Sand Creek Park offers a path running down its spine, and side streets make it easy to form a loop trip with local spurs. Of course, the loop can be started at any point; we will use Dolton Wy at Chesapeake St (a few yards west of Venneford Ranch Rd) for our star.
Where Dolton ends at Chesapeake (do not confuse this with the spot where Dolton BECOMES Chesapeake), a concrete path continues west, dropping into the open space. The trail runs through an arid, wild park until reaching a junction at mile 0.4. To the left, the trail climbs out of the park to end at Highlands Ranch Pkwy 0.2 miles later. (You can ride that direction, eventually connecting with other trails to form a longer loop.) Our route turns right along the brushy creek.
The trail now climbs slightly to cross over Glenwood Ln (0.6) before curving left and dropping into the main portion of the parks. Here the trail is exposed, a ways from the creek. At mile 0.9 a connection to the neighborhoods above you breaks to the right, followed quickly by a spur to the left climbing to Springer Park. (This is the continuation of the Northridge Park Loop, written up elsewhere.) Keep heading straight, crossing the Foothill Trail (1.3) before reaching the main, backbone trail running through both parks (1.4).
To the left lies Northridge Park; we'll head right toward Sand Creek Park. Ignore the left branch (1.5) leading to the neighborhood. Soon the Foothill Trail again crosses ours (1.6), on its way to Maplewood Dr and Sand Creek Elementary School. The backbone trail continues through the park, climbing as it passes a left-hand spur (1.8) also leading to Sand Creek Elementary, and right-hand spurs (1.9, 2.1) to south side neighborhoods. It then sharply drops to cross the stream, and levels off at mile 2.4 as the trail reaches groomed park grounds with a picnic table. A spur to the right circles through the area and provides access to the street and to University Blvd.
The trail climbs more steeply as it reaches the next junction (2.5). Straight ahead (which is now east) the trail climbs to Green Meadows Ln. We want to make the sharp right turn and follow the trail up to Venneford Ranch Rd. Be prepared -- this leg, though short, is the steepest of this loop.
Cross busy Venneford Ranch (2.7) onto the trail at Thistle Ridge Cr, and head south on an exposed track well above the creek. You are riding among native grasses through another ‘wild' expanse, but the "Future Housing" signs across the creek warn you that more development is breathing down your neck. Now the trail passes several connections to the right, leading to Weatherstone Cr (2.9), Toepfer Park (3.0, 3.1) and Ravenhill Cr (3.2). Finally the trail climbs to its end at Dolton Wy and Cherryvale Ln (3.5). You can take Dolton either way back to your starting point (3.9).
OPTIONS:
Several other paths run through the parks and open spaces of the area. Many loop trips are described in this book. You can do a ‘figure 8' with the Northridge Park Loop, or use other spurs and connectors to make up your own route of nearly any length.
