The Platte River Trail is just one of many of Denver's superb multi-use trails, this one stretching from just north and west of Englewood and heading north toward Henderson. Segment 2 — South Platte River Trailhead to Little Scraggy Trailhead. South Platte River Loop Trail Chatfield State Park . This is a terrific hike in the winter or early spring since the slope is southern facing and the area gets a lot of sun. Rated: easy/moderate. The Colorado Trail is a long-distance trail extending for 486 miles from the mouth of Waterton Canyon southwest of Denver to Durango in Colorado. Like. From here follow a well defined trail winding its way through the Buffalo Creek Fire (1996). The southern section officially runs from the Elaine T. Valente Open Space in Thornton south to West Dartmouth Avenue just west of US Hwy 85 in Englewood. Despite it being mid-December with no leaves in the trees and most everything browned out, there are some very pretty cottonwood groves and marshland areas Also, there was plenty of waterfowl varieties to see including Great Blue Herons and a fair number of raptors including a couple of Bald Eagles. The South Platte District is 450,000 acres in size with elevations ranging from 5,800' along the South Platte River, to over 14,000' at Mount Evans. A lot of bugs near river but that’s to be expected. Just be patient and enjoy. Relatively small parking lot at the south end which was not quite full at 10 AM. You can also stop and watch kayakers ply the Union Avenue boat chutes.The Platte River Trail intersects four other trails: Sand Creek, Bear Creek, Clear Creek, and Sanderson Gulch. We parked at Overland Pond park on Florida Ave. We went north to Confluence park downtown. In the 19th century it lay on the main route westward, and was used by tens of thousands of pioneers lured by the promise of wealth, land and freedom. It now ends at 136th and Old Brighton Road. Great bike ride! Pets allowed. Nice easy stroll with really beautiful wildflowers along the path! Cross Waterton Road at the pedestrian crossing to access Waterton Canyon. December 19, 2016 John Wachunas. The South Platte is clearly a “managed” river. Great trail for a bike ride. However, if you want a shorter hike, you can start at the South Platte and hike 1.75 miles to a wonderful viewpoint. Elevation Gain. Trail on South Platte River in Platte River Trailhead Park. The trail between Mississippi and Alameda has wood retaining walls that are leaning into the trail and are a hazard to all. Ovid, just a few miles from Julesburg on the South Platte River Trail, found its niche in Colorado industry as a sugar-beet-producing town established in the early 1880s. The route starts at the parking lot off of Waterton Road where you'll find plenty of parking even on a busy weekend and restrooms. Who is responsible for the upkeep and how can I donate to help get this repaired quickly? The are frequent rest spots and even quite a few places to relieve yourself if need be with porta potties that were surprisingly clean. I didn’t skate as far as I wanted to, but there was only like 1 steepish slope under a bridge (it has a railing on the left side though so you can still make it if you’re a beginner). Get a FREE Rail Trails Guidebook when you become a Member with Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. You are here . Share Via . Colorado Trail segment 2 officially ends at the Little Scraggy Trail (marked on map). Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email. I use it to commute to work in the summer. Distance. Great ride but it does have some rough patches (and some rough neighborhoods). Lots of wildlife and open areas. 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