Hiking Trails in Colorado | Bluffs Regional Park Trail

Trail Information

Trail Name: Bluffs Regional Park Trail

Location: Lone Tree, Colorado

Date: July 22, 2019

Time at the Trail Head: 7:00pm

Trail Length: 7.5 miles (easily shortened to 3 or 4 miles)

Elevation Gain: 639 feet

Elev. at Trail Head: 6,089 feet

# of Hikers Passed: 30

# of Mnt. Bikers Passed: 19

# of Horses Passed: 0

Mosquitoes: 0

The Drive

The Bluffs Regional Park Trail is in Lone Tree, which is on the south side of Denver between Englewood, Highland Ranch, Parker and Castle Pines. If you are in Denver, it is a drive within the city and other than seeing the beautiful Rocky Mountains in the West, the drive is not spectacular.

Now, let’s talk about the trail.

Trail Map

The trail description says that it is 7.5 miles long but that’s only if you take the entire trail from Cabelas and make the loop around the park. It’s not really a park, but a large open space with wide, well maintained trails. You can see in the image below that there are other trails you can take and shorten up the hike/walk.

I have to admit that this is more of a walk then a hike. There are some narrow, single track type trails, but most of the trail is 10 wide at least and is well graded and graveled. I always wear my running shoes and take a bottle of water and that’s all I ever need. This is not a hike/walk where you need a pack. However, the trail does connect to other trails and you could make it an all day adventure if you truly wanted to.

I have added one more map with two trailhead locations. The one near Cabelas is a more narrow trail and has a steeper ascent to the top of the Bluff. The other one, closer to the Loop, has a wider, more well maintained trail with a more gradual ascent to the Bluff.

Trailhead

There are several trailheads for the Bluffs Regional Park Trail but I always choose to park near Cabelas.

I park on the street just south of the Springhill Suites by Marriott. You can see in the photo here, looking north, Springhill Suites and the Sierra Restaurant farther in the background.

To the south you can see the new street that has gone in, with some parking on the side. This is the location where some people park. It’s a gradual ascent up around 600 feet in elevation. After that, it’s a pretty flat walk.

My Day on the Trail

As I said earlier, the trail is an easy walk, not really a hike once you reach the top. There are some pretty views of ranch land and eventually you will see some gorgeous views of the Rockies. Here are several pictures below along the hike.

At this point you’re probably asking why I’m not writing much, but in some cases, I need to let the pictures do the talking for me.

In the next few pictures, you will see where I hiked out on the Bluffs Regional Park Trail (Loop). There is a ridge line that sticks out to the west, towards the Rockies, and there is a lone park bench where you can sit and enjoy some incredible views. I especially love watching the sun set over the Rockies from here.

How’s this for some grand views right in Denver?

One of the last places I want to show you is what my family calls the compass.

It is a concrete circle in the ground that points to all the mountain peaks along the Rockies. It points to Pikes Peak to the south near Colorado Springs, Mount Evans directly to the west of Denver and Longs Peak to the northwest in the Rocky Mountain National Park. There is more information than that but those are the big 14ers that stick out in the mountains. See the Image to the right for the other peaks and wilderness areas.

It’s a great place to relax and hangout, and learn something more about the mountain range.

 

Have I mentioned how there are some great views from the Bluffs yet?

I almost forgot to tell you of my new family that likes to hang out in the Bluffs. Take a look and enjoy.

Lastly, this is a trail that provides quick way to get up higher, near the city but away from the hustle and bustle of the city life and enjoy some pretty views of the city. I recommend going up to the Bluffs about 1 hour before sunset so you can enjoy the views during the day and then watch the night light up with the lights of Denver and the Rockies in the background, It’s absolutely stunning.

Have I told you how much I love living in Denver yet?

The Neighborhood

I want to mention that I found out about this trail when I was staying at the TownePlace Suites by Marriott Denver South/Lone Tree in Colorado. I had just moved to Denver and had to stay in an extended stay hotel for approximately 3 weeks. All I can say is that the hotel was always clean and well taken care of and the hotel staff are some of the friendliest people I have come to know.

 

Here’s a dining tip for you after you visit the trail. There is a fabulous restaurant right by the hotel and also next to Cabelas that has incredible smoke smells, like something that is hard to describe. Almost every time I go for a hike at the Bluffs Trail, I leave with my mouth watering when I drive by Sierra. I have since found out that they use apple wood to smoke a lot of their meals.

I had lunch there once and the prices are very reasonable but be prepared to spend a little more at dinner. There are always a lot of people there and they all seem to be having a great time with incredible food. Sierra is located at 10680 Cabela Drive, Lone Tree, Colorado 80124.

Trail Recommendations

I love this trail/path as it is really easy to get to when you want some exercise and to get away from the crowds. I especially love coming up to the Bluffs Regional Park Trail at sunrise. It’s breathtaking to watch the sun rise in the eastern skies and watching the Rocky Mountains wake up.

I know this won’t be a “trail” to some of you, but it’s always nice to know some great places close by that you can escape to, when the mountains are to far away for the adventure you really want.

Even on a trail in town, I normally take my Osprey Talon 22 daypack with me. It’s a lightweight pack that’s great for packing water, snacks and additional clothing to layer when the weather and temperatures can change quickly here in Colorado.

Check out the video at my Hiking Trails in Colorado | Bluffs Regional Park Trail YouTube channel.

Please leave a Comment Below or Email me if you have any questions or have another trail you would like to recommend.

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