Today is a great day for another ride in the south Denver suburbs . This Denver Realtor will be heading north along Homestead Parkway onto the Little dry Creek Trail and then onto the Highline Canal Trail. Through Holly Park, Heritage Village Park and on to DeKoevend Park I will ride. I particularly like this route and often take this route to start a number of rides because it totally segregates me from the traffic. It’s off road bicycling at its best. Nothing I like better than riding my bicycle away from other cars and vehicles!
Once I work my way down to the Highline Canal Trail, it’s smooth sailing on big wide 8 foot crusher fine trail of treelined beauty. As I meander through Greenwood Village and parts of Centennial, 
there’s nothing more beautiful than this bike trail. The canopy of mature trees, the gentle breeze and the peek-a-boo views around every turn of the trail are simply amazing! To think, when the Highline Canal was constructed, there were no trees in sight. Now it’s a shaded paradise.
This portion of the trail runs behind gorgeous luxury homes and mansion which I can glimpse though the trees. Greenwood Village is one of the most affluent of our Denver suburbs. The canal also runs though Cherry Hills Village and behind some spectacular mansions there. But, I won’t be going that far north today.
As I arrive at DeKoevend Park, the headquarters for South Suburban Parks and Recreation District SSPRD, it’s a great place for me to stop at the water fountain, restrooms and take a look at all the park activities. Bustling with tennis, baseball, playgrounds and more, it is the jewel of the district.
What’s on my bike again it’s more of the Highline Canal Trail all the way through Centennial.
Then it’s on past Lee Gulch along the Highline Canal and directly overlooking a view of McClellan Reservoir, which is Englewood’s water supply storage. Once around McClellan Reservoir, and I drop onto one of the lowest points in Highlands Ranch.
Then, I sneak under C-470 and head south into the Highlands Ranch Town Center. I pass by the Tattered Cover Book Store, all the Big Box Stores, my favorite Irish Pub, Lansdown’s and then I’ll hop on the Highlands Ranch Bike Trail.
It gets quite hilly through here, lots of roller coasters, up and down, up and down and then I work my way up to Mansion Point and then the conclusion of my journey.
At the top of the hill is the Highlands Ranch Mansion. It is truly an historic venue of the early 1900s. A focal point of eastern plains of Colorado more than 120 years old. The ranch now hosts community events, cultural arts programs, educational opportunities, weddings and special occasions, meetings and business conferences. The re-purposing of this grand venue has been spectacularly effective. It is truly a keystone of Highlands Ranch Activities.
The Aurora Water Department has an easement all the way through Highlands Ranch into Centennial across the southeast corridor of Denver and 
then into Aurora. I’m told it’s big enough under that easement to drive a car through it, but let’s just call it a buried canal. What does it do? It provides a great bicycle trail and a diagonal crossing all the way through Highlands Ranch and back to the C-470 trail.
From the C-470 trail-head I head east along the northern edge of Highlands Ranch the southern edges of Centennial and wind back at the Willow Creek Trail not far from where I started. 2 Miles and I’m back to Homestead Parkway, and it’s been about a 34 or 36 mile loop.
The trees the views the wildlife even the people walking and riding and equestrian activities along the trail make it a special journey and once again reinforce my feelings about biking in the ‘burbs. I know I have seen all of this real estate in my role as a Denver Realtor. But, seeing again from the “off-road” gives it a whole new perspective and it’s lots of fun.
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