Cottonwood Creek Wetlands & Butterfly Hill Trail via 12 Mile Trail
5.5 mi · ▲ 53 ft · 1 hr 52 min
Cottonwood Creek Wetlands & Butterfly Hill Trail via 12 Mile Trail is a 5.5-mile out-and-back in Cherry Creek State Park near Cherry Creek East, CO. The route reaches Cottonwood Creek Wetlands at the turnaround, 2.7 miles in. It is mostly level, with 53 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Cottonwood Creek Wetlands & Butterfly Hill Trail via 12 Mile Trail
5.5 mi · ▲ 53 ft · 1 hr 52 min
Elevation 5,563–5,641 ft
Out & Back · Cherry Creek State Park
Trailhead: 39.60984, -104.81277
Weather Sep 6: sunrise 6:33 AM · sunset 7:24 PM
No dogs on part of this route · Transit-accessible: Parker & Orchard stop 199 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 200 ftTurn right onto 12 Mile Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Cherry Creek Dog Access, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto 12 Mile Trail, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right, heading N.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading N.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading N.
- 400 ftTurn left onto 12-Mile North, heading N.
- 0.4 miSharp left onto Pipeline Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Cherry Creek Trail, heading NW.
- 300 ftTurn left onto Cottonwood Creek Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Butterfly Hill Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 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 NW.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Cherry Creek Trail, heading NW.
- 300 ftBear left onto Pipeline Trail, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 400 ftSharp left, heading NE.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto 12 Mile Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 200 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Cherry Creek Dog Access, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto 12 Mile Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 250 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 right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:04 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 7:24 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:52 PM.
Good to know
- No dogs on part of this route
- Transit-accessible: Parker & Orchard stop 199 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- 12 Mile Trail 2.1 mi · ▲ 26 ft
- 12 Mile Trail 2.1 mi · ▲ 26 ft
- 12 Mile Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 26 ft
- 12 Mile Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 26 ft
- 12 Mile Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 26 ft
- 12 Mile Trail 2.5 mi · ▲ 26 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Cherry Creek East, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Cherry Creek East, Colorado