Beth and Nancy finished with the high line canal

The Highline Canal: Segment 1

The High Line Canal Trail is a 71 mile linear park that travels through Denver and its suburbs.  My friend Nancy, and I have been riding a different segment every Sunday.  The very first ride we did, we could not begin at the start in Waterton Canyon as it was closed on the weekend due to COVID.

The canyon has since been open, but to be on the safe side, we made the 29 mile trek down south on a Monday to walk the first two miles of the High Line Canal that eluded us at the beginning of the summer.

HIKE THE HIGH LINE!

The Highline Canal: Segments 14-17

It’s August, and I haven’t left Colorado since March!  That might be a record for me.  Fortunately I live in a beautiful state that offers a variety of outdoor recreation options.  While I tend to gravitate toward the mountains to hike, occasionally I stick around Denver for a bike ride along the High Line Canal.

My friend Nancy and I have now completed half of the 71 mile High Line Canal.  Our last ride was filled with challenges before we even started, but our ride along Segments 14-17 went very smoothly.  We only had to consult our map a few times, and that was only to verify what we already thought.

GO BIKING!

The High Line Canal: Segments 8-11

Continuing our journey to cycle the entire High Canal Trail, Nancy and I set out on a Sunday evening to complete segments 8-11, approximately 20 miles.  Parking for the beginning of Segment 8 at mile 20.5 is on neighborhood streets near Horseshoe Park.  While the High Line Conservancy guide suggests parking at S Elati St., we followed Google maps to Horseshoe Park in Littleton (not Aurora).  The directions led us to a cul-de-sac next to the trail entrance.

GO BIKING!
train tracks

The High Line Canal: Segments 4-7

I’m finding a bit of a routine during COVID these days.  I go on weekday hikes to avoid the crowds and weekend bike rides to complete the High Line Canal.  Avoiding the crowds is for solitude in nature, not COVID, but it’s good to kills two birds with one stone.

This weekend, Nancy and I tackled another portion of the High Line Canal.  Our first ride covered segments 2 and 3, while our second stretched over segments 4-7.  Uniquely the segments are labeled differently between the Guide to the High Line Canal that I purchased from the conservancy and the online walking segments on their website.

Moving forward, I have chosen to reference the segments as they are listed in the book of which there are 27.  In my previous post, prior to receiving the guide in the mail, I claimed there were only 14.

GO BIKING!
ranch land on the high line canal

The High line Canal: Segments 2 and 3

When in Colorado for months due to the COVID crisis, why not take advantage of all the state has to offer.  While my outdoor preference is to hike in the Rocky Mountains, living in Denver, I can’t always be in the high country.  As a result, I thought why not hike and bike the High Line Canal.

I have walked, biked and even ridden horses on portions of the High Line Canal, but I have never completed it in its entirety.  I honestly didn’t know where it began or ended or if it was easily accessible in segments like the Colorado Trail.

GO BIKING!