AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Highlands Ranch Historic Park

Badlands

5.2 mi · ▲ 471 ft · 1 hr 58 min

Badlands is a 5.2-mile out-and-back in Highlands Ranch Historic Park near Kistler Park, CO. It climbs 471 ft. It scores 9/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi5,866 – 6,129 ft5.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Mansion Footpath 39.53532, -104.97222
Nearest town Kistler Park, CO
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Badlands

5.2 mi · ▲ 471 ft · 1 hr 58 min

Elevation 5,866–6,128 ft

Out & Back · Highlands Ranch Historic Park

Trailhead: Mansion Footpath · 39.53532, -104.97222

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 90°F / low 63° · precip 8% · wind 16 mph · sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 7:28 PM

No dogs on part of this route

  1. Start on Mansion Footpath, heading S.
  2. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  3. 0.6 miTurn left onto Marcy Gulch Trail, heading E.
  4. 0.6 miTurn left, heading S.
  5. 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
  6. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  7. 250 ftBear right, heading S.
  8. 50 ftBear right onto Vista Nation XC 2-mile course, heading S.
  9. 0.1 miBear left, heading W.
  10. 0.4 miBear left, heading S.
  11. 0.6 miTurn right onto Badlands, heading SW.
  12. 0.1 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  13. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  14. 0.6 miBear right, heading N.
  15. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Vista Nation XC 2-mile course, heading N.
  16. 0.3 miBear left, heading W.
  17. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  18. 300 ftTurn left, heading N.
  19. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  20. 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
  21. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Marcy Gulch Trail, heading E.
  22. 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
  23. 0.6 miTurn right onto Mansion Footpath, heading N.
  24. 350 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/badlands-out-back-8-km-759e

Trail surface

47% dirt24% paved29% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 90°F63°
Feels like81°Precip8%Wind16 mphUV7Humidity22%
Rained 0.1″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperature
90°60°
Sunrise 6:32 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:28 PM
Sat 89°67°
Sun 90°61° 31%
Mon 89°67° 29%
Tue 88°60° 33%
Wed 86°59° 36%
Thu 89°61° 32%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:08 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 7:28 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:55 PM.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • No dogs on part of this route

More from Mansion Footpath Trailhead

Hikes near Kistler Park, Colorado