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Mitchell Creek Canyon Trail
4.5 ★★★★★ 73 Google reviews · Running trail in Castle Rock, Colorado · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Mixed
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Mitchell Creek Canyon Trail's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Kid-friendly park featuring hiking trails.
What runners say about Mitchell Creek Canyon Trail
“This gem starts off as a concrete trail out of a neighborhood, soon switching to dirt and slick rock along a beautiful canyon and creek in preserved open space.”
“Leave the pavement and enjoy the quiet canyon of dirt and rock trail.”
I love this little escape nestled in a neighborhood! The terrain is great, rocks, cliffs, and some views, certainly not boring. This also connects to Gateway Mesa with it's relatively new Legacy Trail addition, if you want to add some distance.
Been here several times.You start out in a neighborhood, so you think this cannot possibly be any good. But it is awesome, just after a few hundred yards the canyon opens up and.the trail hugs the edge of the canyon. So cool. And.not far from town.
Beautiful trail & plenty of room to explore once you get to the top. Plan ahead, pack a lunch & water, bug spray is a plus with the mosquitos. Rattlesnake warning on the trail, but only thing I saw up their were some salamanders. Pay attention to the cement rock markers 🪨.
Its a good trail, looks a lot like Castlewood canyon park trails. Don't understand how so many previous reviewers say they were lost. There's barbed wire fence on one side, and a canyon on the other. Even if you get off trail, you'll run into one of these obvious obstacles and will find the trail quickly after that.
Trail conditions & character
“This gem starts off as a concrete trail out of a neighborhood, soon switching to dirt and slick rock along a beautiful canyon and creek in preserved open space.”
“So, out and back on MCCT, to include the Legacy Trail in it's entirety and a bit of Chucks Loop, your looking at roughly 4.”
“Leave the pavement and enjoy the quiet canyon of dirt and rock trail.”
“This gem starts off as a concrete trail out of a neighborhood, soon switching to dirt and slick rock along a beautiful canyon and creek in preserved open space.”
“It wasn’t until I got home and saw a paper map that I learned how extensive the park is, and, importantly, that the park includes three bathrooms.”
Plan your run at Mitchell Creek Canyon Trail
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceMixed — more than one surface along the route, so check the segment you plan to run
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadrestrooms — reported by runners
- Websitecrgov.com
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 5 am–11 pm |
| Tuesday | 5 am–11 pm |
| Wednesday | 5 am–11 pm |
| Thursday | 5 am–11 pm |
| Friday | 5 am–11 pm |
| Saturday | 5 am–11 pm |
| Sunday | 5 am–11 pm |
Running trails near Castle Rock
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Gateway Mesa Open Space
4.6 ★★★★★ 228 reviews
Hiking area featuring a loop trail along rocky cliffs with views of the surrounding valley, plus wildlife.
Memmen Ridge Open Space
4.6 ★★★★★ 47 reviews
Park with 43 forested acres and an 8-ft.-wide concrete trail that connects to unpaved paths.
Hidden Mesa Open Space
4.6 ★★★★★ 226 reviews
Kid-friendly park featuring 7.5 miles of trails for biking, hiking and horseback riding, plus scenery.
