Badlands
5.6 mi · ▲ 473 ft · 2 hr 6 min
Badlands is a 5.6-mile out-and-back in Highlands Ranch Historic Park near Kistler Park, CO. It climbs 473 ft. It scores 9/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Badlands
5.6 mi · ▲ 473 ft · 2 hr 6 min
Elevation 5,863–6,128 ft
Out & Back · Highlands Ranch Historic Park
Trailhead: South Ranch Road · 39.53879, -104.97238
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
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 100 ftSharp right onto South Ranch Road, heading SW.
- 150 ftBear left onto Mansion Footpath, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Marcy Gulch Trail, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 300 ftBear right, heading S.
- 50 ftBear right onto Vista Nation XC 2-mile course, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading SE.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Badlands, heading SW.
- 0.1 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.6 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Vista Nation XC 2-mile course, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Marcy Gulch Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Mansion Footpath, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear right onto South Ranch Road, heading NW.
- 150 ftSharp left, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.0 mi in (~1 min). Leave by 7:07 PM for the 7:28 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:44 PM — 12 min before dark.
Good to know
- No dogs on part of this route
More from South Ranch Road Trailhead
- Marcy Gulch Trail 3.3 mi · ▲ 249 ft
- Marcy Gulch Trail 3.3 mi · ▲ 249 ft
- Marcy Gulch Trail 3.5 mi · ▲ 308 ft
- Marcy Gulch Trail 3.5 mi · ▲ 308 ft
- Marcy Gulch Trail 3.5 mi · ▲ 309 ft
- Marcy Gulch Trail 3.5 mi · ▲ 309 ft
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