Walk, Run, Bicycle or Drive the Lariat Trail
Engineers from around the world visit this legendary scenic drive of 56 curves, including seven hair-pins, that rises 2000 feet over 4.5 miles from 19th Street in Golden to Buffalo Bill’s Grave on Lookout Mountain.
Hikers access the historic Beaver Brook Trail, paragliders launch off Mount Zion, bicyclists train for competition and Mines students maintain the lighted "M" from this now paved, historic road of extraordinary views.
The road was built from 1911 to 1914 by Golden City booster William "Cement Bill" Williams to keep Denver from bypassing Golden for a route to the Denver Mountain Park system. Bill would not allow cars with a Denver license plate to pass the entrance in 1914 until the City of Denver paid $2,500 balance due. Adolph Coors, Charles Boettcher, and others donated money to help Bill who invested $9,000 of his own money until Colorado paid $15,000 and Jefferson and Denver Counties put up $7,500 each.
The road became famous when 25,000 people drove, walked, or rode horseback up the Lariat to attend Buffalo Bill’s funeral on June 3, 1917. Denver tourism promotion included "first class road system with access to the best mountain scenery" from two entrances, Golden and Morrison. The popular "Lariat Loop" of the 1920s is now a Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway through Golden, Lookout Mountain, Evergreen, Bear Creek Canyon, Morrison and Red Rocks Park.
Read about Lariat Trail history in detail. See our Lariat Loop Article.