Entry No. 175 — the Denver file — filed under: outdoor
Forgotten Valley Homestead Trail
Most Denver hikers blow past this one for the showier summits, and that's exactly the point. A flat 1.3 miles in — Burro Trail, then a left onto Mountain Lion Trail — drops you into a pocket of meadow where the 1876 Tallman Ranch still stands beside a little trout pond. Four generations of a Swedish immigrant family lived here along Nott Creek, and the weathered ranch house, chicken coop, and stables are still standing, porch facing the water. It's barely a walk and yet it lands somewhere strange and quiet: a forgotten homestead in a state park, hiding in plain sight an hour from the city.
The story
In 1876, a Swedish immigrant named Anders Tallman bought an abandoned one-room schoolhouse, hauled it into a secluded mountain pocket along Nott Creek, and grafted on a kitchen and a front porch. That makeshift cabin became the anchor for four generations of Tallmans who ran cattle, chopped wood, and survived high-altitude winters in what locals came to call Forgotten Valley.
Most weekenders tearing up Golden Gate Canyon Road drive straight past the turnoff, aiming for the crowded overlooks at Panorama Point. You didn't hear it from us, but taking the quiet trail into this pocket gulch gets you something much stranger: the 1876 ranch house, its wooden chicken coop, and its weathered timber stables sitting untouched beside a small, clear trout pond fed by Nott Creek.
Because the state park preserved the valley rather than turning it into a cordoned-off museum, there are no velvet ropes or gift shops. The homestead's wooden porch still faces out across the water, its timbers turned silver by a century of mountain sun, leaving you to sit on the porch swing and watch trout rise in total silence an hour from downtown Denver.
What it's like
Arrive early at the Bridge Creek Trailhead—the lot holds only a handful of cars and fills up quickly on sunny mornings. The walk in is a gentle 1.3 miles each way, climbing roughly 350 feet along the Burro Trail before branching left onto Mountain Lion Trail through stands of aspens and conifers. The reward is an open meadow where moose frequently wander down to graze by the pond at dawn and dusk, and anglers cast quietly for trout. Take a seat on the cabin's front porch to take in the stillness, but carry trail traction if you visit between late fall and early spring, as ice lingers in these shaded gulches long after the city clears out.
The move: The hike is the date — and it's short enough that there's no pressure, long enough to actually talk. Pack a thermos and walk the easy mile-and-change into the valley, then sit on the homestead's front porch and trade theories about the people who built it: who hauled these logs up here in 1876, who fished this pond, what four generations did through the winters. The walk back is downhill and unhurried. Time it for the golden aspens in fall and the whole valley turns to amber while you've barely broken a sweat.
📍 Before you go A 2.6-mile round-trip out-and-back with about 350 ft of gain — genuinely easy, family-friendly, well-marked. From Bridge Creek Trailhead take the Burro Trail roughly 0.6 mi, turn left onto Mountain Lion Trail, and it's about 0.7 mi to Forgotten Valley. Getting there from Denver: I-70 west to Hwy 58, then Hwy 93 north to Golden Gate Canyon Road, follow it ~13 miles to the park, and continue to the Bridge Creek parking area — roughly an hour total. Best spring through fall; the aspens peak in fall. Expect snow and ice on the trail and possibly snow-packed park roads from about November into March, so check conditions and carry traction in the shoulder seasons. You're at ~7,800–8,200 ft, so afternoon thunderstorms build fast in summer — start early and turn around if it darkens. A Colorado state-parks pass (daily or annual) is required; buy it at the visitor center or a self-pay kiosk. At the end: the historic Tallman homestead and outbuildings beside a small stocked pond, with lake and valley views.
- 📍 Golden Gate Canyon State Park (near Golden), Colorado
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Bridge Creek Trailhead, Golden Gate Canyon State Park. From the park visitor center, follow the park road to the signed Bridge Creek parking area; the Burro Trail leaves from the lot. The lot is small and fills fast.
Hours: Day-use, free. Best season: Spring through fall (aspens peak in fall); snow and ice roughly November–March. Confirm trail & road conditions before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Central City Opera House — Head eight miles southwest to swap the secluded log homestead for a grand 1878 stone opera house built by 19th-century Welsh and Cornish gold miners.
- The Face on the Barroom Floor — Drive over to Central City's historic Teller House saloon to see a woman's face painted secretly onto the floorboards after midnight in 1936.
- Central City Masonic Cemetery (Woman in Black) — Continue eight miles south into the mountains to explore an 1860s hilltop Masonic cemetery holding 373 graves overlooking the mining towns below.
- Charlie Tayler Water Wheel — Drop ten miles south to Idaho Springs to see a massive 30-foot wooden waterwheel built beside a waterfall in 1893 by a reclusive miner.
Good to know
How long is the hike to Forgotten Valley and is it difficult?
It is a 2.6-mile round-trip out-and-back hike with about 350 feet of elevation gain. The trail follows the Burro Trail for roughly 0.6 miles before taking a left onto Mountain Lion Trail for the remaining 0.7 miles, making it an easy, family-friendly walk.
What park fees or passes are required?
A Colorado State Parks pass (either a daily vehicle pass or an annual pass) is required to enter Golden Gate Canyon State Park and park at the Bridge Creek Trailhead. Daily passes can be purchased at the park visitor center or at self-pay kiosks.
Can you go inside the historic homestead buildings?
The interior of the 1876 Tallman Ranch house is kept locked to preserve the structure, but visitors are free to explore the exterior, walk around the chicken coop and stables, and sit on the front porch.
Are fishing and camping allowed at Forgotten Valley?
Yes, the pond along Nott Creek is stocked with trout for fishing (with a valid Colorado fishing license), and designated walk-in backcountry campsites are located nearby in Forgotten Valley, requiring advance reservations through Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: sweptawaytoday.com · thevirtualsherpa.com · dayhikesneardenver.com · cpw.state.co.us · historycolorado.org · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-10