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| View near the picnic area |
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| Western End of White Ranch Park |
Often times I find myself misplaced getting to or while on a trail. This morning I had headed out to Golden Gate Canyon State Park. I followed signs to the road the park was on and kept looking for more park signs. I had driven past the signs for White Ranch Park and decided to do a U-turn and head back to White Ranch to check it out. This was the second lot at the Western end of the park off of Belcher Hill Road. Once in the parking lot and seeing the view I decided it was just as well I ended up here and grabbed a trail map at the kiosk and researched some trails to explore. This park had awesome views of the mountains to the north and west and just as beautiful views of the valley and suburbs to the south and east. Nearby the parking area was a much coveted restroom so I headed that way. There were some picnic areas and surrounding the plateau were lots of farm equipment with interpretive signage as well as a memorial rock dedicating the park. This area belonged to the White family and had been used as a commercial cattle farm before the widow White gifted the land to the Jefferson County Open Space in 1969. It would definitely be a beautiful place to live but the work would be very difficult and you are quite isolated from civilization.
Weather reports indicated early afternoon storms and the trails here didn't have a lot of cover so chose a relatively short hike. I made my goal the Princess Anne View along the Rawhide Trail. The trail is advertised as flat but it actually contained quite a lot of ups and downs, some that lasted awhile and bikers were walking their bikes a big portion of the trail. There was a decent water source (stream) at the intersection of Wrangler's Run but not much else on the portion of the trail I hiked. It was shaded for some portions which offered relief and the wildflowers were plentiful along the trail and fields. I was able to see my first Columbine, Colorado's State Flower, along this trail as well.
These trails are open to everyone and I saw bikers, trail runners and dogs on trail that morning. Definitely good for trail running though it is narrow at parts. I enjoyed the different views from the trail and the work Jefferson County Open Space put into preserving the history of the land. My walk out to the Princess Anne Viewing was relatively easy despite the ups and downs. I was disappointed at the actual viewing site marked with a bench. It appears there was a nice view at one point but trees had grown up and you couldn't see much more there than other aspects of the trail. I did enjoy the bench and had my lunch break there. The clouds were increasing so I decided to turn back and see if I could try my luck in finding the Golden Gate Canyon State Park.
I located the wrong turn I had made on the map and it wasn't long before I was heading into the state park. At the same time the skies opened up and rain poured down joined by some thunder and lightening. I'm stubborn but not stupid, so still headed out to the park but spent time in the visitor center until the storm passed. Was very nice talking to the folks there and they recommended the Panorama Point if my time was limited. The drive through the park was easy going and I found the location easy enough. There were several people there and platforms allowed for viewing of the Rockies at the Continental Divide about 70 miles west.
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| Continental Divide under a stormy sky from Panorama Point |
My visit at Golden Gate Canyon did not do the park justice, will have to return someday! Needing to head back for the day I returned the way I came. I did stop to take pictures from the road of some of the iconic deteriorating ranch and mine buildings.
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An old mine site, possibly for Uranium?
https://jeffco.us/open-space/parks/white-ranch-park
http://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/GoldenGateCanyon
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Weather reports indicated early afternoon storms and the trails here didn't have a lot of cover so chose a relatively short hike. I made my goal the Princess Anne View along the Rawhide Trail. The trail is advertised as flat but it actually contained quite a lot of ups and downs, some that lasted awhile and bikers were walking their bikes a big portion of the trail. There was a decent water source (stream) at the intersection of Wrangler's Run but not much else on the portion of the trail I hiked. It was shaded for some portions which offered relief and the wildflowers were plentiful along the trail and fields. I was able to see my first Columbine, Colorado's State Flower, along this trail as well.
These trails are open to everyone and I saw bikers, trail runners and dogs on trail that morning. Definitely good for trail running though it is narrow at parts. I enjoyed the different views from the trail and the work Jefferson County Open Space put into preserving the history of the land. My walk out to the Princess Anne Viewing was relatively easy despite the ups and downs. I was disappointed at the actual viewing site marked with a bench. It appears there was a nice view at one point but trees had grown up and you couldn't see much more there than other aspects of the trail. I did enjoy the bench and had my lunch break there. The clouds were increasing so I decided to turn back and see if I could try my luck in finding the Golden Gate Canyon State Park. 
My visit at Golden Gate Canyon did not do the park justice, will have to return someday! Needing to head back for the day I returned the way I came. I did stop to take pictures from the road of some of the iconic deteriorating ranch and mine buildings. 
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