Bluff Lake & Sand Creek Regional Greenway via Sand Creek Trail
4.8 mi · ▲ 136 ft · 1 hr 40 min
Bluff Lake & Sand Creek Regional Greenway via Sand Creek Trail is a 4.8-mile out-and-back in Sand Creek Park near Hillcrest, CO. The route reaches Bluff Lake at the turnaround, 2.4 miles in. It is mostly level, with 136 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Bluff Lake & Sand Creek Regional Greenway via Sand Creek Trail
4.8 mi · ▲ 136 ft · 1 hr 40 min
Elevation 5,302–5,413 ft
Out & Back · Sand Creek Park
Trailhead: 39.75203, -104.80987
Weather Sep 5: Partly cloudy, high 92°F / low 63° · precip 5% · wind 1 mph · sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 7:26 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Sand Creek Trail, heading W.
- 1.4 miContinue straight onto Sand Creek Regional Greenway, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Sand Creek Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 150 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miReach Bluff Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
- 150 ftBear left, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Sand Creek Regional Greenway, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Sand Creek Trail, heading E.
- 0.8 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading E.
- 100 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.1 mi in (~52 min). Leave by 6:14 PM for the 7:26 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:36 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Sand Creek Trail 3 mi · ▲ 83 ft
- Sand Creek Trail 3 mi · ▲ 83 ft
- Sand Creek Trail 3.8 mi · ▲ 109 ft
- Tollgate Creek Trail via Sand Creek Trail 4.5 mi · ▲ 85 ft
- Bluff Lake Nature Center Viewpoint–Bluff Lake, 3 sights 5 mi · ▲ 150 ft
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Hikes near Hillcrest, Colorado