Recreational & Family - A Ride up Waterton Canyon

I love Waterton Canyon, about 25 minutes from my home. It is bordered on the east by beautiful 5,000 acre Chatfield State Park and Reservoir, and on all other sides by the national forest.

The South Platte River comes roaring down, and there is a wonderful service road where folks hike and bike and jog 7 miles to where it turns into the narrow and rugged Colorado Trail, hiking 470 miles to Durango.

So, here are 3 posts with pics for you viewing pleaseure. All pics taken with the 2" x 2" ' 1/2" Sipix Digital camera today.

Pics #2 - some of the beautiful flowers on the way.

And some more pics, including some folks just starting their hike on the Colorado Trail - 470 miles. Should take them about 1.5 months or so.

Is it possible to ride the whole length of the trail Denver & are there rest huts or simular along the way for hikers/bikers to get overnight accomodation ??It looks like it would make a great journey . Great presentation too.:thumbup: :thumbup:

Info on biking can be found at the web site below under "Activities." The trail is pretty primitive, and there are not any huts. Tent camping and sleeping bags, although, of course, it does go through and near some towns.

Also:


Cyclists - As their popularity develops, you can expect to encounter mountain bicycles on the trail. Cyclists should know, however, that all wilderness areas are closed to bicycles. Where they are allowed, cyclists should strictly follow the backcountry ethics that follow, especially in regard to trail use. Cyclists should similarly obey the courtesy of allowing hikers (as well as horse-back riders) the right-of-way, just as vehicles do on city streets. If you are traveling through any area with a limited field of view be sure that your ability to stop quickly is maintained at all times.


http://www.coloradotrail.org/

Beautiful! I hope more people fall for your 'naked pictures' thread.

:D

Enjoyed the website too!

You must have biked this during the week because I don't see many people on the road. The times I have biked up to the dam there has been non stop traffic ... walkers, joggers, bikers, etc. I agree with you that one of the best sites are the big horn sheep. Something about thier beauty justs make me stop and admire them.

Great pic's!

Originally posted by wyobiker
You must have biked this during the week because I don't see many people on the road. The times I have biked up to the dam there has been non stop traffic ... walkers, joggers, bikers, etc. I agree with you that one of the best sites are the big horn sheep. Something about thier beauty justs make me stop and admire them.

Great pic's!

As with any biking in the Denver metro area (and I guess in other areas) if you want solitude, don't go on weekends.

On the other hand, even on weekends, once you get about 3 miles up, most of the casual walkers disappear.

Waterton Canyon has become a sort of "institution" in the Denver area. In Tucson, Arizona, they have Sabino Canyon, in which they even have tour buses and a gift shop. This is 10 times prettier and more interesting than Sabino Canyon, and much less used. Of course we have many canyons of this sort, they seemingly have only one.

One fun thing was that there were 3 different groups of young children - 2nd, 3rd, 4th graders - in summer day camp programs biking all the way to the top, each with two counselors, also on bikes. I believe they are involved insome sort of summer biking day camp. They even have a huge flat bed trailer to haul the bikes.

What a great thing for biking's future. These kids pedal along as if they know what they are doing and are used to longer rides. Not the hesitant "what do I do know" that you often see on the rec trails in the metro. Sure and confident 2nd graders!!

Looks like a kick ass place to ride man, seriously though, if youd put in the title that there were pics, you would have interested me more, i just jumped at the naky pics first. :D

I take it you dont haul your road bike up there? looks like a great trail. Lucky lucky man. :)

Wow sorry dude, thought this was the roadie forum.

Originally posted by Dazza
I take it you dont haul your road bike up there? looks like a great trail. Lucky lucky man. :)

Definitely NOT road bike country, although Chatfield State Park, just about 2 miles northeast, has wonderful road biking - trails or on the road, take your choice. You can connect directly ot Confluence Park in Downtown Denver (25 miles from the Marina), from there north to 104th (another 15 miles), or east to Cherry Creek State Park (about 15 miles from Confluence Park - also wonderful bike riding with a nice 10 mile loop) or West to Morrison (15 miles) or west to Golden (20 miles). Or, go east to Parker, where I live - 25 miles or so, then you can go south 15 miles. All by paved bike trail with crossing perhaps 10 streets. The rest is underpasses or overpasses.

It is easy to do a Century.

Originally posted by Dazza
Looks like a kick ass place to ride man, seriously though, if youd put in the title that there were pics, you would have interested me more, i just jumped at the naky pics first. :D

I take it you dont haul your road bike up there? looks like a great trail. Lucky lucky man. :)

It is a great trail. I have ridden it a number of times when I lived in Highlands Ranch. If you check out MTBR.com under the Waterton Canyon trail you'll see a variety of reviews. Most border on the negative side, but personally I think the trail is great. The real MTB starts after the dam. Quite a ascent and absolutely courgeous country.