Preview - White Ranch Park

High Country Hiker Group
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
5 mi. RT/700' el.g.
Bus leaves ACAA at 8:00 a.m. sharp.

The west side parking lot of White Ranch Park is where this hike begins.  Pit toilets are located a few hundred yards from the TH. Elevation starts at 7,505' and gains are modest throughout the day.  Maximum elevation gain of 700' for the day.  Trail difficulty rating is moderate.

Trail bed is dirt with a few areas of small gravel. This is a popular spot for hikers, which translates to a well worn trailbed, wide in places and a mere single file path in others.  Trail flows over ridges and through grassy meadows with nice views of the eastern plains and the Denver skyline.  A portion of trail follows a service road.

View from trail.

We may encounter dog walkers and bikers from up or down trail, so be prepared to step off trail when either is spotted.   In fact, a number of web sites claim White Ranch is the place for mountain bikers to hone their craft.

Canopy is sporadic at best with an estimated 30-40% of trail having some form of cover.

The temperature is expected to be warmer than recent weeks so there may be opportunities for wildlife sightings early morning.  Grassy meadows may have some early wildflowers in bloom i.e spring beauty, and Pasque flower.  If you have a Colorado wildflower book, you may want to throw it in your pack, because there may be a few surprises.

This area was a large cattle ranch until 1969.  A number of antique farm implements including a plough, field mower, and a seeder close to the TH are reminders of how farming was done.

The sun will be out so bring - AND USE - sunscreem, SPF30 or greater.  It's also a good idea to pack a light outer shell to further protect your arms.  Wear a hat.