Handstands Around the World

Our very first campsite in Colorado was at Cherry Creek State Park!

Located on the eastern edge of Denver metro, it’s a very popular park. There are almost 30 miles (48 km) of trails, providing numerous walking/hiking/jogging opportunities – particularly during the height of the COVID pandemic when people were limited to close-to-home recreation activities.

One such trail is the Pope Trail, which meanders through a prairie dog town and across the plains.

The Pope Trail terminates at the Cherry Creek Trail, which is actually a 40 mile (64 km) urban trail that runs from downtown Denver out to the southeastern suburbs, including almost 8 miles (13 km) inside the park boundary. Within the park, it runs along the wetlands and the southwest shore of the reservoir before curving around behind the dam.

Just before the Pope Trail intersects with the Cherry Creek Trail, there’s a gazebo with informational signs commemorating the 1993 World Youth Day. This is an event that has taken place semi-annually since 1985 and is organized by the Catholic Church. Over half a million people attended the event; it’s the largest gathering of all time in the Denver area.

Cherry Creek was already a state park at the time, and I was really grateful to read about the many steps Colorado took to protect and preserve the park before, during, and after the event. In fact, one of the program principals – as quoted on the sign – was “invite respect for the Earth and a concern for the environment.”

There is very little native prairie habitat remaining in this area, so it’s very important to protect it. Park workers and volunteers built canvas-and-gravel covered paths to protect against soil compaction, patrolled to keep people out of sensitive habitat areas, and planted thousands of trees, shrubs, and grasses after the conclusion of the event to accelerate reclamation. Standing there now, you wouldn’t guess that such a large event ever took place.

The west entrance of Cherry Creek State Park also has a trail that allows you to enter on foot, so we’ve walked that route a couple times. This is the main boating entrance, and the trail parallels the road down to the docks and a beach. From here, we followed the Cherry Creek Trail along the southern edge of the reservoir.

Despite the crowds of people, there is wildlife to the found in the park. Prairie dogs are easily spotted in the grasslands. There are usually ducks and pelicans in and around the lake, and we’ve seen raptors perched in the trees. We also once caught a glimpse of a coyote off in the distance.

Cherry Creek is never going to be my favorite state park. The centerpiece of the park is the reservoir, which would probably be more exciting if we were super into water sports. But we’re not. Plus, it’s always crowded due to its proximity to the city, and with crowds of people comes noise, garbage, and general disrespect for nature. I like to think that most people at least attempt to be respectful, but inevitably there will be someone obnoxious.

Nonetheless, it’s nice for residents of the metro area to have a state park so close to home!

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The Important Stuff:

• Getting there: the main entrance is located off Parker Road (Highway 83) in Aurora, though you can enter on foot from various locations in the surrounding neighborhoods.

• Fees and passes: if you have the Keep Colorado Wild pass, entry is free, otherwise there is a daily fee. Additional fees apply for camping.

• Hiking: there are 30 miles (48 km) of trails in the park; most of them are wide and flat and open to walking and biking.

• Where to stay: Cherry Creek can be visited as a day trip from anywhere in the Metro area; the nearest lodging is in Aurora or the Denver Tech Center, or there is a fairly large campground in the park.

• Other: this park is always crowded, so definitely plan ahead and arrive early to secure parking, a campsite, a picnic table, or a spot on the beach.