Bike Route 2: Denver Area – Chatfield and Waterton Canyon

(From 7/12/06 on my old blog)

This ride is about 30 miles out and back. It is about 2/3 unpaved so you need a fat tire bike. You get to go through part of Chatfield State Park and then up Waterton Canyon all the way to Strontia Springs where the big dam is. I often see wildlife on this ride. In Waterton Canyon, I have seen bighorn sheep, deer, great blue herons, cormorants, snakes, mergansers, and lots of different types of small birds. In Chatfield State Park, I have seen deer, elk, snakes, eagles, great blue herons, pelicans, and of course, lots of little birds. Ducks and geese are all over, of course. There are signs about mountain lions and bears in Waterton Canyon but I have never seen either. There is a bear sign in Chatfield, too.

There are lots of options on this route but this is the way I usually go:

1. Ride from my house to Highlands Ranch’s Redstone Park.
2. Get on the Highline Canal trail going "upstream" (left). You can access the Highline Canal trail from the northeast corner of the intersection of Foothills Canyon Blvd. and Town Center Drive.
3. Follow Highline Canal trail past Santa Fe Drive all the way until you cross one of the two railroad tracks.
4. Then cross the other railroad track. You will be at the far south end of the Chatfield dam.
5. Go down the very steep gravelly covered hill. I suggest walking your bike down rather than riding. I took an over-the-handlebars tumble here once.
6. Continue down the hill into the woods where there is a paved trail.
7. Follow the paved trail until you come to where it crosses a paved road.
8. Turn left and follow the road until you come to a chance to turn right on another paved road. Turn right.
9. Follow this road a ways until you come to a fork in the road. Take the left fork.
10. Continue on this road until you cross the South Platte River.
11. There will be a gravel road on the left right after the bridge. Follow this road until it ends in a parking lot.
12. At the far side of the parking lot an unpaved trail begins. Follow it until it ends on another, similar trail. Turn left.
13. Follow this trail until you end up at the parking lot for the Waterton Canyon trailhead.
14. Continue through the lot and across the road to enter Waterton Canyon.
15. Follow the canyon road until you come to the big dam area at Strontia Spings.
16. Return the same way you came.