P.O. Box 822 Golden, Colorado, 80402
bachman park/open space
Introduction
The Bachman passive park/open space land was an integral part of the Bachman family ranching operations that spanned 80 years and at times included portions of what we now know as the Heritage Dells and Tripp Ranch neighborhoods, the former Heritage Square/Magic Mountain site, Martin Materials quarry land and the Golden Terrace West mobile home park. They raised Hereford cattle, owned two registered cattle brands, and also had a milking herd.
In 1937, the family first moved into the old rock house built with rock quarried from the nearby hog back in early 1860's. Prior to the Bachman's ownership, the 720 acres of arid range land was known as the Apex Ranch and included a historic stage hotel. The old rock house is associated with the early town of Apex that was located in what is now the lower and upper parking lots of the Apex Trail head.
In 1865, the first U.S. Survey party drew a handmade map of the area that shows the former Bachman parcels with a trail going around the Hog Back (now part of West Colfax/U.S 40) and a trail going North and South (now Heritage Road).
Content contributed by Preston Driggers
coors tech wetland open space
Introduction
Coors Tech Wetlands Open Space consists of 8.3 acres and is the largest wetlands the City of Golden owns. It is visible from the west side of McIntire Street between Table Mt Parkway and 50th Avenue. While water drains into the wetlands from streets within the Coors Tech complex there may be other sources as well. Half or more of the wetlands is a cattail pond with other water loving plants.
Coors Tech Centers Owners Association owns the land around the wetlands. Boundary delineation is not visible.
There are no formal trails, however there are some social trails near the Montessori school and one that heads east towards McIntire Street.
The Wetlands attracts various wildlife to drink and seek prey and also serve as a bird habitat that includes red-wing blackbirds.
Other cities have built wooden walkways into wetlands with educational signage addressing wildlife and sighting general information on the importance of wetlands. This wetland open space parcel has potential to serve as an educational resource for both the Cornerstone Montessori School and the Fairmount Elementary School directly across 50th Ave as well as for Golden residents.
This discussion includes references to maps that can be downloaded at the bottom of the page.
cottonwood natural area open space
Introduction
The Cottonwood Natural Area Open Space is 1.78 acres and located behind Golden High School and bounded by adjacent neighborhoods of Harmony Village, Cottonwood and Homestead as well as Fossil Trace Golf Course. A wire fence separates the open space from the High School. No residential fences appear to border the open space. Kinney Run Gulch is adjacent to this open space on Golf Course managed property. The property slopes somewhat into a bowl that angles down south to north. The lower section of the property may serve as flood control for Kinney Run. With established trees and other vegetation, the openness of the terrain provides a nature experience for residents bordering the area.
There are no formal trails, however one neighborhood social trail does enter the site.
The site includes, and is surrounded by tall established trees, shrubs and grasses that encourage bird and small mammal populations. No plant inventory has been made of this open space.
This discussion includes references to maps that can be downloaded at the bottom of the page.
golden clear creek trail open space
Introduction
The City of Golden owns 3.59 acres along the north side of Clear Creek and south of US 6. The land is adjacent to
Jefferson County Open Space’s Peaks to Plains Gateway Trailhead. This Open Space includes the .6 mile Grant Terry Trail that ends at the Church Ditch headgate. Along this trail, there is a set of stairs leading up to Jefferson County Open Space’s Peaks to Plains Trail, which is now being rebranded as the "Clear Creek Trail". The open space is characterized by being heavily vegetated with established trees, shrubs, and grasses.
Although the Grant Terry Trail is proximal to US 6 and there is an active use of the Peaks to Plains Trail by hikers and cyclists, there is still a good nature experience for trail walkers due to the sounds and sights of Clear Creek. Adding to the experience is the scenic views of the towering geology of the Foothills. At night, it is quite possible that the trail is used by local wildlife.
heritage dells and tripp ranch meadow open spaces
Introduction
This is a combined 5.91 acres comprised of three gulches, namely South Heritage Dells Gulch, North Heritage Dells Gulch, and Tripp Ranch Gulch. These gulches form one of the headwaters and collection systems for the Kinney Run waterway that flows into Clear Creek near the Miller Coors Brewery in Golden. The set of east facing gulches were formed over thousands of years by seasonal rainfall and snow melt that eroded away sediments from the geologic uplift that occurred during the second building of the Rocky Mountains that included todays Front Range foothills.
The gulches serve as visual and physical buffers within and between neighborhoods of Heritage Dells and Tripp Ranch. These are mostly linear riparian zones and as such provide habitat and corridors for local wildlife. Reported wildlife in and around these gulches include white tailed deer, elk, fox, coyotes, bull snakes and rattle snakes and on occasion, bob cats, brown bear, and mountain lion. Low level water flow, which serves the needs of wildlife, is almost always present.
The water shed for the three gulches include the sloped Jefferson County Open Space land above the two neighborhoods as well as private and public property higher up to Lookout Mountain neighborhoods. Water flow rates vary with the number and intensity of summer storms and the volume of spring runoffs. Because they are steeply angled these sloped gulches are subject to erosion and therefore access is prohibited.
No recent inventory of plants has been conducted in the three gulches. Due to subsurface water retention and often low volume trickles of water that often go unnoticed, gulches establish unique ecology supporting a variety of different plants than the surrounding grass and shrub land.
The grasses and shrubs that are outside of the water channel can be characterized as “Foothills Shrub and mixed grass prairie,” but a more detailed investigation is required to know exactly what plants are growing in the gulches themselves.
This discussion includes references to maps that can be downloaded at the bottom of the page.
Photo by Tom Schweich
illinois street open space
Introduction
The city owns 0.32 acres of neighborhood urban open space that is located at the east end of the public vehicle access on Illinois Street. The eastside of this open space includes a small piece of the city owned Fossil Trace Golf Course
Acquisition of this city land was spearheaded by the residents of Harmony village, as described by Edee Gail (1). They recognized the unique 360 degrees scenic views from the top of the knoll on the property. The resident group was able to get the housing developer to offer the parcel at market value to the city and the Harmony Village residents contributed landscaping improvements. There is a short, winding dirt trail to the top of the knoll.
Non-native grasses grow on the site. City water is available. No formal vegetation assessment of this open space has been conducted. Residents report seeing the Golden elk herd in the winter as well as coyotes and some birds.
The Open Space is located just east of the actively mined area of what used to be the Rockwell Clay Mine, operated by the Parfet Family. It sits on the geologic unit called the Arapahoe Formation, a river-formed conglomeratic unit that represents the very first uplift of the Rocky Mountains farther to the west, in late Cretaceous geologic time (around sixty-eight million years ago).
Various parts of the mine area, especially near the Triceratops Trail, were opened around 1900. After WW II, the mine expanded into the area of what are now fairways of Fossil Trace Golf Course, just to the immediate west of the park. Being able to buy surplus WW II equipment like the steam shovel still scattered across the golf course, made it possible to do open pit mining. The clay was used for brick and sewer pipe. The Rockwell Mine operated until about 2002 when the area was transferred to the City of Golden for the golf course (2).
The Rockwell Clay Mine area is located within the slightly older Laramie Formation, which was a coal swamp in a delta, much like in Louisiana today. Dinosaurs once roamed the landscape (3).
The knoll is above the roof tops of nearby homes which allow for views of the Foothills, and North and South Table Mountains. As reported by the residents, the site is a good place to view the night sky.
This urban open space provides a sense of place. As reported by a resident, it is a place where there is quiet, and one can sit and be alone to contemplate and just enjoy the outdoors.
References
(1) Gail, Edee. (2005) “Preserving Open Space—And My Humor”, in David Wann, (ed), Reinventing Community: Stories from the Walkways of Cohousing, Fulcrum Publishing, Golden, Colorado.
(2) E-mail communications with geologist, Donna Anderson. Further, the open space parcel was bought by the city from the Jefferson Clay and Investment Company, one of companies owned by the multi-generation clay mining Parfet Family.
(3) E-mail communications with geologist, Donna Anderson. See also, Anderson, Donna S., and Paul B. Haseman (2021). Golden Rocks: The Geology and Mining History of Golden, Colorado. Published Golden, Colorado.
This discussion includes references to maps that can be downloaded at the bottom of the page.
parfet open space
Introduction
The City of Golden owns 13.67 acres of open space that wraps the west end of the Parfet Estates neighborhood overlooking 6th Ave. The land is bordered by 6th Avenue right of way and the School of Mines Open Space land that serves as a landing site for hang gliders.
An unmarked trailhead on Parfet Estates Drive leads to a social trail from the neighborhood to the Chimney Gulch Trail located on Jeffco Open Space land. This trail continues upward to Windy Gap on the Lookout Mountain Road. The site is highly disturbed land with no notable vegetation, no distinctive geological features or wildlife habitat.
From the site, there are excellent scenic views of the northern Foothills and views through the Clear Creek Valley beyond the Table Mountains.
In the early 1870’s gold was discovered in Leadville. In 1872, the Chimney Gulch Toll Road in Golden was cut through as a short cut to the new gold fields. Gold seekers could take the train into Golden, get outfitted in town and head up Chimney Gulch. At the top was the large New York Ranch that provided food and accommodations. At the time, it was a stage stop on the Mt Vernon Wagon Road. From there the gold seekers could travel south on the Free Leadville Road which brought them to Bradford Junction (Conifer) and on to South Park and Leadville.
This discussion includes references to maps that can be downloaded at the bottom of the page.
