Exploring the Upper Creek

The creek wears a brushy mustache as it exits Coal Creek Canyon and slides across the plains toward Superior. Photo by Casey Lyons

This April, I got the pleasure of walking and charting a section of Coal Creek with Friends of Coal Creek founder Casey Lyons. We had been planning this trip for months before, and finally figured out a quiet Sunday right after my high school prom to do it.

We started the trek where Highway 93 crosses Coal Creek, just south of Boulder. The journey started along Highway 93, and from there, we bushwhacked our way along the creek, observing the many different types of grasses that the creek harbors along its banks. Casey and I eventually got to a clearing featuring a series of small ponds and white tail deer drinking out of them and resting in the shade. The whole scene could have come out of Snow White. The deer quickly became alert to our presence and bounded ahead, and we stopped to admire the beauty of the area and drink a bit of water.

The creek valley looks west to the flatirons and east to the plains, creating a spectacular view both up and down the creek, which we noted during our brief respite. We continued onward and followed along the south bank of the creek, noting the signature cottonwoods that grow around the creek in the otherwise tree-free plain.

The author during one of several creek crossings. Photo by Casey Lyons

At a certain point about a mile and a half in, we had to cross a log to get to an easier side of the creek to walk on, which took some effort. The log was about six inches wide, making for a tricky crossing requiring some extreme balance. After safely crossing, we trekked on past farms, even spotting a herd of about 50 elk on the hills to the south.

Finally, four miles later from when we started, we reached our end destination: downtown Superior. We intend to navigate another portion of the creek soon, so stay tuned!