It was a cold and windy Saturday morning, which made the prospect of running a bit difficult in my current state of mind. I prefer to run when it is sunny and warm (who doesn’t) so the fact that I needed to wear pants and a jacket didn’t appeal to me. I had to think of a way to get myself out the door. I decided to drive down to Waterton Canyon and run the 17 mile loop. I like to run there because it features a wide dirt road with beautiful views and no traffic. Plus I figured this was a good way to get out of the wind. Even though Waterton is one of the most used trails in the Denver Metro area, I figured the weather would keep people away. I also knew that if I was feeling bad, it would be easy to turn around and run shorter.
I parked the car and crossed over the street to the trailhead and began running. The first mile of this route was the boring part as I passed the Foothills Water Treatment Plant before getting into the canyon. This was also the part of the course where the wind was the worst. However, once I got into the canyon, the wind disappeared and I began to warm up significantly. Since the course is out and back with a loop at the end, I tossed my pants next to the restroom at the mile and a half mark. There are four restrooms in the first six and last six miles of this run, making pit stops very easy.
Waterton Canyon is the canyon formed by the South Platte River as it flows out of the mountains above. There is a dirt access road that parallels the river for almost seven miles. This is used by Denver Water to go from the Foothills Treatment Plant up to the Strontia Springs Dam. Completed in 1983, this dam stands 243 feet above the river bed and forms a 1.7 mile lake behind it. What is really cool is that a lot of the water is diverted from the reservoir through a 3.4 mile long tunnel under the mountains. The Denver Water vehicles are the only vehicles that are allowed on the road, so traffic is almost nil. As the road twists and turns it’s way through the canyon, it slowly gains elevation (400 feet). However, this gain is so subtle that most people hardly notice it until they are running back down!
At about five miles into the run, I noticed some movement up on the mountain just to my left. I stopped to take a peak and was just awestruck at what I was seeing. Nine Big Horn Sheep were making their way down the mountain. I had run this route many times before and never seen the herd of sheep that live in and around the canyon. It felt special to be in their presence. Once I soaked in this special moment, I continued onward.
When I reached the dam at six and a half miles, I decided that I was feeling good enough to continue on and do the Roxborough Loop. I passed the maintenance house and kept running until the road turned into a double track trail. I merged onto this rocky trail and passed a sign telling me I was on the Colorado Trail and the Indian Creek Trail. Once I passed this sign, the scenery of the canyon turned into the pine trees of the Pike National Forest. The grade of the climb also increased dramatically, slowing my pace a bit. As I ran the switchbacks up the east side of the mountain, the smell of pine filled the air. With such a refreshing scent, I began to feel really good and started pushing the pace.
I arrived at a bench known as Lenny’s Rest about a mile and a half into this section and stopped to take off my jacket. The sign informed me that the Colorado Trail continued straight ahead and the Indian Creek Trail headed off to the left. Since I was in no mood to run to Durango, I took the Indian Creek Trail. This smooth singletrack trail continued to climb through a tunnel of pine trees over the mountain and then dropped down on the western side of it, providing an outstanding view of the forested hills to west. I checked my watch as I knew that I was near the high point of the loop. It read 7,200 feet, a 1,700 foot gain from the start of the run.
I followed the trail down for another half mile and came to another intersection. Here, the Indian Creek Trail headed to the right and the Roxborough Park connector trail went straight ahead. I chose to head towards Roxborough, as the trail continued to descend. This trail ran along the edge of a cliff through the forest and eventually came along side a creek that I crossed over and then followed down the valley. After another mile and a couple more creek crossings, the trail intersected with an early section of the Indian Creek Trail. Here, the sign told me that Roxborough State Park was to the right and Waterton Canyon was to the left. I took a left and continued down the trail for another mile. This section of the trail had finally come out of the forest and was screaming down the valley towards Waterton Canyon.
I reached Waterton Canyon just above the maintenance house. Here, I took a right and headed back towards my car, six and a half miles down the canyon, grabbing my pants at the last bathroom before getting back.
Since the weather had improved dramatically throughout the run, the canyon was packed with people hiking, biking, and fishing. I was glad to have started as the sun was coming up. This allowed me to have this beautiful place all to myself!
Editor’s note: To get to Waterton Canyon and the start of the Colorado Trail, head south on Wadsworth from C470. Travel four miles to Waterton Road where you will turn left. Follow this road for one quarter mile and turn left into the large gravel parking lot. The trailhead is across the road. There is a map just past the maintenance house at 6 miles that shows the trails above Waterton Canyon and the Roxborough Loop. Because of the Big Horn Sheep habitat in the canyon, dogs are not permitted in Waterton Canyon.