Great Mountain Biking and Running Trails Near Denver, Colorado

Alderfer/Three Sisters State Park in Evergreen, Colorado provides a multitude of recreation opportunities for no cost at all to you. The 1,128 acre park includes a total of 15.5 miles of trails that can be used for hiking, running, mountain biking and even horseback riding. The Dedisse trail can be taken to the adjacent Denver Mountain Park.

The main feature of the park is the presence of the Three Sisters and the Brother. These are rock spires rising hundreds of feet into the air, with trails circling their bases to provide hikers with many great views of these natural features. There are trails that ascend the rocks to lookout points. The views of the surrounding mountains from the top of the Three Sisters or The Brother is breathtaking and is highly recommended to anyone that visits this park.

As far as the trails go, they are generally very hilly and rocky. A rugged shoe with plenty of ankle support is recommended to anyone hiking or running in the park. Shortly after leaving the parking lot, the trails are raised slightly above the wet ground so you can keep your feet dry. Once you lose sight of the parking lot, the trails quickly climb to one of many high points in the park. The trail that goes around the Three Sisters is only 1.7 miles long, but it has a whopping 946 feet of elevation gain and 759 feet of elevation loss in that short distance. If this doesn't sound hard enough for you, consider that this entire park is above 7000 feet of elevation, so it becomes very difficult to catch your breath that you will inevitably lose from the incessant climbs.

The amenities at Alderfer/Three Sisters park include handicapped-accessible restrooms and picnic shelters. To reach the park, take Highway 73 south of Evergreen. Turn west on Buffalo Park road, and the first parking lot is in 1 mile. The second parking lot is a half mile further. The trails are on both sides of Buffalo Park road, so you'll only experience half of the park if you stay on the side with the parking lot. If you need to rent a mountain bike, there are multiple bike shops in Evergreen that will let you use one for a daily rate.

If you are in the Denver area and want a great place to run or bike, Alderfer/Three Sisters park is highly recommended.