Little Dry Creek (Clear Creek version)

Today we're going to ride Little Dry Creek. It's about 8 miles each way.



There's more than one Little Dry Creek so to be specific this is the Little Dry Creek that flows from upper Arvada to Clear Creek.
I took the RTD #31 to North Federal and West 60th.

Federal and W 60th is a great stop. It's right on Clear Creek, you can see it from the stop. From this point you can access the trailheads for Ralston Creek and Little Dry Creek.


Ralston Creek is a mile West and Little Dry Creek is a mile East.


Before riding Little Dry Creek I stopped at Smokey's Barbecue, right off the Clear Creek Trail @ 200 feet East of the Little Dry Creek Trail junction.


Yummy sandwiches $5.45.
Bar-B-Que beef sandwich. Really good.

I always stop here when I'm on the Clear Creek Trail.




Here's the pulled pork. Yummy!


Smokey's is one of the reasons I like the Clear Creek Trail so much.


If you were to go by car, they're at 1961 W 64th in Denver. They're open 9am to 5 pm, closed weekends. 303-429-9542




Here's where The Little Dry Creek Trail branches off the Clear Creek Trail.















Big tree.






The trail is modern concrete and in good condition.



















There's another big tree.






This is where the trail passes under the BN SF rail line.











Here's some critter tracks.






The trail has a few dirt sections but for the most part is newer concrete.

Little Dry Creek. Little maybe, but hardly dry. The day I was riding it was 90 degrees in Denver. That equals 60 degrees in the mountains where the snow is 30 feet deep and melting pretty fast now. Epic snow means epic runoff.

Little Dry Creek is prepared for big flows through this urban section. Notice the ladders built into the concrete in case you have to climb out.






It goes on this way for a couple miles...


That whole canyon was scooped out & lined with concrete probably after a bad flood. There's houses & streets all along the concrete canyons.




Here's that waterfall. Notice the baffles in place to handle high water.




I guess if there was a flash flood in this section I wouldn't do so good. No slant, no ladders.

Once you're out of the concrete canyons it enters a more rural setting.






If I adopted a section of the trail I would keep it dandelion free.



But that's just me.

Here's an unidentified creek joining Lil' Dry.




Here's where you need to make a short detour.

You'll see the DHL box, the only one on the trail. The only DHL box on any trail I've ever been on, for that matter.


The sign implores you to go left on some convoluted detour before you rejoin the creek but the best way is to turn right here on Vance Street. Follow it North to 80th W. Turn left (West) and go two blocks to Allison Way. Go right and catch the trail and the creek again.













Here's a few pictures from that section of the trail.

Idyllic setting, huh?









This is Lake Crest Park in Arvada.









After that park the trail turns to dirt again.





Then you cross this bridge. It goes over Farmers Highline Canal and Croke Canal. If you read my Clear Creek Update that trail crosses both those waterways. Further up the trail crosses Church Ditch, also seen along the Clear Creek Trail.

There's the Farmers Highline Canal, not to be confused with the Highline Canal that runs through Denver.



After the bridge it gets a little tricky. There's a sub division and you ride the streets with a few bike path parts. Watch for the signs.

Once you get through this subdivision the trail resumes next to Lil' Dry.

The trail crosses good ol' Church Ditch...

Then you're one with Lil' Dry again.

Next time I'm gonna bring a little plastic boat and race it down this section.

When you think "posse" you think celebrity entourage, right?

This is the other kind.

This is at Alkire Street, it's pretty much the end of the Little Dry Creek Trail.

The bike path continues next to a road for a mile or so through the Village of Five Parks. That ends at Indiana Street. You can continue riding West on the shoulder of Coal Creek Parkway but I like to stick to bike paths.

The sign says the trail continues both left & right. A visual inspection reveals the truth. Maybe these trails will be extended someday.

Sunlight on a thunderhead.

That's it for Little Dry Creek. I give this ride three stars out or four.

P.S. Don't ride all the way out here without exploring Standley Lake. You'll see it on the right towards the end of the trail. Here's a few pictures of Standley Lake.

You can catch an RTD bus back at Kipling & 81st. Take the #100 SW Plaza / Cold Spring pnR.

Once you get to Colfax you can transfer to a 16L to Downtown Denver. Or you can ride back to Federal and catch the #31 Southbound.

The End.

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