I rode around Chatfield lake the other day. Great ride. I joined a herd of deer. More on that later.
I caught the light rail to the Mineral stop. That's the bridge over Santa Fe.
Once off the train head West to the Platte River. Then head South on the Platte River Trail.
The Platte. Pretty darn flat.
Over the Platte.
The Platte River Trail is really nice. A lot of riders out today.
Entering Chatfield State Park.
One last trip over the Platte into the park.
That sign seems a little stern to me. Must be here because of an incident.
Once inside the park you head for the Dam.
Uh, that Dam.
There's where the Platte emerges from the Dam. No more floods here anymore.
Assuming we had such record rainfall and/or snow melt that Chatfield Reservoir filled up, and mind you that would put the bike path we are about to ride 80 feet under water, so if that ever happens, the excess would spill over here.
Army Corps Of Engineers seem to have built a pretty good Dam.
Army Corps Of Engineers project
.There's Chatfield, what a great day.
Over the top of the Dam, cruise downhill.
Chatfield Lake.
There's a smooth modern bike path around Chatfield, but that's not how I roll.
I take the home made bridge.
I take the bumpy bike path.
Through the woods.
The last time I rode this path the trail went underwater here. This time it's high and dry.
You'd think the single track would be crowded on a nice Sunday afternoon. It was deserted. The spandex speedsters kept to the good bike path, I stayed with the bad one.
along the single track.
Chatfield is really a nice place to explore.
OK at the South end of the lake where Plum Creek enters there is a primitive trail. I rode down it. The last time I rode this section I saw a Coyote.
This time I noticed movement all around me. There were deer all around me. I set my bike down and walked around, I got a few pictures, I am not a nature photographer so here goes:
I was maybe 100 feet from the bridge over Plum Creek.
See the hindquarter of a deer just past the second tree?
If you look closely on the left you'll see a deer. They blend in pretty well.
Tail on the left, head on the right. Young Buck with horns.
In the distance you can see a deer in the trees.
I counted eight deer but I'm sure there were more. I was close enough to make eye contact. There was no fear. It was pretty cool. After the herd encounter I went on down the primitive trail for a bit. Tree falls blocked the way eventually.
I didn't visit the model airplane airport this time. On my last Chatfield ride I said you can't ride back over the Dam. I was wrong.
Campgrounds closed to vehicular traffic, bicycles welcome. I followed the path closest to shore.
The Dam in the distance, marina in the foreground.
The Army Corps of Engineers is considering enlarging the reservoir. That would change things. If that plan takes effect I will scour the bottomlands before they're flooded.
Jeez I can handle Coyotes, now I gotta worry about Bears?
Equestrian encounter.
OK, after cruising through the campground the trail eventually ended at the bottom of a hill. This shot is looking down.
This is looking up. Pretty steep but not hard. Once you get to the top you're on the Chatfield Dam..
On the Dam next to the Denver & Rio Grande Western RR right of way.
Up on the Dam it's not too far till you get to the top of the Dam I was at earlier, then back to the Mineral St. light rail back North.
Midway across the Dam the control center.
The South Platte River after the Dam.
Riding over the Dam, almost back to where I started.
The bridge back over the Platte.
The bridge over the Platte to Mineral Station. Then the light rail home.
Great ride, must do again soon, four stars.
I caught the light rail to the Mineral stop. That's the bridge over Santa Fe.
Once off the train head West to the Platte River. Then head South on the Platte River Trail.
The Platte. Pretty darn flat.
Over the Platte.
The Platte River Trail is really nice. A lot of riders out today.
Entering Chatfield State Park.
One last trip over the Platte into the park.
That sign seems a little stern to me. Must be here because of an incident.
Once inside the park you head for the Dam.
Uh, that Dam.
There's where the Platte emerges from the Dam. No more floods here anymore.
Assuming we had such record rainfall and/or snow melt that Chatfield Reservoir filled up, and mind you that would put the bike path we are about to ride 80 feet under water, so if that ever happens, the excess would spill over here.
Army Corps Of Engineers seem to have built a pretty good Dam.
Army Corps Of Engineers project
.There's Chatfield, what a great day.
Over the top of the Dam, cruise downhill.
Chatfield Lake.
There's a smooth modern bike path around Chatfield, but that's not how I roll.
I take the home made bridge.
I take the bumpy bike path.
Through the woods.
The last time I rode this path the trail went underwater here. This time it's high and dry.
You'd think the single track would be crowded on a nice Sunday afternoon. It was deserted. The spandex speedsters kept to the good bike path, I stayed with the bad one.
along the single track.
Chatfield is really a nice place to explore.
OK at the South end of the lake where Plum Creek enters there is a primitive trail. I rode down it. The last time I rode this section I saw a Coyote.
This time I noticed movement all around me. There were deer all around me. I set my bike down and walked around, I got a few pictures, I am not a nature photographer so here goes:
I was maybe 100 feet from the bridge over Plum Creek.
See the hindquarter of a deer just past the second tree?
Tail on the left, head on the right. Young Buck with horns.
I counted eight deer but I'm sure there were more. I was close enough to make eye contact. There was no fear. It was pretty cool. After the herd encounter I went on down the primitive trail for a bit. Tree falls blocked the way eventually.
I didn't visit the model airplane airport this time. On my last Chatfield ride I said you can't ride back over the Dam. I was wrong.
Campgrounds closed to vehicular traffic, bicycles welcome. I followed the path closest to shore.
The Dam in the distance, marina in the foreground.
The Army Corps of Engineers is considering enlarging the reservoir. That would change things. If that plan takes effect I will scour the bottomlands before they're flooded.
Jeez I can handle Coyotes, now I gotta worry about Bears?
Equestrian encounter.
OK, after cruising through the campground the trail eventually ended at the bottom of a hill. This shot is looking down.
On the Dam next to the Denver & Rio Grande Western RR right of way.
Up on the Dam it's not too far till you get to the top of the Dam I was at earlier, then back to the Mineral St. light rail back North.
Midway across the Dam the control center.
The South Platte River after the Dam.
The bridge back over the Platte.
The bridge over the Platte to Mineral Station. Then the light rail home.
Great ride, must do again soon, four stars.
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