FATMAP by Strava

Bear Creek Trail Out-and-Back

Denver

Morrison

A beautiful greenway path beginning near Morrison and running through Lakewood.

Road Biking Easy

Distance
47 km
Ascent
425 m
Descent
425 m
Duration
2-3 hrs
Low Point
1.6 km
High Point
1.8 km
Gradient
Bear Creek Trail Out-and-Back Map

The Bear Creek Lake Park and Bear Creek Greenway is a pristine natural area located on the outskirts of Lakewood, butting up against the small hamlet of Morrison. This gorgeous nature preserve is home to the eponymous lake, along with some easy hiking trails and a beautiful greenway path.

Description

The route shown here is a 29 mile out-and-back ride along the greenway path, beginning on the western end in the town of Morrison and heading east to a junction with the Platte River Trail on the outskirts of Englewood, before turning around and heading back to Morrison.

Along the way, this greenway runs through the beautiful park and natural area, offering views of the lake, the mountains above Morrison, and the grasslands in the park. As it heads toward the city, the green space narrows down and becomes the Bear Creek Greenbelt Park, but the trail more closely hugs the banks of the creek, providing a delightful natural experience for its entire length.

Most of this trail is paved, making it suitable for all types of users, from hikers and dog walkers to runners, road cyclists, gravel bikers, and even people on rollerblades. It's also ADA accessible for most of its length. That said, the route shown here does jump onto a side road for a short distance, and there are numerous connecting gravel paths and dirt trails as well. You can easily opt to increase the adventurousness of this run if you so choose!

Sources: https://www.lakewood.org/Government/Departments/Community-Resources/Parks-Forestry-and-Open-Space/A-to-Z-Park-List/Bear-Creek-Greenbelt-Park https://www.traillink.com/trail/bear-creek-trail-(denver)/ https://www.theoutbound.com/colorado/hiking/bear-creek-trail-to-stone-house-trail-loop

Difficulty

Easy

Remoteness

1 out of 4

Close to help in case of emergency.

Best time to visit

all year round