Colorado Hiking Trails for Dogs Who Don’t Like Other Dogs

Some dogs like other dogs, but plenty are dog neutral or even reactive. I have had multiple reactive dogs myself; I know how difficult it can be to manage!

However, managing reactivity is much easier when you know what to expect. It is easy to look up whether a trail is dog friendly or requires leashes, but it is harder to know whether others follow these regulations. Particularly when traveling, it can be hard to ascertain the culture of a hiking community, and predict what you can expect on the trails.

I have lived in Colorado for almost 4 years, spending my first two years in Colorado Springs before moving to the Denver area. I enjoy hiking and try to get out with my dogs a few times a month. In doing so, I’ve gotten a good sense of the hiking community in general, and what you can expect on certain trails.

Colorado has a strong culture of adventure, and that includes hiking with dogs off leash. But if off leash dogs can be a problem for you or your dog, hopefully these short trail reviews will help you find a trail where you can enjoy yourself!

Trails Near Denver

Lookout Mountain (Golden)

I have not hiked on any of the Lookout Mountain trails themselves, but I have visited the lookout and picnic spot many times. It’s a beautiful place to spend some time wandering or enjoying a picnic lunch. The lookout is rarely busy and I have never seen an unleashed dog there. I actually haven’t seen many dogs there at all! Lookout Mountain is also the site of Buffalo Bill’s grave, and includes a small Buffalo Bill museum that you can visit. All in all, a good place to spend some time outdoors with your dog, even if it’s not truly hiking.

Red Rocks (Golden)

Red Rocks is a famous music venue, but did you know that it’s part of a whole park? There is a small network of trails in the park that you can hike with your dog. Because it’s a little more touristy, there are generally fewer dogs around (and the ones who are there are much more likely to be leashed). I’ve only ever seen one or two off leash dogs here. The trails are also pretty open with great visibility, so you have some warning and time to communicate if you do see an off leash dog.

Cherry Creek State Park (Centennial)

*Starsky enjoying Cherry Creek on a hot summer day. I always visit the off leash designated trails here, but there are many other dog friendly trails that require leashes.*

I stick to the specific fenced in off leash dog trails when I go to Cherry Creek State Park. But since this off leash legal option exists and since it’s a ranger patrolled state park, I would anticipate that there are very few off leash dogs in the rest of the park.

Chatfield State Park (Littleton)

Chatfield is the same deal as Cherry Creek! There is a very large fenced in area where dogs are legally able to be off leash. I stick to this area of the park since I like allowing my dogs off leash, but I would expect that dogs in other areas of the park would be leashed.

Trails Near Colorado Springs

Garden of the Gods

This is a big tourist spot so it may be crowded and there will be many dogs, but there won’t be any off leash dogs. I used to live ten minutes away from Garden of the Gods and never once so an off leash dog. I have seen a few dogs whose owners would unclip the leash to snap a quick photo and then clip the leash right back on.

Garden of the Gods is a protected area because of sensitive vegetation wildlife, and people seem to take that seriously and keep their dogs leashed and under control. Garden of the Gods is calmest in the mornings, especially very early. Weekends are especially crowded and parking is limited, so definitely get there early if you’re planning to go on a Saturday or Sunday.

Red Rocks Open Space

I very rarely see off leash dogs here, and I definitely wouldn’t expect it during a weekday when trails are usually quieter.

Red Rocks Open Space is a really cool spot with lots of beautiful red rocks, as the name suggests. It’s a pretty flat area with only gradual inclines, so this is an especially nice park for those who aren’t used to the altitude.

Cheyenne Mountain State Park

I’ve only been here once, but the ranger at the gate made sure to tell me to stay to the dog friendly trails and keep my dogs leashed. I was planning on that anyway because state parks are protected for a reason, but it was reassuring to be specifically told to do so! If I was getting that warning, I am sure that many others do as well, so off leash dogs should be pretty rare here. I also got the sense that this is pretty quiet park, and the views are of course stunning!

North Cheyenne Cañon Park

*Starsky and I hiked 7 Bridges several times! It’s a beautiful quiet hike, and we always had fun hiking there together.*

You cannot pick a bad hike in this park! When I lived in Colorado Springs, this was my favorite place to hike. My favorite trail for visitors is Mount Cutler because it has a little bit of everything – beautiful scenery, red rocks, green trees – basically everything that makes Colorado special!

In terms of quiet, I recommend 7 Bridges which is a lovely hike through the forest, across (you guessed it) 7 bridges over the running water.

This park is technically on leash, but the culture of the park is very much off leash. However, the trails are wide and give you good visibility to spot upcoming dogs, so it’s a spot where dog interactions can generally be avoided.

I have also found that most dog owners here are very conscious of their dogs not impeding on others’ space! This can be a pretty busy park, but weekdays, especially during winter, it’s pretty quiet.