Golden Gate is very nice but Mueller is hand downs the best close to a major metro area. Drive south to Colorado Springs and then west past Woodland Park to Mueller State Park. Facilities are better some of the best in the nation and the hiking and scenery is fantastic. Whether you are just hanging with the family or a rugged outdoorsman, from MUeller you have access to very easy trails or pretty hard core trails that will take you all the way up to Pike's Peak. Only issue is you must make reservations well ahead of time.
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