ZGC-02 Traditional Cache

Walk along the creek, near the confluence of Cherry Creek and the High Line Canal.

This area is one place on the High Line Canal where water can be returned to the Platte River via Cherry Creek.  The canal has an 1879 water right, which is fairly junior by Colorado water rights standards. Depending on the availability of water from the South Platte River, and irrigation demand by users on the canal, Denver Water intermittently runs water through the canal between the months of April and October.

The High Line Canal (HLC) is a man-made waterway, used for irrigation and recreation, that serves the Denver-Aurora Metropolitan Area. It begins at a diversion dam on the South Platte River, some 1.8 miles (2.9 km) above the mouth of Waterton Canyon. From its headgate, the HLC runs 66 miles (106 km) (historically 71 miles) to Green Valley Ranch, passing through Douglas, Arapahoe, Denver, and Adams Counties.

Although the HLC was originally built for the purpose of irrigation, today it is better known to Colorado residents as a source of recreation. The canal itself (and the water flowing through it) is owned by Denver Water, and the adjoining maintenance road was entirely closed to the public until 1970. Today it remains closed to all unauthorized motor vehicles, but approximately 60 miles (97 km) of the road have been improved for use as a recreational trail open to non-motorized users. Designated a National Landmark Trail, it is a popular destination for Denver’s outdoor enthusiasts and is open all year to hikers, bikers, joggers, and (along some segments) equestrians. The High Line Canal Trail is shaded for much of its length by mature cottonwood trees, and the surface of the pathway ranges from hard-packed dirt to concrete. Though the HLC is owned by Denver Water, five agencies have recreational agreements to maintain sections of the trails.