Date: November 8, 2020

Miles: 3.8 miles

Elevation Gain: 751 feet

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate

Time: 1 hr 30 min total

Trail Head:

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/mesa-top-and-cottonwood-canyon-loop

Notes:

This open space is a short distance from Denver, but gets pretty crowded, especially since most trails are multi use. However, it was quieter than usual on a late afternoon off season. For this quick loop, we took Lithic trail to Mesa Top Trail, then followed that to Cottonwood Canyon Trail. We parked right off the road for the trailhead, then crossed the road and took the connector to the main part of the Lithic trail. The trail is narrow for multi use, and pretty rocky, making it difficult to navigate when crowded. We completed the loop counter clockwise, topping out at elevation around mile 1.5. Easy, quick hike in the metro area.