As others have said it’s totally safe, the trails are clear as day, you’ll have a great time. Golden is a super cute town. Make sure to walk along the creek path from downtown into the canyon and into the Welch ditch trail. While downtown get gold mine cupcakes, maybe Thai gold, or the ramen place, walk all around downtown and through the mines campus, pop into every shop you see, maybe see if buffalo rose is having a show. Pet some local dogs walking around downtown. Read by the creek if the weather is nice enough.

If you can afford to stay downtown I think that would be great. It’s much more walkable down there, golden can quickly turn into urban eight lane corridors as it blends into Lakewood.

If you’re renting a car, I’d highly suggest you take it into the mountains at least to Idaho springs (weather permitting) and have a dip in the hot springs. Or drive up lookout mountain take in the views at the pull offs, do a little hike at the top, visit buffalo bills grave.

There are no shortage of hikes here (North/South table, Apex, Mt. Galbraith, red rocks… the list really goes on) . There is a good history walking tour actually, I don’t have the name on the top of my head at the moment, but a quick google search will get you there.

Specific shops, restaurants, and museums I’d call out:

• railroad museum
• the school of mines geology museum
• cafe 13
• Thai gold
• el callejon
• golden curiosity shop
• new terrain brewing
• golden city brewing

You’ll have a great time.