Downtown Denver, Pre-Dawn. From Lookout Mountain above Golden, Colorado, 2015
Here is one you can drive to–no walking required: Lookout Mountain, above the Coors Brewery and the Colorado School of Mines town of Golden, Colorado, just west of Denver. Just follow the obvious brown signs at 19th Street and Highway 6.
(Quick Peak Bagger Note: Check out the American Mountaineering Center while you are in town.)
From Lookout Mountain, you can get some great views of downtown Denver and even some glimpses of the high country to the east.
Some photography suggestions:
–Consult The Photographer’s Ephemeris to see when you can catch a full Moon rising over Denver, just after sunset. (Try Sunday, September 27, 2015, for example.)
–Without a Moon to play with, sunrise might be your most interesting time o’ day. Get there an hour prior as the best colors often happen well before the Sun slides above the horizon.
–The most obvious place to set up your tripod is over Bill’s dead body at the viewing platform beside the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave. However, your view toward Denver is partially blocked by trees and tall communications antennas. Consider trying one of the small turnouts just below this high point.
–Probably your most unobstructed photography option is Windy Saddle. There is a parking area there and a very obvious social trail leading to a high point just to the north (a ten-minute uphill walk). Look for this trail on the north end of the parking area. From this sub-summit, you have a clear view out to the west, north and east.
–From most areas on Lookout Mountain, as you gaze east out upon the megaglopolis and the Great Plains beyond, you will be looking nearly straight along Denver’s famous Colfax Avenue.
Lookout Mountain points o’ interest:
1) Mountain bikers, road cyclists, soaring hang gliders and paragliders (depending on the weather)…all good photo subjects. Or, you could engage in these activities yourself!
2) The Lookout Mountain Nature Center and Preserve at the top o’ the mountain.
3) Windy Saddle Park for hiking.
4) The historic Boettcher Mansion for your wedding.
Soccer and Beer at Dawn. Golden, Colorado, 2015 (The big factory between the mesas is the Coors Brewery)
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2 Comments
After reading this, I wanted to see the unobstructed Sunrise view of Denver for my self but I must of took the wrong trail. I parked at Windy Saddle Park, but there seems to be 4 trails in this area. Lookout Mountain, Buffalo Bill, Beaver Brook, and Chimney Gulch Trail. Which one trail did you take?
Hello, Michael, and sorry about the confusion. It has been a while since I have been up there, so I took a look at the satellite view on Google maps to refresh my memory. The trail I took is basically directly north out of the parking area, up the hillside that is largely clear of trees. And I didn’t go far, if I remember correctly, maybe a quarter mile or so? The trail was quite heavily used and braided as well (with parallel trails), probably from others going up there for sunrise. Hopefully this will help clarify. Thanks for visiting! DanJ