Waterton Canyon Hike
June 6, 2026
Littleton, Colorado
This hike will take you along the the Northern Terminus for the Colorado Trail, a long distance hiking trail ranging across Colorado from Denver to Durango.
Waterton Canyon is home to many different types of wildlife, including the popular Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep herd. There are also mule deer, black bears, mountain lion(s), elk, lizards and snakes, including the prairie rattlesnake. It is also home to 40 bird species.
Waterton Canyon is an unpaved, wide gravel trail open to hikers, runners, horses, bikers, fishers, and wildlife enthusiasts. This is an out-and-back trail with relatively little elevation gain/loss (~700 feet).
This is a canyon, so some parts are exposed in direct sun while others are in complete shade. It becomes cooler the further you go down the canyon. Bring sunscreen and layers!
Meet new friends and enjoy the natural beauty of Waterton Canyon on this 4 to 12.6 mile hike, just 40 minutes from downtown Denver!
Registration Is Free
Instead of charging a fee, we ask your help raising funds for mental health research and trail maintenance.
It’s fast and easy! When you register, you will be able to personalize a sponsorship page and share it through email and your favorite social media such as Facebook or Instagram.
Every little bit helps, and there is no minimum to raise – we just ask that you help us spread the word, then come join us on the trail.
Get a Free Hiking Shirt
Our quick-dry shirts look and feel great, on or off the trail.
Every registered hiker who raises at least $250 will receive a HIKE for Mental Health shirt as a token of our appreciation.
Available in men’s or women’s sizes from Small – XXL.
When you register, we will ask your size preference. Once you reach $250 in donations to your fundraising page, we will get your shirt to you.
If you hit the $250 mark at least ten days before the hike, your hike leader will have your shirt for you on hike day. Otherwise, we will mail it to you after the hike.
So help us raise money and awareness for this great cause.
For a Good Cause
HIKE for Mental Health is an all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
All contributions are tax deductible, and 100% of the hike donations support our mission.
Eighty cents of every dollar funds mental health programs, including break-through scientific research into PTSD, schizophrenia, bipolar spectrum disorders, depression and other major mental illnesses. Through research we can find better ways to alleviate the suffering that affects 1 in 4 American families.
The remaining twenty cents maintains wilderness trails across the U.S. By supporting non-profit, volunteer groups that care for our trails, we help preserve wilderness experiences for generations to come.
Hike Details
| Location: | Littleton, Colorado |
| Date: | June 6, 2026. |
| Time: | Approximately 7:30am – 12pm. Exact times and locations with directions provided to registered hikers only. |
| Distance: | Between 4 and 12.6 miles, depending on your preference. It is an out-and-back hike so you can return at any point along the way that you are ready! |
| Difficulty level: | Easy-to-moderate, with little elevation gain. |
| Suitable for beginners? | Absolutely! |
| Registration fee: | Registration is free. |
| Pet friendly? | Please leave Fido at home. |
| Sponsorship amount: | The hike goal is $3,000. There is no minimum required to join the hike, but if every hiker strives $250 we will easily exceed our goal. |
| Free shirt: | Hikers who raise $250 or more will receive a free HIKE for Mental Health quick-dry hiking shirt. |
| Hike director: |  “I want to find a way to share my story in a way that sheds the stigma around mental illness. I am proud of my hiking accomplishments and I think they are a direct reflection of my mental illness. Brining together hiking and mental health is a brilliant way to make conversation about mental illness more accessible. By starting with a shared activity, and an activity that so many people feel really excited about, we can bring down barriers and start having important conversations about mental health.” |
Trail Map
Every HIKE for Mental Health is an opportunity to:
- get away from the hustle and bustle of work-a-day life and enjoy the beauty of Nature
- renew old friendships and make new ones
- have a great time hiking with a good group of people
- stand up against the stigma of mental illness
- discover your new favorite get-away
- raise money for a great cause
Come on out and join us!
Goal is $3,000
$0 donated
Questions
If you have any questions or ideas, please contact us.
We are glad to talk with you about your hike and how you can help HIKE for Mental Health.
We hope you will make HIKE for Mental Health a part of your hike.
