Starting in downtown Denver and heading 40 miles southeast to Franktown, the Cherry Creek Trail is a true gift to the bikers, runners, and walkers of the city. For the first five miles from downtown, from the scenic falls where the creek meets the Platte River, we rode nearly on the edge of the rock-strewn creek. The trail runs below street level, hence there are many overhead bridges and on/off ramps from nearby neighborhoods. Riding at 9am, most of the trail in the downtown area was shaded by the high-rise apartment and office buildings on the east side, but the trail is otherwise short on leafy canopies and is likely to be brutally hot mid-day. There was no shade whatsoever further along the trail. The creek’s path became less managed by rocky revetments after about seven miles, instead, alternately diverging and converging among beds of brown grass and scruffy plants.
Except for occasional neighborhoods and the four golf courses we passed, it definitely felt like we were riding in the Wild West!
Prior to hitting the suburbs, we passed numerous homeless people lying under blankets aside the creek or tucked up under the eaves of bridges - more than we’ve come across in other cities. There were also retaining walls along both sides of the trail that featured both true works of art and plain old graffiti. We had to stop at only one intersection where construction forced a slight detour; otherwise, we flew along the concrete path as it climbed almost imperceptibly out of town.
The Cherry Creek trail is more like a network of paths, several of which we took accidentally because there is very little signage on the trail. A yellow painted line along the center of the trail helps at some of the Y’s and intersections, but it’s conspicuously missing at many of them. We really enjoyed this trail and would have loved to have completed the 80-mile roundtrip, but we were limited by both time constraints and lack of ambition.
There is no shortage of great breweries in Denver, including a fantastic one with a crazy variety of beers right off the trail in the Glendale area.

Good connecting trail in the southern suburbs of Denver. Some little gems along the way (Holly Dam/Open Space and a beautifully paved path along a creek). Have to cross some semi-major roads but not too difficult to do. For a neighborhood walk/run, definitely check it out.

We rode from the Woodmen parking area north to Monument. This trail is well maintained. Just need to watch for the fast riders around some short turns.

This is a very nice, well-maintained trail that runs from Quincy Ave to the Great Plains Park at Jewell. There is a signal crossing at Hampden or an underpass that is a bit out of the way. You pass some ball fields and a few parks then a climb to about Wesley Dr where it flattens out and continues to Great Plains Park. Using this as the eastern leg, Quincy on the south, and the Powerline Trail on the north I have many different loops changing the west leg. With the Toll Gate Creek Trail, it is about an 11-mile loop. If, at Horseshoe Park, you use the West Toll Gate Creek Trail it's about 12 miles. Again, at Horseshoe Park, if you go to the Cherry Creek Spillway Trail it's about 16 miles. If you want a longer ride you can take the TGCT to the Highline Canal Trail, you can ride around the reservoir at Cherry Creek, or use the Piney Creek trail out of the reservoir instead of Quincy.

From Quincy north this is a nice wide cement trail that is in great condition. Only a gentle climb here and there, great views, and no traffic issues make this trail a pleasure to ride. However there are no connections until the end at Stephen D Hogan Pkwy. Hampden is an overpass to the trail and 470 with no connection, and Hampden is not bike friendly at all at this location. Jewell is a tunnel underpass. On both sides there are dirt construction roads that are no longer being used and are quickly becoming overgrown with weeds. You can still access Jewell but beware the goat head stickers and be warned that Jewell is only semi bike friendly. There is a shoulder but traffic flies by at highway speed. The trail ends at SDH Pkwy. Here there is a soft trail on the south side of the Pkwy and at highway 30 (where SDH becomes 6th Ave) you are fenced in and forced to take the underpass. After the underpass you can continue on the Sand Creek soft trail or ride up a dirt path to 6th Ave. On the north side of SDH you can ride the shoulder but after highway 30, while on 6th, the shoulder disappears for about a half mile and again it is a scary ride.

From Quincy south you start on an asphalt road then back on cement. It is a climb to Smoky Hill Rd. The crossing is on grade and there is a lot of traffic. Right after the crossing is a steep decent, then a climb again as the trail and 470 are on an overpass of Arapahoe Rd. (You can access Arapahoe by taking a descending trail to Ponderosa and that to Arapahoe) Another climb to Gartrell Rd. where you have to ride the sidewalk to the light at Dry Creek to cross, then back up to the trail. And finally another climb past Liberty Middle School to Ireland Way where the trail is closed behind a locked gate. You can see the trail continue but there is no safe way to cross Parker Rd at Cottonwood so the trail is closed here. You can read more here:

http://parkerrec.com/1995/High-Plains-Trail

When I first got my bike I had no idea all these trails existed. A friend came over to show me a few things and we discovered the Toll Gate Trail by accident. Later, while riding the Toll Gate, I saw a trail map by Hutchinson Pond and discovered the sidewalk that led to the Central Rec Center was actually the start of the Unnamed Creek Trail. The trail has a signaled crossing at Tower, follows the creek, loops through Flanders Park, and runs along the creek again to the soccer fields near Hampden and Himalaya. Technically the trail ends here but there is an underpass at Hampden and you can hook up with the Conservatory Trail south to Quincy. There is a climb to Reservoir Rd then a descent back to the Toll Gate for a short loop. You can also go north on Conservatory to Power Line to Toll Gate for a longer loop.

It got a little bit confusing in a few areas for those of us who are directionally challenged. But it was a fine fall flat ride. ¿

Visited Fountain Creek Regional Park this morning with my husband and our two dogs. One is a Great Pyrenees mix at 60+ lbs and growing and the other is a 25lb rat terrier mix. There are multiple side trails off the main trail and a good portion of it follows the creek. It was great for beginners like us. The trail was relatively clean and flat. It would be nice if they had a garbage can or two along the way but the only one we saw was at the parking lot. We went around 830am and walked for about an hour. It wasn’t crowded but there were enough people around that you didn’t feel all alone in the woods. It was gorgeous. We will definitely be back!

The southern 26 miles (upstream from Cherry Creek Dam) is definitely 5- Star (Arapahoe and Douglas Counties). The southern part has many areas in natural and beautiful settings and the use is moderate. Very pleasant. Parker and South-Suburban does a great job keeping them nice.

The Northern 14 miles (Downstream from dam) is 3-star (Denver City & County). It is urban, lots of local road traffic as well as high use. Watch out for the bikers and the Lance-Wannabees who will not call themselves out as the pass and ride between 15 - 30 mph. They can ride in pelotons dominating the path and get angry if you are in there way. Many though are courteous. Be very careful though if you are out with your kids and leashed dogs. There are also an increasing amount of e-bikes as well that are riding fast even though they are forbidden on the trail. Denver does not patrol their paths and trails