BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — Looking for a challenging hike close to home? Head for beautiful Eldorado Canyon State Park between Golden and Boulder.

The park is a popular stop for families to picnic and play in the creek, for climbers tackling the rock walls, and for history buffs wanting to explore the site of an historic hotel. There are also a handful of trails including the Rattlesnake Trail to the hotel ruins and the Eldorado Canyon Trail that climbs up the canyon's south hillside.

The Eldorado Canyon Trail starts next to the Visitor Center. The sign there calls the trail "moderately difficult," with 800 feet of elevation gain in the first mile, 200 feet of gain in the next 1.5 miles, then a drop of more than 600 feet to get to the Walker Ranch Loop. We'll talk about that more when we

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