OCTOBER 2011 PINEY CREEK TRAIL EXPLORATION

I took my first ride on Piney Creek yesterday. I have to say it is one of the wildest trails I've been on. most bike paths are located between a waterway and a highway. Piney Creek in many places is natural and wild as far as the eye can see.

Here's how I got to the trail head. From the Alameda station I took the light rail to the Nine Mile station. I went downstairs to the "B" stop and caught the RTD 135 Southlands. I told the driver to let me know when we got to S Aurora Pkwy and E Smokey Hill Rd. He said that was near the end of the line.

The RTD 135 at S. Aurora Pkwy & E Smoky Hill Rd.

 Head down E Smoky Hill until you see the big radar dome. Turn right on Tallyn's Reach Blvd.

Piney Creek lives up to it's name. Pine trees. A rarity around here.

 You cruise through homes starting at the mid 200's.

Lots of nice colors. Hurry up and get out there, it's almost over.

There is a path on either side of Tallyn's Reach.

 Go Across Arapahoe

Nice scenery.

Turn left on E Park Crescent Dr.

Turn right on Glasgow Dr and go about 50 feet to the trail head.

This is it, no sign or anything. Actually according to my GPS this is Sampson Gulch Creek trail, which becomes East Piney Creek and then Piney Creek..

It's a very scenic ride

 Through the pines.

 I only took pictures of the first few scats I saw. Most likely Coyote. You can see a variety of diet choices.

But this is a bike path guide, not a scatological journal. Good thing. On this wild trail there were scat deposits literally every 25 feet. These are the only scat pics today.

Great colors.

Most road crossings are underneath the road.

Trees looking good.

 This is way cool, a (simulated) wooden curved elevated path over an actual wetland.

 This would be an awesome path on a full moon ride. It might be the one trail in the metro area I would be concerned about wildlife. I have no doubt this area could sustain Cougars.

Going through the tunnel.

A lot of animal tracks in this dry stream bed.

Always good to have a map. My GPS software dates to 2002 so whole subdivisions with their roads have been built since then. I had to go to Google Earth to compare my GPS tracks to roads that now exist.

I think this is Orchard which the trail follows for a short time.

Here's where the trail leaves the road and back to Piney Creek.

A random tunnel. I had fun on this ride and will come back soon. Piney Creek is whole complex of trails as far as I can tell. Much more exploring is in order. Heck I haven't found a trail this extensive in a while. Yay!

In a few sections the trail follows roads. Follow the signs.

In the Summer there is a snack shack. One of the most elegant snack shacks I've encountered.

There it is. Holy crap! I wonder if they scraped off a smaller snack shack to put this up?

I think this is S. Aurora Pkwy.

A sitting zone in Red Tail Hawk Park.

This is cool, an elevated boardwalk above a wet land.

Piney Creek is an awesome trail. Underused too. I passed only one other bike on my trip.

Cottonwood Grove.

Piney Creek my friends. The goods.

This is the E-470 underpass.

Nice colors, yes?

One of many trail heads

 So that's where Smoky Hill gets it's name. Jeez I am good at minutiae

 Curvy trails to you, until we meet again.

Piney Creek.

The trail of wilderness.

Entering Cherry Creek State Park. I rode through CCSP, went over the dam and down the Millenium Trail.

Coming around the face of the dam.

You'll see a turnoff to the left.

At the end of the turn off is the Dayton Street light rail stop.

This bridge takes you over I-225 to the station.

I took the light rail to Alameda and rode home. Great ride. Can't wait to do this one again!

Fours stars, naturally.