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Published: December 5th 2008
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Distance: 5 miles
Difficulty: easy-moderate
With spring weather taking hold, I was finally able to get onto more of a regular hiking schedule. While the weather was steadily warming up in the Denver area, the mountains continued to get pummeled by storms that seemed to be dumping feet of new snow on a daily basis. I generally expect the months of April and May to be occupied by lower elevation hikes that may not be as scenic as the ones I do in the middle of the summer. That said, there are certainly some interesting places to visit while waiting for the mountains to thaw out.
White Ranch is one of Jefferson County’s most popular and easily accessible open space parks, thanks in no small part to its proximity to the Denver area. The park occupies a large swath of foothill acreage northwest of Golden and east of Golden Gate Canyon State Park. The park territory’s rolling hills were once home to Native American tribes and later, settlers who stopped on their way out to California. The area was privately owned until 1969, when it was gifted to Jefferson County. There are two main access points to the park:
the main entrance on the west side and the Belcher Hill Trailhead to the east (just off of Highway 93). Within the park’s boundaries are two sensitive areas that are closed off to visitors unless a permit is obtained. Van Bibber Creek along the southern end marks one of these areas while Ralston Creek along the northeast side marks the other. Just to the northeast of Ralston Creek are the impressive Ralston Buttes, a visible landmark throughout most of the park. The buttes rise nearly 7300 ft. and there are several trails that offer great views of them along the north side of the park. According to a ranger I spoke to, the park does occasionally take visitors on guided tours through the buttes (contact Jefferson County Open Space for more information).
When I arrived at the west parking area for my hike, I was greeted by plumes of thick smoke in the air. The park was engaging in a controlled burn to eliminate a large portion of dried out grass near Van Bibber Creek. These controlled burns are very important, especially when conditions windy conditions prevail like they did this spring. I think Colorado was quite lucky that,
with the on-going windy and dry conditions, we didn’t see a major outbreak of fires this year.
Due to the controlled burn, my hiking options were limited to the northern section of the park. I chose the Rawhide Trail, which brings visitors to within a few miles of the Ralston Buttes. The trail makes a winding loop through the park’s northwest corner, cresting several hills and entering some fairly deep gulches. From the main parking area, the trail initially descends to a seasonal creek before climbing (steeply at times). Along the initial descent, hikers will pass an intersection with the Longhorn Trail, which heads off to the east. After climbing for a time, the trail levels out in a more sparsely forested area that provides better views of the buttes to the northeast. About 1.7 miles in, hikers will reach the Princess Anne View, which offers some of the best views of the buttes anywhere along the trail. The loop continues to arc to the northwest, entering an open field that offers great views of the entire park. At the northern end of the loop, the trail heads sharply downhill to another gully before curving to the south. I
took a short detour along the Belcher Hill Trail to get a better view of the park, but smoke carried by the wind forced me to turn back sooner than I had planned.
There are numerous other hiking options within the borders of White Ranch Park. For hikers looking for more of a challenge, I would suggest starting at the Belcher Hill Trailhead to the east. I have yet to try this trail, but the park ranger I spoke to claimed that it is fairly steep. There are numerous trails that can be used to explore the Van Bibber Creek drainage to the south as well as the hills to the east.
Like many of the foothills open space parks in both Jefferson and Boulder Counties, I would suggest visiting White Ranch in the cooler spring and fall months. These areas tend to see no significant temperature change from the Denver area; so if its hot in town, it will probably be hot in the hills! Watch for well marked signs that indicate that a controlled burn is taking place. I would suggest finding an alternative hiking spot under these conditions.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Despite the fact
that I had to cut my hike short due to the smoke, I was actually very pleased with White Ranch and the Rawhide Loop. This hike offers a nice opportunity for hikers of all abilities to stretch their legs and get some exercise. More advanced hikers may not find this loop challenging enough. I would suggest taking a clockwise direction around the loop (the reverse of my description) for a slightly more difficult hike.
Directions: From the Denver area, take I-25 to 6th Ave. west. Take 6th Ave. into Golden, connecting with Highway 93, which heads north through town. One mile north of Golden, turn west onto Golden Gate Canyon Rd. Continue 4.1 miles west and turn right on Crawford Gulch Rd. (HWY 57). Continue on to the park entrance. The way is very well signed, so there shouldn’t be any confusion.
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