The Dutch Creek Regional Trail provides an opportunity to experience some natural beauty and tranquility amidst the suburban surroundings southwest of Denver. Currently running for a shade over three miles, the goal is to have the trail eventually extend around another three miles to the west to connect to the C-470 Bikeway, an important backbone of the area's trail network.
The trail begins in Weaver Park, in the quiet neighborhood of Leawood, and follows the course of Dutch Creek heading west. The trail enters the neighborhood of Dutch Creek Village and passes next to the small Dutch Creek Recreation Center, which is home to a basketball and tennis court, before continuing under Pierce Street via a culvert. The greenbelt that the trail runs through does not offer much in the way of shade, but the grassland and creekbed provide their own form of scenic beauty. Numerous short paths provide access points to and from the neighborhoods along the route, making it a highly convenient means of recreation for nearby residents. The trail heads southwest, approaching Coal Mine Avenue, where the trail crosses the road and briefly follows the sidewalk down Yukon Street, before continuing west again along the creek.
Winding its way west, with residential neighborhoods to either side, the trail eventually goes under Kipling Parkway via another culvert and comes to an end in a field overlooking the Meadows Golf Club, where it links up with Kipling Trail. Paralleling Kipling Drive, the Kipling Trail stretches south to C-470. Once the extension is complete, users will be able to continue into Robert A. Easton Regional Park and link with the C-470 Bikeway, which runs for over thirty miles along the edges of the metropolitan area.
There is no dedicated parking for the trail; on-street parking may be available along the route and near the trail's beginning at Weaver Park. Be sure to follow any posted signs and warnings.
To reach the eastern end of the trail in Weaver Park from the direction of Littleton, take W Bowles Ave across the river, then turn left onto S Platte Canyon Rd. Proceed for about a mile, then turn right onto W Coal Mine Ave. Turn right onto S Pierce St, then right onto W Weaver Ave. Weaver Ave becomes Weaver Drive, and the park will be on the right in about a quarter-mile.
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