Bike Route 3: Denver Area – Chatfield Loop

(From 7/13/06 on my old blog)

This ride is about an 18 mile loop. It is about 1/4 unpaved. You get to go completely around Chatfield Lake including riding on top of the dam for its entire length. On most of the offroad part of this ride you will see very few other people. You might see more rabbits than people. Keep you eyes open for snakes. I almost always see one on this ride somewhere. There are lots of options to shorten or lengthen or simply vary your route on this ride. 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).
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 the far side of a gravel parking lot. Move onto the road at this point.
8. Follow the road until the road ends in a parking lot. You will see another paved trail cross the road. Turn left on this trail
9. The trail will wind around following the “shore” of the lake with some nices view of the lake.
10. Eventually, the trail crosses the South Platte River.
11. Keep following the trail until you it dumps you in the parking lot by the park’s beach area.
12. Cross the lot and head to the park road.
13. Follow the park road uphill towards the north end of the dam. Keep going until you end up on top of the dam.
14. Ride the length of the dam until you come to the railroad track again (step 4 above).
15. Return to start using steps 3, 2, 1.