Cherry Creek Trail (Lower)

Quick Ride Summary: A Nice Ride – Monday, July 6th, 2009. I started at the confluence of Cherry Creek and the Platte River and rode the trail up-creek for 18.5 miles until I reached the end of the completed and continuous trail; and then back to the car for a total of 37 miles. Sunny and 75 degrees, the trail surface is concrete and plenty wide most of the time. The trail is well maintained and heavily travelled.

All of the distances in this write-up are from where I park the car and unload the trike. It is .17 miles from there to the actual trailhead for the Cherry Creek Trail, so if you have the need to be precise you may elect to subtract .17 miles from my numbers.

As always, you may click on the graphics and pictures to render them full sized and then use your browser’s back arrow to return to the blog. There is also a Links Section at the end of the article with links to all my pictures of this trail and links to other relevant websites.

The Platte River and Cherry Creek are running full due to a very wet spring.

The trail begins with two paths, one on each side of the creek. As you look up-creek the left side is for feet (walkers, joggers, pets, etc). The right side is for wheels (bikes, trikes, skaters and skateboarders).

The creek runs along side of Speer Blvd for part of the way and then is straddled by the road all the way to the Denver Country Club. As you can see, the creek and trail is in a canyon well below street level and continues this way for several miles.

In recent years, Lower Downtown Denver (LODO) has developed into an enclave for young people and thousands of lofts and apartments have replaced the urban blight that once bordered the first mile or so of the trail. This has brought additional trail usage up to the point where it is sometimes unpleasantly busy on weekends. This being Monday and a workday, I only have to contend with several hundred users during my ride.

The other big negative for this trail is the presence of innumerable bums and hobos. They are on the trail, under the bridges, in the parks and anywhere else you care to mention. The authorities pretty much rounded them up and moved them out for the Democrat convention. I don’t know why they can’t make that a permanent solution.

Mile 1.1 brings you to the Denver Center for Performing Arts and also to the Colorado Convention Center. At mile 1.3 the feet and wheels trails combine into one trail and requires one to pay more attention.

At mile 4.5 the trail is bordered by several large black tubes. They run for more than a mile. These are temporary sewage pipes made necessary by local construction. The crews assured me that they will be gone in 7 to 10 days.
The Denver Country Club blocks the trail at mile 3.6. So, the trail rises up out of the canyon and proceeds along the sidewalk of Speer Blvd. in front of the Club for almost two thirds of a mile. This is the most dangerous section of the trail. It is not particularly wide, it is two way, and auto and truck traffic is screaming by sometimes only inches from riders. Evidently the city didn’t feel the need to use eminent domain to keep the trail with the creek.

Next, the trail passes the Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Here, there is an upper and lower trail. The lower trail borders the creek and it was closed due to high water. The upper trail gives you a great view of the shopping center parking garages.

At mile 6 is the City of Glendale Creek Side Park. The park is beautifully maintained and has restrooms, water, electricity and picnic facilities. I invariably stop here for a snack and, if necessary, a health break.

At mile 6.45 the trail passes Four Mile House and Historic Park. I have never stopped there but it appears to display historic Indian and white settler artifacts of early Denver. Then at mile 7 the trail enters Garland Park, another nice park, for about a half mile.

Starting at mile 10 the trail runs along side of a golf course and the trail is as straight as an arrow for 6 tenths of a mile. At the end of the strait the trail intersects with the Highline Canal Trail.

You pass under Dartmouth at mile 11.3 and start climbing. The trail makes a peak then goes back down and under highway 225 and then you start up the face of the Cherry Creek Dam.

I choose to go over the east end (the most difficult climb).
Mile 13.3 is the top of the Dam at elevation 5686ft.

I follow the trail around the east side of the reservoir and ride on to the end of the completed continuous trail, reaching it at mile 18.5.
There is another long completed section of the Regional Cherry Creek Trail near Parker, Colorado. However, reaching it from where I stopped would require several miles of biking on the shoulders of busy streets and I choose not to do that.

Starting back, I elected to go around the west side of the reservoir and stop at the picnic area for another snack, before heading down the west end of the dam and back to the Cherry Creek Trail. It is all downhill from here.

For trail surface, maintenance, amenities and accessibility I give this trail 5 stars.

LINKS:
All Photo’s of this Ride
Denver Center for the Performing Arts
Colorado Convention Center
Cherry Creek Shopping Center
City of Glendale Creek Side Park
Four Mile House and Historic Park
Cherry Creek State Park