Without realizing it, most likely you’ve seen the largest of Denver’s mountain parks.
Here’s a clue: You were in the car, heading up Interstate 70 to the mountains, perhaps driving to Breckenridge or Vail. Right near the beginning of your mountain climb, you pulled over at a scenic overview to admire a surprising sight: A herd of buffalo, grazing in the rolling hills.
You were looking out on Genesee Mountain Park, the largest and oldest of the 22 developed parks in the state’s mountains.
The folks at Denver Parks and Recreation would encourage you to save some drive time. Take Exit 253 to the park, 20 miles from Denver, and you’ll have your choice of places to hike, explore and play.
Marty Homola, who has worked for Denver Mountain Parks for more than 40 years, can tick off the many treasures the park holds.
“I think the buffalo — 33 adults and 19 babies — are the most special thing about the park,” says Homola, who lives on the park property and is caretaker of the herd. “Tourists and locals love to watch them. They’re really a part of America’s history.”
And they’re a big part of the history of the park, which was founded in 1913. The first herd came to Genesee from land near Yellowstone in 1914. It was part of an early attempt to save the species, then nearly extinct.
The home where Homola lives at the park goes even further back. The Patrick House was built around 1860 as a toll station, collecting fees from stagecoaches and others during the gold rush. Today the building serves as a private residence, but many other structures in the park can be explored. Perhaps most recognizable is Chief Hosa Lodge, built in 1918 by Jules Jacques Benedict, one of the most prominent architects in Colorado history. Back in its day, it provided shelter and amenities to Denverites escaping city life for a few days.
Not much has changed. Camping around the lodge is still popular, and the restored building is the site of weddings, family reunions and other events.
Whether you’re up there for a day, or you’ve decided to take advantage of the last of summer with a camping trip, finding a hiking trail in the park’s 2,400-plus acres won’t be difficult.
The Braille Trail offers interpretive signs and guide wires for the visually impaired. Down that trail, those ready for a long hike can turn off onto Beaver Brook Trail, which pushes through forest and along the rim of Clear Creek Canyon toward Lookout Mountain.
On a warm afternoon in August, the only sounds along the trail were the rustle of leaves underfoot and the chatter of mountain chickadees and Steller’s jays. Spruce, lodgepole and ponderosa pines thrive in the forest, and it’s not uncommon to see elk, mule deer, foxes and other creatures on a hike on the park’s land.
From the rugged path, you’ll also have a view of Beaver Creek and the mountains tucked between I-70 and Clear Creek Canyon. In late summer, expect to see the last of the wildflowers, asters and paintbrush in bloom; later, aspens will cloak the hillside in swaths of gold.
Mountain Parks superintendent Dick Gannon suggests that if you want to hike the entire way — more than 8 1/2 miles out toward Lookout Road — have someone pick you up at the other end.
“It’s not an easy hike,” Gannon says. “I like hiking it in February. Usually, there’s not much snow, and I’m tired of being stuck inside.”
When Homola retires, it’s the park’s history he says he will miss most.
“This place has been part of my life for most of my life. Working here has really been a labor of love.”
Genesee Mountain Park
Where: Interstate 70, Exit 254 20 miles west of Denver (bison overlook) and Exit 253 (trails, historic structures, camping, picnic areas)
What’s there: Grills, picnic areas, bison and elk enclosure, softball field, volleyball, horseshoes, camping, trailheads, ropes course
Go now: To catch any last wildflower viewing on trails.
Info: For reservations for large groups, 720-913-0700; denvergov
