Lariat Loop Scenic & Historic Byway

An impressive variety of world-class scenic vistas, cultural and ecological characteristics, education and research institutions and historical sites are easily accessed along the 40-mile Lariat Loop Scenic Circle Drive that became popular during the 1920s. In 2002, it became the 24th and only urban, designated Colorado Scenic & Historic Byway.

Community volunteers worked for three years to gain designation of the Lariat Loop Mountain Gateway Heritage Area in 2000. Citizen-initiated land preservation from 1912 to the 1990s saved nearly one-third of the native land within the 150-square-mile Colorado Heritage Area from Clear Creek Canyon to Bear Creek Canyon, Golden and Morrison to Evergreen.

Trails and roadways in the “Gateway to the Rockies” have connected people with natural splendors, historic treasures, recreation pleasures and geologic wonders since the 1800s. Today, most of the area (93%) remains unincorporated, governed by Jefferson County, Colorado special districts and dedicated community volunteers. Only 16,000 of 50,000 Heritage Area population live in two municipalities. Railroads supported industrial booms in Golden and Morrison in the 1870s. Both municipalities have maintained authentic historical identities.

Pioneer settlements in the foothills began to benefit from visitors who came to fish, hike, and camp by the 1880s. Investors attempted to sell summer cabin lots in 1890 at the City on the Hill on Lookout Mountain (designed by Frederick Law Olmsted), Troutdale in Evergreen (J.D. Babcock) and Eden Park in Indian Hills. Lack of city water systems and unreliable wagon roads caused most resort ventures to fail.

During the American Progressive Era (1896-1916), Denver businessmen scouted the pristine foothills for scenic treasures for recreation and conservation to attract tourists. Members of Denver’s Real Estate Exchange, Motor Club and Chamber of Commerce convinced Mayor Speer to promote their unique plan for a Mountain Park System. It was “Denver’s chance to open a gateway into the mountains and… make Colorado more attractive to tourists than Switzerland.” After Denver voters approved funding in 1912, the city built roads for motor vehicle access the Mountain Parks from 1914-1930. The historic Scenic Circle began at Golden (Lariat Trail) or Morrison (Bear Creek Canyon) to access Lookout Mountain, Evergreen, and Mount Evans.

The Mountain Park System was admired worldwide, but the Denver Parks Commission fought and won many political and legal battles to protect 14,000 acres (9,000 within Lariat Loop Heritage area) from 1914 to 1928.

Citizens formed “PLAN Jeffco” in 1972 to support a one-half cent sales tax to fund an Open Space Program that gained voter approval. Like Denver’s Mountain Parks Committee 60 years earlier, PLAN Jeffco leaders fought many political and legal battles from 1978 to 1990 to protect Open Space revenues from being raided by county commissioners.

The most treasured legacy of the Lariat Loop Heritage Area is 45,000 acres of native land and wildlife habitat preserved by government agencies, developers, and land conservancies. A variety of recreation opportunities are available, including 80 miles of trails for hikers, bicycles, and equestrians and opportunities to fish, boat, kayak, rollerblade, paraglide, ice skate, and cross country ski.

The mystical nature of Colorado is available within the Lariat Loop. Most residents and visitors are 30 minutes from Denver (elevation 5,283) or Mount Evans (elevation 14,265), 7 minutes from a pristine nature trail, 5 minutes from a Nineteenth Century historical site and 3 minutes from an inspirational city or mountain view. They can explore dinosaurs and the geologic formation of the Rockies, archaeology and pioneer culture, railroad history or the latest renewable energy research at a wide variety of museums and sites along the Historic & Scenic Lariat Loop.

Of 16,000 Mountain Backdrop preserved acres, 10,000 are viewed from the I-70 “Gateway to the Rockies.” There are 25 trail miles within the historic backdrop for hikers, bikers, equestrians, wildlife watchers, naturalists, dog walkers, geology-archaeology-history buffs. All Denver metro residents benefit from scenic preservation of Windy Saddle, Apex, Matthews-Winters, Red Rocks, and Mount Falcon Parks.

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A few of the 90 sites illustrated with 180 photographs in Lariat Loop Scenic and Historic Byway tour guide are listed here:

City of Golden

Golden Visitors Center, 10th & Washington Avenue • 303 279-3113 www.GoldenCoChamber.org

Astor House - an 1880 hotel and boarding house • 822 12th St. in Golden • 303-278-3557 • www.AstorHouseMuseum.org

Clear Creek History Park- a restored 1880s village • 11th & Arapahoe in Golden • 303-278-3557 • www.ClearCreekHistoryPark.org

Foothills Art Center - Best of art and historic architecture • 809 15th in Golden • 303-279-9470 • www.FoothillsArtCenter.org

Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum - 75,000 fossils, gems, artifacts • 12th and Maple St. in Golden • 303-273-3815 • www.Mines.edu/academic/geology/museum

American Mountaineering Center - restored Beaux Arts architecture • 710 10th St. in Golden • 303-384-0110 • www.AmericanAlpineClub.org • www.cmc.org • www.cobs.edu

Outside Golden city limits

There are 6,000 postal addresses within the Golden city limits of eight square miles. The federal zip code 80401 and 80403 serves 26,000 “Golden” addresses within 600 square miles of unincorporated Jefferson County. Resources near Golden are:

National Renewable Energy Laboratory- nation’s leading technology research to benefit the environment and the economy, at 1617 Cole Blvd • 303-275-3000 • www.NREL.gov

Adolph Coors Company offers free tours of world’s eighth largest producer of beer; 13th & Ford (appearing to be inside Golden) • 303-277-2337 • www.Coors.com

Colorado Railroad Museum- Excellent exhibits of Colorado’s railroad history • 17155 West 44th Avenue (east of Golden) • 303-279-4591 • www.CRRM.org

Clear Creek Canyon “Grand Canyon” of the Foothills • More than 6,000 acres of this last, undeveloped “wilderness on Denver’s doorstep” is preserved for hikers, fishermen, bird watchers, photographers, picnickers, gold panners, hang gliders, rock climbers, botanists, biologists, kayakers and rafters enjoy the extraordinary natural history.

Lariat Trail Scenic Drive • www.CityMtnViews.com/Lariat.php4 • Extraordinary 4.6-mile, scenic drive of 56 perfectly-banked curves (seven hair-pins) rises 2,000 feet from 19th Street in Golden (at Sixth Avenue) to Lookout Mountain Park. It was known as “the most scenic road in America” in 1915.

Mt. Vernon Canyon “Gateway to the Rockies” • www.CityMtnViews.com/history.php4 Jefferson County’s initial “Gateway to the Rockies” continues today as Interstate 70 at the geographic center of the Lariat Loop Heritage Area. In 1890, Denver entrepreneurs hired Frederick Law Olmsted to design the 2,400-acre Denver and Lookout Mountain Resort www.CityMtnViews.com/Olmsted.php4 Since then, 8000 acres of wildland with city and mountain views have been preserved.

Great public places within the canyon are:

Buffalo Bill Grave, Museum, & Pahaska Teepee in Lookout Mountain Park has 500,000 visitors annually • 987 Lookout Mountain Road • 303-526-0744 www.BuffaloBill.org

Mother Cabrini Shrine - Magnificent holy ground of 900 acres north and south of I-70, Shrine receives 150,000 visitors annually • 303-526-0758 www.Den-Cabrini-Shrine.org

Boettcher Mansion- “Lorraine Lodge” event center of American Arts and Crafts architecture • 900 Colorow Road on Lookout Mountain 303-526-0855 • http://Mansion.co.jefferson.co.us

Lookout Mountain Nature Center and Preserve- Jefferson County Open Space • 910 Colorow Road on Lookout Mountain 303-526-0594 http://ww2.co.jefferson.co.us/ext/dpt/comm_res/openspac/natstart.htm

I-70 “Genesee” Bridge over Exit 254 has won many awards for “framing” an extraordinary view of the Continental Divide.

Genesee Mountain Park - 2403 acres north and south of I-70 between exits 254 and 253 • Genesee Buffalo Herd at exit 254 • www.DenverGov.org

Chief Hosa Lodge and Campground in Genesee Park - Rustic event center designed by JJ Benedict in 1917 • 27661 Genesee Drive off exit 253 • 303-380-4672 • www.ChiefHosa.com

Evergreen 80439

“Evergreen” is a vast 120 square mile, unincorporated territory (including 40 square miles of east Clear Creek County) at altitude from 7,000 feet at Evergreen Lake to 9,000 feet in east Clear Creek County subdivisions. The area evolved from a “logging settlement” in 1860 to a 1920s summer vacation village, to a bustling 21st Century mountain community of 25,000 by 2000.

Bergen Park of 25 acres and Fillius Park of 105 acres are Denver Mountain Parks of preserved cultural heritage of picnic tables, stone shelters, and fireplaces popular from 1920s through 1960s.

Humphrey Memorial Park & Museum - is 1870s homestead with Victorian family collections, crochet court, playhouse and more at 320 Soda Creek Road (west of Bergen Park) 303-674-5429.

Denver Mountain & Jefferson County Open Space Parks in Central Evergreen- from 1914 to 1924, Denver preserved 3,000 acres in the Evergreen area: Bergen, Fillius, & Dedisse Parks and unimproved tracts named Elephant Butte, Bergen Peak, Bell and Cub Creek. After 1972, JeffCo Open Space has acquired 2,235 acres and developed 30 miles of hiking trails through Open Space and Mountain Parks. Elk Meadow OS Park is 1140-acres, west of Evergreen Parkway adjoins a Denver Mountain Park adjacent to Bergen Peak Wildlife Area managed by Colorado Division of Wildlife north of Stagecoach Boulevard. Alderfer/Three Sisters OS Park, one mile west of Highway 73 on Buffalo Park Road, has 12.5 trail miles. JCOS acquired the 325-acre Blair Ranch, between Alderfer/Three Sisters Park and Dedisse Park in 2001. JeffCo is building a Pioneer Trail alongside Evergreen Parkway to connect Fillius, Bergen and Buchanan Parks with Elk Meadow Park, Dedisse Park & Evergreen Lake, Alderfer/Three Sisters Park and Blair Ranch. The Trail continues under the Hwy 74/73 intersection bridge in Evergreen.

Dedisse Park and Evergreen Lake & Dam - “Crown Jewel” of Denver Mountain Parks and Evergreen’s most charming landmark is Evergreen Lake and dam within 420-acre Dedisse Park.

“Heart of Evergreen” is the historic downtown. Chamber of Commerce in Evergreen Hotel offers more information. 303-674-3412 www.EvergreenChamber.org

Evergreen Historic District - among the 23 buildings on both sides of Bear Creek at Meadow Drive is Center Stag owned by Evergreen Chorale • 303-674-4002 • www.EvergreenChorale.org Evergreen Players also perform there• 303-674-4934, www.EvergreenPlayers.org

Hiwan Homestead Museum - historic “Camp Neosho” and later a cattle ranch , is now a lively working heritage center managed by JeffCo Open Space and Jefferson County Historical Society volunteers • 4208 S. Timbervale Drive • 303-674-6262, http://ww2.co.jefferson.co.us/ext/dpt/comm_res/openspac/natstart.htm

Bear Creek Canyon

Wagon roadways through Bear Creek Canyon changed after each flood. After Colorado state prisoners improved Bear Creek Canyon Road in 1911, it was later named State Highway 74. Most of this extraordinary canyon has been preserved from Kittredge to Morrison. Denver’s 320-acre Pence Park (Indian Hills), 400-acre Little Park (Idledale), charming 300-acre Corwina Park and Starbuck Park (Idledale)was acquired by 1918. To protect the “Municipal Trout Stream” from future development, Denver acquired a total of 130 acres of Bear Creek Frontage Tract over four miles from Morrison to Idledale in 1916. Denver’s magnificent 860-acre O’Fallon Park was added in 1938.

Jefferson County Open Space Parks completed the preservation by acquiring Bear Creek Canyon Park, 260 acres north of Denver’s tract and 1,560 acres south of the tract. One of the most popular hiking parks in JeffCo’s system is Mount Falcon Park of 1,622 acres between Morrison and Indian Hills.

JeffCo acquired 393-acre Lair O’ The Bear Park in Bear Creek Canyon between Denver’s Corwina and Little Parks in 1987. Jefferson County Open Space and Denver Parks and Recreation plan a continuing trail from Matthews-Winters (I-70) and Red Rocks Parks to the Bear Creek Canyon Parks from Morrison to Evergreen.

Morrison 80465

In 1865, Canadian stone mason George Morrison purchased 320 acres and started a mill for grinding gypsum south of the Red Rocks at Bear Creek. In 1874, he filed a plat for the town and convinced the Denver and South Park Railway to lay a line to transport Morrison Stone, Lime, and Townsite Company products. His Cliff House family home and 1875 two story school house still stand in Morrison. Sixty-nine voters approved incorporation of the Town in 1906. The population has remained at 200-500 since 1910. The Morrison Historic District includes 70 remarkably intact sites and buildings. The Morrison Natural History Museum offers hands-on exhibits of regional dinosaur and natural history provided by a dedicated staff and volunteers • 501 Highway 8 • 303-697-1873 • http://town.morrison.co.us/mnhm

“Dinosaur Ridge”

The 220-feet thick Dakota Hogback was formed about 66 million years ago. In 1877, massive dinosaur bones were discovered in the hogback above Morrison. When Denver blasted the roadcut for Alameda Parkway around the hogback to Red Rocks Park in the 1930s, an ancient dinosaur trackway was discovered. After Dinosaur Ridge became a National Natural Landmark in 1973, Jefferson County Open Space preserved 714 acres of the Hogback. “Friends of Dinosaur Ridge” created an excellent Visitor’s Center • 303-697-3466 • www.dinoridge.org

Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre

This Natural Museum of Antiquity was once one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The ancient playground continues to be chiseled today by water, wind, ice and sun. It provided ideal cliff dwellings for prehistoric man and sacred places for Native American ceremonies.

John Brisben Walker “discovered” Red Rocks Park within days of moving to Denver in 1879. Denver acquired 632 acres with excellent Bear Creek water rights for $54,000 in 1927 and blasted a 5-mile scenic roadway and built the Pueblo Trading Post by 1931. CCC built Red Rocks Park Amphitheatre from 1935 until completion in 1941. Denver allocated $26.4 million to restore the Amphitheatre and build a 30,000 square-foot visitors’ center, restaurant, meeting facility and history exhibit that opened to the public in 2003 • www.RedRocksonline.com

Geologic Marker north of the Amphitheatre in Red Rocks Park was installed in 1962 by the Colorado Scientific Society and the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists.

Matthews-Winters Open Space Park- occupies 1,127 acres, including 210 acres north of I-70 at exit 259. JeffCo maintains 7.6 miles of trails, including 2.2 miles on the ridge of the Dakota Hogback.

Two private homes west of Matthews-Winters Park were built in 1861 and 1865 in the Mt. Vernon Towne site of the first “Provisional” Jefferson Territory Government established in 1859. The historic site named steep Mount Vernon Canyon that I-70 now rises through. For more, see www.citymtnviews.com/MVcanyonName.php4