Stroller-Friendly Hikes Near Denver, Colorado
Among the foothills of the Rockies there are a plethora of stroller-friendly hikes near Denver for your family to enjoy. While these trails are all wide and stroller-friendly, you can still get a variety of views and features.
Whether you are looking for a nature walk with your baby in the stroller or bringing a stroller to give toddlers and kids a break, these trails will be perfect.
Bringing a stroller is how I protect my sanity when hiking with toddlers because you never know when they will get tired. Patience is not my strong suit, so if I can throw them in the stroller and keep moving, it keeps EVERYONE happy!
But there are a lot of reasons you might want to have a stroller while hiking. Whether you have a child with special needs who deserves time out in nature too, are outnumbered by babies or simply just want to be able to carry snacks, these hikes are for you!
We use a jogging stroller with larger bicycle type tires to handle dirt and rocky surfaces. May of these trails are not paved. Though you can find some that are!
Here are a few of the best stroller-friendly hikes in the Denver metro area!
Bear Creek Trail – Lair O’ The Bear Park – Stroller-friendly Hikes Near Denver
Address: 22550 CO-74, Idledale, CO 80453
Parking: There is a large parking lot located at the trailhead. There are multiple trails, so make sure to consult a trail map before heading out!
Bear Creek Trail is a nearly-10 mile trail that starts at Lair O’ The Bear Park and follows Bear Creek. There are lots of places to stop and play in the creek and you could spend your whole summer day here!
We love going about a mile out to where you can view the Dunafon Castle (a wedding and event venue) and then turning back to enjoy the creek! But you can go as far as you want!
This trail is mostly packed dirt. There are some areas with rocks in the trail, but our single stroller was able to manage fine. A double jogging stroller might need to go offtrail to get around one or two spots. But still doable!
I do recommend taking the creek view loop that is not too far out on the trail so you can find some quiet secluded creek spots. HOWEVER, if it’s been muddy, this loop is not great for strollers. It is more narrow and has some drop off areas.
The views and access to the creek are what make this trail so special! The parking lot fills up quickly so make sure to head there early!
Waterton Canyon in Littleton – Stroller-friendly Hikes Near Denver
Address: 11300 Waterton Road, Litteton, Colorado
Parking: There is a large parking lot on Waterton Road. Once you park, cross Waterton Road at the crosswalk near the entrance to the parking lot.
Waterton Canyon is a wonderful place to hike with kids in a stroller. In fact, it just might be our favorite!! It’s a relatively smooth, wide trail with a slight incline and lots to see.
We love to see the canyon at different times of the year. It’s super green in the spring and has lovely fall hues in October!
We love the jagged rocks of the canyon and the boys love to walk and run along the trail when it isn’t muddy!
This is an out-and-back trail so you can determine how far you want to go. Our favorite place to stop is a picnic area about 1.5 miles up the trial where you can usually find people fishing.
This is also a great place to catch a glimpse of the big horn sheep who live in the canyon. Try going early in the morning or at dusk for the best chance of seeing the sheep. We haven’t been lucky enough yet since we discovered this trail a few months ago, though we have lots of friends who have seen them!
There is not much shade at Waterton Canyon, so make sure that you are using plenty of sunscreen on your littles or going at a cooler part of the day.
Watch out for mountain bikes and stay to the right of the trail.
Bluffs Regional Park Loop in Lone Tree – Stroller-friendly Hikes Near Denver
Address: 10658 Cabela Drive, Lone Tree, Colorado
Parking: There is a medium size parking lot at the entrance to the park. It can fill up on weekends and nice days.
The trail at Bluffs Regional Park is a loop trail. The loop itself is about 3 miles long, but there are several offshoots to lookout points or connections to other, longer trails.
In June, the bluffs should be covered in wildflowers and green grass as we saw lots of flower buds in late May. It’s a beautiful place to hike.
We love hiking the Bluffs loop because on clear days you can see all the way to downtown Denver and several other metropolitan areas. We love making it to the lookout to see all the way to the mountains, downtown, the Denver Tech Center and more.
This hike is the most challenging of the ones listened. The trail is rolling and there are some steep climbs. But the trail is level and wide with plenty of room for a stroller. You will get a workout though, pushing the stroller.
This trail is also popular with mountain bikers, so be alert. Particularly if you get your kids out of the stroller to walk.
Looking for more family friendly hikes nearby? Check out this HUGE list of family hiking trails near Denver!
Fountain Valley Trail, Roxborough State Park in Littleton – Stroller-friendly Hikes Near Denver
Address: 4751 E Roxborough Drive, Littleton, Colorado
Parking: There are several parking lots at the trailhead.
**This hike requires a state parks pass to access. If you don’t have an annual pass, you can pay $8 when you enter the park. You may need cash.**
There are several trail heads at the parking lot for Roxborough State Park. We love the Fountain Valley Trail for using a stroller because it is wide and the trail is level and well cared for.
The kids love getting out and walking every once in a while!
The loop has beautiful views of red rock formations and rolling hills. While hiking you might even come across a wedding! Colorado Parks & Wildlife allows for rental of several of the lookouts for events. We haven’t stumbled across one yet, but it’s a beautiful spot for a ceremony.
Bluff Lake Nature Center – Stroller-Friendly Hikes Near Denver
Address: 3400 Havana Way, Denver, Colorado
Parking: There is a small parking lot off of Havana Way.
This hike is more of a walk, but it packs a lot of beauty into it to definitely warrant a visit whether you are a local or in town visiting!
Bluff Lake Nature Center is located in Stapleton just east of Downtown. It is a nonprofit nature refuge designed to educate visitors about the native plants and animals of central Colorado.
The nature center features a nearly 2-mile loop around the lake. It is truly an oasis right in the middle of the city!
Once you head onto the loop, you’ll see prairie dogs, birds, turtles, frogs and more in and around the lake. There are several look out spots and rolling hills on the trail. The path features signage about the plant and animal life in the nature center – a fun learning opportunity for kids!
Hudson Gardens – Stroller-Friendly Hikes Near Denver
Address: 6115 S Santa Fe Drive, Littleton, Colorado
Parking: There is a large parking lot.
This is another walk, but the Hudson Gardens are a beautiful and free way to enjoy a morning or afternoon of nature! The Gardens feature 30 acres of trails, water features, garden exhibits, a vegetable garden, bee hives and more!
Hudson Gardens serves as an event center for both public and private events. But during normal business hours when there aren’t events happening, it’s free and open to the public for walks. You can access from the parking lot on Santa Fe Drive or from the Mary Carter Greenway Trail.
Every time we have visited, the kids and I clock between 1.5 and 2 miles, so you can definitely get in a good walk with your children and stroller! We love seeing all of the plant exhibits and walking up and down the wetlands natural area checking out turtles, fish and frogs! You can even see tadpoles if you visit at the right time of year!
There are benches and open grassy areas throughout the garden so after walking around, have a picnic on the grounds before heading home!
For even more stroller friendly trails near Denver, check out this article on my sister site, Denver For Families.
Spending time in Denver? Check out our guide for all the things to do with kids!
