OverviewDeer Creek Canyon Park is a beautiful park conveniently located in southeast Denver, just off C-470. The park started as a campground for Ute and Arapahoe tribes and was then homesteaded by John Williamson, from Plymouth, England.
Deer Creek Canyon is now a Jefferson County Open Space Park with a variety of multi-use and hiking trails. This trail descriptions includes all the trails open to mountain biking, and is a great 10 mile double-ended lollipop offering great views of the plains.
Trail DescriptionFrom the trailhead:
Take the Plymouth Creek Trail south and climb up to, then along Plymouth Creek. At mile 1.1 you'll come to the junction of the Meadowlark Trail (hiking only) on the right. Continue straight. At 1.5 miles you'll reach the first junction of the Plymouth Mountain Trail on the left, continue straight. At 1.9 miles, you'll reach another junction, veer left on the Plymouth Creek Trail, towards the Red Mesa Loop. You'll pass the Horsethief trail (hiking only) at mile 2.0 and come to the Red Mesa Loop at mile 2.5. Ride this loop in either direction and return to this point in 2.5 miles (mile 5.0). Return back down the Plymouth Creek Trail for 0.5 miles to the Plymouth Mountain Trail (mile 5.5). Turn Right and ride the Plymouth Mountain Trail for 0.5 miles to the Scenic View Trail (mile 6.0). This 0.8 mile roundtrip out-n-back is worth the ride, as it climbs to the top of the mountain and offers great views. Mileages from here will be indicated w/o the climb, with climb mileage in parenthesis. Return to the Plymouth Mountain Trail from the Scenic View trail at mile 6.0 (mile 6.8 including climb). Turn left and finish up the Plymouth Mountain Loop in 1.7 miles, returning to the Plymouth Creek Trail at mile 7.7 (8.5). Turn left to do the loops again, otherwise turn right and descend quickly back to the trailhead at mile 9.2 (10.0).
Mileages:
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0.0 - Trailhead, take Plymouth Creek Trail
1.1 - Junction of Meadowlark Trail, go straight
1.5 - Junction of Plymouth Mtn Trail, continue straight
1.9 - Plymouth Mountain Trail jct #2, turn right
2.0 - Pass Horsethief Trail on left (hiking only)
2.5 - Start/Finish of Red Mesa Loop
5.0 - Start/Finish of Red Mesa Loop
5.4 - Pass Horsethief Trail on right (hiking only)
5.5 - Plymouth Mtn/Creek junction, right on Plymouth Mtn trail
6.0 - Scenic View/Plymouth Mountain Trail junction
6.8 - Scenic View/Plymouth Mountain Trail junction
8.5 - End of Plymouth Mtn Trail - Plymouth Creek Trail jct - right turn
10.0 - Trailhead, end of ride
Getting ThereFrom C-470 and Kipling (southwest Denver):
Go south on Kipling to Deer Creek Canyon Drive. Turn right on Deer Creek Canyon Rd and go west to Grizzly Drive. Turn left on Grizzly Dr and go about a quarter mile to the trailhead on the right. Park here.
When to BikeDeer Creek Canyon can be ridden year-round, weather permitting. Parts of the ride are north facing and hold snow and ice through parts of the winter.Red TapeFees: There is no fee to use Deer Creek Canyon
Camping: No camping is allowed
Hours: Closed one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise. |
