Clear Creek Greenway (Peaks to Plains) design: Empire to Hidden Valley

Landscape Architecture > River Restoration > Clear Creek Greenway (Peaks to Plains) design: Empire to Hidden Valley

Clear Creek County, Colorado

Client: Colorado Department of Transportation, Clear Creek County

In 2012, THK, in combination with Clear Creek County and the Colorado Department of Transportation, began the planning and construction documentation for the Old Game Check Station Trailhead and 2,200 linear feet of improvements along Clear Creek.   The trailhead focuses on multiple user groups, access to the trail system in Clear Creek County, access to Clear Creek, restoring native vegetation and habitat and protecting existing ecological systems.

The trailhead provides an important connection to the Scott Lancaster Memorial Path and bridge and will offer river access, restrooms and interpretative opportunities.  The trailhead was designed to meet ADA accessible guidelines and features a paved parking lot, sidewalks and a plaza area.  The plaza will highlight the Fallen Heroes Memorial, an installation remembering fallen military personnel. 

The Creek restoration will return Clear Creek to a more natural state by reducing the channelization that has occurred on the corridor, reducing flow velocity, adding flood capacity, establishing and expanding native ecosystems and improving fisheries habitat. The Old Game Check Station Trailhead was completed in October, 2015 and was designed and constructed in association with the Twin Tunnels Widening Project.