Happy Trails

Lakewood Makes Improvements To Bear Creek Lake Trail

By Jordan Collins, Digital Marketing Specialist, Lakewood Community Resources

After assessing the use of the popular Bear Creek Greenbelt, Lakewood is improving infrastructure and accessibility to one of our most trafficked greenways. A beloved regional connection across Colorado’s fifth largest city, Lakewood’s Bear Creek Greenbelt hosts over 450,000 people each year enjoying nature walking, hiking, biking, fishing, horseback riding and more. Within this riparian ecosystem is a multipurpose trail that stretches over seven miles from Bear Creek Lake Park to Wadsworth Boulevard. The trail attracts a diverse range of user groups which has led to increasing user conflicts in recent years.

In 2016, the city partnered with Norris Design, Bicycle Colorado and Colorado Parks and Wildlife to complete the City of Lakewood Trail and Connectivity Assessment Report. This report also surveyed residents and found the popular Bear Creek Trail needed improved access, concrete repair and line of sight improvements. Most importantly, it introduced the idea of a parallel trail that would mitigate congestion and provide an alternative user experience in the greenbelt.

A rchit e ct u ral d o g p a r k product s

A rchit e ct u ral d o g p a r k product s e ral g r k s

Construction commenced in the spring of 2022 thanks to the city’s TABOR funds, a nearly $2 million Jeffco Open Space Regional Trails Grant and a $750,000 Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant, enabling significant improvements to the trail originally constructed in 1983. The innovative project included the installation of over 12,000 linear feet of 3-6 foot wide soft surface trail that would roughly parallel the concrete path through the greenbelt. In sections of the greenbelt the soft-surface trail meanders into new territory, discovering park spaces and nature experiences thanks to recent city parkland acquisitions.

“Trail users have been very supportive and impressed with the trail improvements, especially the natural surfaced side path.” noted Lakewood Landscape Architect John Paliga. Other improvements to the user experience included widening sections to 10 and 12 feet, softening trail curves to extend sight lines and replacing damaged concrete along most of the trail. The Bear Creek Trail bridges were replaced to lessen the angle of approach and improve safety and maintenance access. The new Beaver Dam bridge, located between S. Estes and S. Kipling streets, features mid-span “outlookers” to allow users to get off the trail and enjoy the view or snap those Instagram pics. While many segments of the trail are complete with park users enjoying the revitalized greenbelt, the Bear Creek Trail project is targeted for completion in the spring of 2023.