Directions:

From I-70 in Golden, exit onto West Colfax Ave and head east, make a quick left onto Indiana Street and follow it as it turns west under I-70 becoming South Golden Road. After a mile, turn right (at the traffic circle) onto Quaker Street and head north for about half a mile.  When you reach the mesa, turn left on Golden Hills Road. There is a trailhead at the corner of Golden Hills and Quaker, but the Golden Hills Trailhead is another quarter mile down the road.

Hike Description:

The Lava Loop is part of a larger hike that starts at the Golden Hills Trailhead and follows the  Fossil Trail and the Serpentine Trail on the way to the Lava Loop.  On the way back, the Old Quarry Trail closes off the loop. This hike is a beautiful way to explore a large section of South Table Mountain as the trail goes from the south rim  to the north rim and back.  The Lava Loop is closed from Jan 31st to August 1st.

From the Golden Hills Trailhead, the Fossil Trail takes up across a gentle slope and up to the top of the mesa. After 0.6 of a mile and only about 130 ft of elevation gain, turn right onto the Serpentine Trail. The Serpentine Trail continues the gentle climb and provides some nice views to the south and southwest from the edge of the mesa. After only 0.3 of a mile bear right onto the Augite for only a few minutes until you reach the Old Quarry Trail and directly across, the Lava Loop.  

When the Lava Loop is open, it provides a really nice hike. The views are wonderful of the vast mesa top and some good views to the North looking down on the Denver Metro Area. Follow the trail for about a mile as it follows the rim of an arm of the mesa until you see the spur trail for the Lava Loop Overlook. Take this 0.2 mile trail out to the northern rim of the Mesa and scenic views of North Table Mountain, the northern cliffs of South Table Mountain, and the Coors Brewery to the west. Follow the Overloop trail back to Lava Loop and continue, finishing the loop by turning right onto Old Quarry Trail when you reach it. Old Quarry will take you back to the Fossil Trail, and back to the Trailhead. 

Lava Loop is a really nice hike and a great way to get most of the views that South Table Mountain provides. It’s one of the longer hikes on the mesa at almost 5 miles, but there is not much elevation gain so it’s a pretty gentle hike.