Cottonwood Creek Wetlands–Butterfly Hill Trail, 4 sights
5.1 mi · ▲ 108 ft · 1 hr 45 min
Cottonwood Creek Wetlands–Butterfly Hill Trail, 4 sights is a 5.1-mile out-and-back in Cherry Creek State Park near Harbor Pointe, CO. The route reaches Cottonwood Creek Wetlands at the turnaround, 2.6 miles in. It is mostly level, with 108 ft of elevation gain. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Cottonwood Creek Wetlands–Butterfly Hill Trail, 4 sights
5.1 mi · ▲ 108 ft · 1 hr 45 min
Elevation 5,563–5,666 ft
Out & Back · Cherry Creek State Park
Trailhead: 39.64712, -104.82867
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 92°F / low 59° · precip 8% · wind 13 mph · sunrise 6:31 AM · sunset 7:28 PM
No dogs on part of this route · Transit-accessible: S Parker Rd & E Lehigh Ave stop 60 m from the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 100 ftBear left onto Parker Road Trail, heading SW.
- 0.8 miBear left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Shop Creek Trail, heading SE.
- 200 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 250 ftSharp left onto Pipeline Trail, heading SE.
- 150 ftSharp right, heading NW.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Cherry Creek Trail, heading SW.
- 300 ftTurn left onto Cottonwood Creek Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Butterfly Hill Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 150 ftReach Cottonwood Creek Wetlands, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Cottonwood Creek Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Cherry Creek Trail, heading SE.
- 300 ftBear left onto Pipeline Trail, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.5 miBear right, heading NE.
- 150 ftSharp right onto Shop Creek Trail, heading NE.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 250 ftSharp left, heading NE.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear right onto Parker Road Trail, heading SE.
- 0.8 miBear right, heading E.
- 50 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 0.3 mi in (~6 min). Leave by 7:01 PM for the 7:28 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:49 PM — 6 min before dark.
Good to know
- No dogs on part of this route
- Transit-accessible: S Parker Rd & E Lehigh Ave stop 60 m from the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Smoky Hill Trail via Parker Road Trail 2.1 mi · ▲ 81 ft
- Swim Beach–Beach (No Swim), 3 beaches 2.5 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- Parker Road Trail 3.6 mi · ▲ 163 ft
- Parker Road Trail 3.6 mi · ▲ 163 ft
- 12 Mile Trail via Parker Road Trail 3.9 mi · ▲ 136 ft
- Lone Tree Creek Pond–Parker Road Trail, 4 sights 6 mi · ▲ 108 ft
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