AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Niver Creek Open Space

Gordon Lake–Niver Canal Trail, 3 sights

15.4 mi · ▲ 546 ft · 5 hr 24 min

Gordon Lake–Niver Canal Trail, 3 sights is a 15.4-mile out-and-back in Niver Creek Open Space near Thornton, CO. The route reaches Gordon Lake. It climbs 546 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi5,109 – 5,446 ft18.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.86675, -104.97431
Nearest town Thornton, CO
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Gordon Lake–Niver Canal Trail, 3 sights

15.4 mi · ▲ 546 ft · 5 hr 24 min

Elevation 5,108–5,445 ft

Out & Back · Niver Creek Open Space

Trailhead: 39.86675, -104.97431

Weather Sep 6: sunrise 6:33 AM · sunset 7:25 PM

Transit-accessible: Eppinger Blvd & Ogden St stop 316 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
  3. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  4. 300 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  5. 100 ftBear right, heading NW.
  6. 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
  7. 150 ftBear left onto Grange Hall Creek Trail, heading W.
  8. 0.7 miTurn left onto Niver Creek Trail, heading W.
  9. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Niver Creek-88th Avenue Trail, heading S.
  10. 50 ftContinue straight onto Niver Creek Trail, heading S.
  11. 0.1 miTurn right onto Thornton Park & Ride, heading S.
  12. 50 ftContinue straight onto Niver Creek Trail, heading S.
  13. 0.7 miTurn left, heading E.
  14. 50 ftSharp right, heading E.
  15. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  16. 50 ftTurn left onto Niver Canal Trail, heading E.
  17. 1 miBear right onto Niver Canal Trail (level crossing), heading SE.
  18. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  19. 0.9 miTurn right onto Clear Creek Trail, heading S.
  20. 1.7 miTurn right, heading W.
  21. 150 ftBear left, heading W.
  22. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  23. 0.3 miBear left onto Twin Lakes Park, heading SW.
  24. 50 ftTurn right onto Clear Creek Trail, heading SW.
  25. 0.3 miPass Gordon Lake.
  26. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  27. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  28. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Little Dry Creek Trail, heading SW.
  29. 50 ftContinue straight onto Clear Creek Trail, heading SW.
  30. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Little Dry Creek Trail, heading W.
  31. 0.1 miTurn left onto Clear Creek Trail, heading S.
  32. 450 ftReach Gordon Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  33. 450 ftTurn right onto Little Dry Creek Trail, heading SW.
  34. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Clear Creek Trail, heading N.
  35. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Little Dry Creek Trail, heading SW.
  36. 50 ftContinue straight onto Clear Creek Trail, heading SW.
  37. 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
  38. 0.4 miBear right, heading NW.
  39. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  40. 0.5 miTurn left onto Twin Lakes Park, heading E.
  41. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  42. 100 ftContinue straight onto Clear Creek Trail, heading E.
  43. 0.2 miBear left, heading NE.
  44. 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
  45. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  46. 1.7 miTurn left, heading E.
  47. 0.9 miTurn left onto Niver Canal Trail (level crossing), heading NE.
  48. 50 ftBear left onto Niver Canal Trail, heading NE.
  49. 1 miTurn right, heading N.
  50. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  51. 50 ftSharp left, heading N.
  52. 50 ftTurn right onto Niver Creek Trail, heading N.
  53. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  54. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Thornton Park & Ride, heading NW.
  55. 50 ftTurn left onto Niver Creek Trail, heading NW.
  56. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Niver Creek-88th Avenue Trail, heading W.
  57. 50 ftContinue straight onto Niver Creek Trail, heading W.
  58. 0.8 miTurn right onto Grange Hall Creek Trail, heading N.
  59. 0.7 miBear right, heading NW.
  60. 150 ftBear right, heading N.
  61. 0.1 miBear left, heading N.
  62. 100 ftTurn left, heading N.
  63. 300 ftTurn right, heading N.
  64. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  65. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/croke-lake-croke-lake-out-back-5-lakes

Trail surface

94% paved1% dirt5% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:33 AMSunset 7:25 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.5 mi in (~17 min). Leave by 6:49 PM for the 7:25 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:53 PM — 0 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Eppinger Blvd & Ogden St stop 316 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Thornton, Colorado