Red Rocks Trading Post Trail Hiking Guide
Everyone knows Red Rocks for the amphitheatre carved between two enormous sandstone fins. Rather fewer people walk the Trading Post Trail, which loops a mile and a half through the formations below it, weaving among the same tilted red slabs at ground level where their scale actually registers. It is short, it is free, and it gives you the park without a concert ticket.
The Loop
The trail starts near the Trading Post building and runs a rolling 1.4-mile circuit through the rock formations, with about 200 feet of cumulative up and down. There are a few short steep pitches and some uneven footing, so it is not a paved stroll, but it suits most fitness levels. The route is signed and hard to lose. Allow an hour if you stop to look at things, which you will.
The Geology You Are Walking Through
These slabs are Fountain Formation sandstone, tipped up on end by the rise of the Rockies and eroded into fins and spires. The same rock runs north through the Flatirons in Boulder and south to the Garden of the Gods, and standing beneath it here is the most legible place to understand it. Interpretive signs cover the sequence, and the reddish colour comes from iron oxide in the ancient sediments.
Combining With the Amphitheatre
On days without an event the amphitheatre is open to the public for free, and the stairs are a workout in their own right — a Denver fitness institution, full of people running the rows. Pairing the Trading Post loop with a few laps of the steps makes a genuinely good morning. Check the event schedule before you go, because on show days access changes and parking becomes impossible.
Altitude and Weather
The park sits around 6,280 feet, high enough that visitors from sea level notice the stairs immediately. Summer afternoons are hot and exposed among the rocks, which radiate heat, and thunderstorms build over the foothills with the usual Front Range speed. Spring and autumn are the best seasons, and winter mornings are often clear, cold and beautifully quiet here.
Practicalities
Entry to the park is free and there are several lots, though they fill on event days and pleasant weekends. Restrooms and water are available at the Trading Post. Leashed dogs are permitted on the trails but not inside the amphitheatre. Stay off the rock formations themselves — climbing on them is prohibited and the sandstone is softer and more fragile than it looks.
Hiking tips for Red Rocks Trading Post Trail
- Check the amphitheatre event schedule before driving out; on show days parking and access change completely.
- Pair the loop with laps of the amphitheatre steps on a non-event day for a genuinely good Denver workout.
- Expect the 6,280-foot elevation to show up on the stairs if you have arrived from sea level.
- Stay off the sandstone fins — climbing them is prohibited and the rock is far more fragile than it appears.
- Come on a clear winter morning if you want the park close to empty and the red rock at its most vivid.
Nearby trails to explore
- Mount Falcon Castle Trail
- Green Mountain
- Chautauqua Trail
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Red Rocks is the easiest place to get a Denver group outdoors together, hike and stair session in one. Use TrailMates to find local meetups combining the trail loop with amphitheatre laps. Download the TrailMates app to join.