Enjoy a picnic and a day hike in scenic Bear Creek Canyon. Riparian woodlands, streamside meadows and fragrant forests beckon visitors to enjoy the variety of ecological, geological and scenic features.
Natural Resources
This Open Space park possesses a unique variety of ecological, geological and scenic features, illustrating the relationship between the forces that shaped the area and the complexity of the plants and animals that live here.
Geological forces, along with the erosive powers of water, formed the Bear Creek drainage. Nearly 1.5 miles of Bear Creek, along with its associated streamside and floodplain habitats lie within the park. This ecosystem, called the riparian zone, greatly increases the diversity of wildlife utilizing this park, to include not only the usual deer, elk, small mammals and birds, but also reptiles, amphibians, fish and waterfowl.
Bear Creek provides food and shelter for a variety of aquatic inhabitants. Among the many stream-dwelling insects, caddis flies, mayflies and stoneflies can be found under rocks and logs foraging for food and avoiding predators. During the warmer months, they can be seen emerging from the water and fluttering delicately in the breeze. As one might imagine, many different types of fish also dwell in Bear Creek. The long-nose dace, a small minnow, and two species of suckers can be found in the slower water. Anglers can test their skills on rainbow and brown trout that await them in the numerous pools and riffles.
One of the main “characters” along the stream is a small, grayish, wren-like bird called the American dipper or water ouzel. One can easily spot these animated birds hopping and bobbing among the rocks along the stream just before they plunge into the water for a meal. Dippers are rather remarkable in that they actually walk along the bottom of the stream, seemingly oblivious to the current, as they feed on the insect larvae.
Evidence of a healthy colony of beaver (Castor canedensis) can be seen from the trails that parallel the creek. The best times to view the industrious animals are early morning and early evening.
Also along the trails that traverse the fertile floodplain, one can find narrowleaf and plains cottonwood, alder, choke cherry and some unusually old and venerable box elders and willows.
As one travels west along the creek, the floodplain constricts, becoming a narrow canyon. The moist, rocky surface of the north-facing canyon wall supports a lush array of wildflowers, ferns and mosses, as well as blue spruce and Douglas-fir trees.
Crossing the creek to the south, the changes in types of vegetation become readily apparent. South-facing slopes are occupied by open stands of ponderosa pine junipers, yucca, and other plants typical of warm, arid conditions, while the north-facing slopes are predominantly dense stands of Douglas-fir with a sparse understory of ferns and mosses.
History
Originally known as the Mountain Nook Ranch, early Swedish settlers including “Rutabaga Johnson” delivered fresh produce to the area’s summer residents in the early 1900s. Limited grazing replaced farming by the 1930s, which has allowed the disturbed areas to revert to the wild. In the northeast corner of the parking lot, lilac bushes and other domestic plants mark the site of a long gone ranch house. The canyon floor still reveals remnants of the old timber hauling road that became the main route to Evergreen. The park was purchased by Jefferson County Open Space in 1987.
Getting There
22600 State Highway 74, Idledale CO 80453 Find the park approximately four miles west of Morrison along Colorado Highway 74. The parking area is located on the south side of the highway.
It is your responsibility to know and obey Open Space rules and regulations. Users assume liability for all risks associated with visiting this Open Space area. Responsible use protects this resource for all citizens of Jefferson County.