails nearby include:
