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Living in Golden

Living in Golden combines all the best aspects of life in Colorado

Colorado School of Mines’ campus sits right in the heart of the city of Golden, a historic community that is host to numerous arts, sports and music festivals. The city also boasts numerous restaurants and breweries, recreation outfitters, boutiques, art galleries, hiking and biking trails and so much more.

Golden serves as a launching point for many outdoor adventures, and for good reason: nestled in the spectacular Clear Creek Valley, it’s surrounded by mountains and mesas, and the closest big ski area is less than an hour away.

Despite its small-town atmosphere and proximity to the great outdoors, Golden is mere minutes away from everything that downtown Denver—easily accessible by car, bus and light rail—has to offer.

Read on to see where living in Golden could take you.

Why Mines Students Love Golden, Colorado

Mines student with a scooter in front of the Welcome to Golden sign
The benefits of Living in Golden

Located just 15 miles west of Denver, Golden offers Colorado School of Mines students the best of both worlds: a mountain town with easy access to a major metropolitan area. Nestled against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Golden is known for its scenic hiking and biking trails, outdoor recreation, vibrant downtown and welcoming community. Students can spend their weekends exploring nearby parks, kayaking on Clear Creek, skiing world-class resorts, or enjoying local restaurants, coffee shops and community events—all just minutes from campus. With a strong focus on innovation, sustainability and the outdoors, Golden provides an inspiring place to live, learn and launch your career while enjoying the active Colorado lifestyle.

Local Attractions Outdoor Adventures Denver
24 miles of interconnected trails
300+ days of sunshine per year
20,571 residents
#16 College towns with the best public transportation

Local Attractions

Three people having a conversation over menus at an outdoor café under colorful umbrellas on a sunny day.
Red Rocks amphitheater empty at sunset with curved wooden benches and a large red rock formation in the background.

RED ROCKS PARK AND AMPHITHEATRE: Carved into rock in neighboring Morrison, Red Rocks plays host to international acts as one of the best outdoor concert venues in the world. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre is open to the public from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset every day of the year. Visitors can explore the hiking trails around the park, work out in the amphitheatre, visit the park museum or the trading store, or enjoy a meal at the Ship Rock Grille. In addition to concerts, Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre hosts movie nights, yoga on the rocks, and fitness and specialty events throughout the year.

Cyclists ride through a street in Golden under a

Community Events

Festivals

Resources

Two golden retrievers looking at each other, one has red lipstick kisses on its face, and a puppy golden retriever is between both during the Goldens in Golden 2026 event
Bar counter with three different beers and plates of food, with beer taps and industrial-style hanging lights in the background.
Two Mines students wearing Mines volunteer shirts working together outside looking at plants

Outdoor Adventureland

Sitting in the foothills, Golden serves as the gateway to the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains and is a prime location for outdoor enthusiasts.

A few of the many outdoor adventures accessible from Golden:

  • Hiking
  • Biking
  • Backpacking
  • Climbing
  • Rafting
  • Skiing
Cyclists ride through a street in Golden under a
Biking

Golden has been named a bicycle-friendly community by the League of American Cyclists, receiving its silver award for implementing a “complete streets” policy. In addition to 24 miles of trails (which connect to an extensive network throughout the county and beyond), the city also operates its own bike-share system, the Golden Bike Library, and a park exclusively for mountain biking.

Two people hiking on a dirt trail surrounded by trees and mountains under a partly cloudy sky.
Hiking

Golden offers a multitude of trails that provide a variety of experiences and difficulty levels, from the gentle Clear Creek Trail to the North Table Mountain Trail, which has an elevation gain of 400 feet from the south.

Clear Creek river flowing through autumn trees with yellow and green leaves, set against a dry mountain under a bright blue sky.

CLEAR CREEK: Running through the heart of Golden, Clear Creek is popular with anglers, paddlers, tubers, sun worshippers, runners, bikers, dog walkers—everyone, really. It even includes a quarter-mile-long whitewater park.

Golden parks, trails and open space map

Mascot Blaster wearing
Skiing

Golden’s location in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains means students have convenient access to world-class skiing. Eldora, for example, is just 58 minutes away.

Denver

This capital of Colorado—also known as the Mile High City—is a diverse, modern metropolis with a flourishing arts and cultural community, a well-established music scene, numerous professional sports teams, world-class dining and everything else that big-city living has to offer.

Getting There

Downtown Denver is just 15 miles away from campus, a trip that can take as little as 20 minutes by car.

No wheels? No problem. RTD’s West Rail Line runs from the Jefferson County Government Center station in Golden to Denver Union Station every 15 minutes. To get from campus to the station, students can use FlexRide bus service (formerly Call-n-Ride), which runs every 15 minutes on weekdays and can also be booked online or by phone.

Even better, students can ride RTD light rail and buses for free using their university-provided RTD pass.

RTD’s Route 16 West Colfax bus travels regularly from Golden to downtown Denver as well, while Zipcars and ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft are also available in Golden.

Historic Denver Union Station building facade with a large clock and bright orange

Arts and Culture

Music

Denver Music Venues

Coors Field baseball stadium under a dramatic cloudy sky during a daytime game with players on the field and fans in the stands.

Sports