Early summer is a great time to go for a hike in Colorado, and Jefferson County certainly has a plethora of parks and trails to try. But if you’re pressed for time or had your fill of the mountain and southern trails, here are four hikes to try in southern and central Jeffco.
Deer Creek Canyon Park
:13896 Grizzly Drive, Littleton
پپDzԲ:From C-470, take the Kipling exit. Turn west on West Ute Avenue, then west on Deer Creek Canyon Road. Turn left on Grizzly Drive, then right into the park.
dzܳ:This park in southern Jefferson County has trails just for hikers and several more multi-use trails that are also open to mountain bikers and horseback riders. All told, the park has more than 13 miles of trails that can accommodate beginning, intermediate and advanced hikers or mountain bikers. Watch out for rattlesnakes.
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William F. Hayden Park on Green Mountain
Address: 1000 S. Rooney Road, Lakewood
پپDzԲ:Head west on West Alameda Parkway to Rooney Road and go north. There a multiple entrances to the park and different trailheads along Alameda and Rooney Road.
dzܳ:Hayden Park on Green Mountain is just minutes from downtown Lakewood and is easy to access from C-470. It provides a great hiking opportunity with more than 17 miles of hiking along six trails. The trails range from 1.6 miles to 6.5 miles, easy to difficult climbs, and provide great views of the mountains or downtown Denver. All trails are multi-use and rangers ask that users be courteous and accommodating to others.
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South Valley Park
:Main trailhead, 90 South Valley Road, Littleton; south trailhead, 12399 Deer Creek Canyon Road, Littleton
Directions: To reach the main trailhead: From C-470, exit westbound on Ken Caryl Avenue. Turn left onto South Valley Road to the park’s north parking area. To reach the south trailhead: From South Platte Canyon Road, take Deer Creek Canyon Road west to the smaller parking area.
dzܳ:Great views of red sandstone are a definite highlight of this park. The Swallow Hill Trail is open only for hikers, but don’t venture to the northwest section of the park as it’s set aside as a nesting site. There are seasonal closures in the park, so be aware of those when planning a visit. Respect the signage and the wildlife.
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Mount Falcon Park
:West trailhead, 21004 Mount Falcon Road, Indian Hills; east Trailhead, 3852 Vine St., Morrison
Directions: To reach the west trailhead: From U.S. 285, take the Indian Hills exit and follow Parmalee Gulch Road for 5 miles to Picutis Road, then go straight ahead to Mount Falcon Road. To reach the east trailhead: From Colorado 8, turn west on Forest Avenue and north on Vine Street.
dzܳ:This Morrison park has more than 12 miles of trails, and the Turkey Trot is just for hikers. Some of the trails are best for more advanced users and can be used as a good training ground for climbing a fourteener. Keep an eye out for the stone walls built by John Brisben Walker; they’re remnants of what he hoped would be a summer White House for U.S. presidents.
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