Peaks to Plains Trail – Clear Creek Canyon Phase

Earlier this year GOCO announced that grants would be available for developments along Colorado river corridors. Both Clear Creek and Jefferson Counties expressed interest in applying for grants. The GOCO Staff suggested that the two counties partner in a joint application.

In mid-March a joint application was submitted by Clear Creek and Jefferson Counties for development of trail along six miles of Clear Creek spanning the county line. Clear Creek County already has 14 miles of completed trail plus a number of miles of available frontage road along the 35 miles of Clear Creek in the County. The Clear Creek County portion of trail would begin at Tunnel 6 and extend to the County Line – about two miles. The Jefferson County portion would extend from the County Line to east of the Mayhem Gulch Parking Lot near Mile Marker 263 – about four miles. The map below shows the trail corridor, proposed parking areas, and bridges.

The application was approved for further consideration in the first round of evaluations. The GOCO Board visited the site in mid-April and final decisions were made in mid-June. $9.2 million was requested from GOCO to fund a little less than 60% of the project’s estimated cost. The estimated project costs were $6 million in Clear Creek and $10 million in Jefferson Counties. In June the GOCO Board awarded Clear Creek and Jefferson Counties $4.6 million. The two counties now have the problem of fitting the development into the funds available. In addition to Open Space development funds, Jefferson County has commitments for $145,000 from outside entities to assist in the funding.