Huntsman Segment Major Milestone

Traffic comes to halt in both directions on Hwy-6 as construction workers place bridges over Clear Creek and create the underpass for river access as Peaks to Plains Trail makes substantial progress.

Canyon Project Hits Major Milestone With Huntsman Segment of the Clear Creek Trail

By Vicky Gits, PLAN Jeffco Staff Writer

Photos courtesy of Anne Ludolph, Jeffco Parks & Open Space Multimedia Specialist

UPDATE 11/20/2025: The trailhead formerly known as the “as yet to be named trailhead” now has a name. The CCR (Colorado Central Railroad) Trailhead was the site of a grand opening ceremony for the eastern 1.25 miles of the Huntsman Segment on this day.

An engineering miracle on Jeffco Parks & Open Space land is nearing completion in Clear Creek Canyon along U.S. 6. Just beyond Tunnel One, the new segment of the Peaks to Plains Trail is expected to partially open before the end of 2025.  This is a moment that Open Space has been planning for years.

Currently under construction is a 3-mile concrete trail deep inside one of the least forgiving passages along the rugged river’s granite gorge.

The Clear Creek Canyon Park Map & Guide, a free brochure provided by Open Space, calls the Peaks to Plains Trail, “the largest capital project in the 50-year history of Jeffco Open Space.”

“This is truly a legacy project that is enjoyed by many today and will be treasured by many more tomorrow,” said Tom Hoby, Executive Director of Jeffco Parks & Open Space, at the Conservation Awards ceremony last January.

This three-mile segment is part of a larger regional project known as the Peaks to Plains Trail, a 65-mile hiking and bicycle path that runs from Loveland Pass on the Continental Divide, to the South Platte Trail in Denver.

The portion of the trail that runs through Open Space lands goes from the intersection of highways 58 and 93 on the west side of Golden, to the Clear Creek County line.

Future cyclists and hikers alike will be awed by the elevated concrete trail extending nearly two-thirds of a mile, the waterside access and majestic Huntsman Trailhead scenery, as well as the restrooms and standard safe parking options along the formerly inaccessible waterway.

The funds for the three-mile, $80 million segment consist of $62.75 million in Jeffco Open Space sales tax funds, $7 million from Great Outdoors Colorado, and $10.25 million from the Denver Regional Council of Governments.

The cost of the whole project (9.75 miles) to date is about $137 million since 2016, based on a PLAN Jeffco analysis. Of that amount, about $36 million has been raised in grant money outside of Jefferson County sales tax collections.  (See Funding Breakdown chart).

When the Huntsman Segment is finished, there will still be six more miles to reach the county line.

Construction Update

Progress touched a major milestone April 20 when US Highway 6 was closed for five days to allow the placement of two 200-foot bridges and to create a pedestrian underpass that connects a parking area with a recreational area across the highway.

The closure, which stretched from Golden to the junction of Hwy-119, the turnoff to Black Hawk, was to enable a three-mile continuation of the paved bicycle and hiking path that previously ended west of Tunnel One.

But the extension is so congested and cliff-bound that engineers had to build a viaduct (think of a roadway on pillars) partially extending over the riverbank in places, for two-thirds of a mile.  This feature echoes the iconic highway through Glenwood Canyon.

In addition, there are eight bridges, including seven over Clear Creek and one over U.S. Highway 6, in this three-mile segment alone. Also under construction are two trailhead parking lots with combined room for about 100 cars.

More Than a Bike Trail

While it is widely known as a bike route, the Peaks to Plains Trail is really much more, says Scot Grossman, project management supervisor.

Along the entire trail there are amenities such as parking areas, restrooms, scenic bridges and a 1-mile hiker-only trail (the Welch Ditch trail).  There are spaces that give the public safe access to the wild beauty of the river that defines Clear Creek Canyon Park, a 4,000-acre property that owes its existence to the efforts of PLAN Jeffco, in partnership with other land conservancy organizations, more than 50 years ago.

Today’s casual visitors will experience unique geological features such as an alluvial bench and a part of the river that is peaceful and quiet.

For the cyclist community the viaduct will be “awesome,” said Grossman. “It will give the rider a very different perspective, like floating. “

 Two Trailheads

The section that is expected to open before the end of 2025 extends the existing Clear Creek Trail from the west side of Tunnel One near Golden for 1.25 miles to a new trailhead that has yet to be named, a 40-car parking lot and a bridge across the river.

The second section opening in 2026 goes from there to a trailhead and parking lot 1.75 miles farther up the canyon, the Huntsman Ranch Trailhead, and 60 parking spaces. An underpass connects the parking on the north side to a recreation area south of the highway, where a bridge makes the connection to the south shore and a one-mile-long hiking trail.

The Huntsman Segment can be understood as number four of five phases of a pioneering river-oriented park that already has or will be opening in the following stages. The first groundbreaking was in 2014.

1. 2016  — 4 miles.  Mayhem Gulch trailhead and segment. Parking Lot and restroom to Tunnel 5, 9.4 miles west of U.S. 6 and Highway 93.
2. 2017 ­— 1 mile. Mayhem Gulch trailhead to Big Easy trailhead and restroom (57 parking spaces). Bridges: 3.
3. 2021 — 1.75 miles. Gateway From the end of concrete in Golden to west of Tunnel One. Includes renovating and opening the historic, hiker-only Welch Ditch.
4. 2025 — Huntsman segment, part one. 1.25 miles, from west of Tunnel One to the unnamed trailhead (formerly Narrow Guage), 40 cars, Bridges: 1. Trail on viaduct, 2/3rds mile. Opening before the end of 2025.

2026  — Huntsman segment, part two.  1.75 miles, from the former Narrow Guage Trailhead (to be renamed) to a new trailhead at Huntsman Gulch, 70 cars. One suspension bridge over river plus underpass and bridge. Opening in 2026.

5. 2026 to ?  — Central  Huntsman to Big Easy. About 6 miles.  Details to come.

Compared to previous sections, the Huntsman stretch is by far the most challenging and expensive. The price tag of $80 million is elevated thanks to the eight bridges and the extended viaduct structure cantilevered over the riverbank.

JCPOS estimates that the eastern 1.5 miles of this segment will open November 20th, weather permitting. Once the entire Huntsman segment is completed (estimated date sometime in the fall of 2026), there will be six miles to go to complete the Parks & Open Space portion of the Peaks to Plains Trail. Projected cost remains to be determined.

Clear Creek Canyon Park Full Extent

Tunnel One to Huntsman Gulch Segment

Funding Breakdown Chart

Ray’s Landing/Ray’s Point Map

Various locations along the Clear Creek Trail afford parking spaces, river access and walkable trails. Ray’s Point on Clear Creek is south of the Huntsman Gulch trailhead. Rendering shows the bridge to a short hiking trail. The main Peaks to Plains Trail is marked as the Clear Creek Trail.

The photo shows construction at Ray’s Point as of Oct 3, 2024. Rendering provided by Jeffco Open Space. Photo by Vicky Gits.

Video History of the Huntsman Segment of the Clear Creek Canyon Trail

There is no doubt that the overall cost of the Clear Creek Canyon Trail will be staggering, but PLAN Jeffco believes the societal and recreational benefits will be in alignment with the financial expenses. The engineering that has gone into this trail, especially in the Huntsman segment, can only be expressed by one word – gob-smacking! Exceptional engineering doesn’t come cheap. To get an idea of what has gone into the building of the Huntsman segment, go to YouTube.com and follow the progress to date by searching for any of these titles:

Clear Creek Canyon Park – Huntsman Segment – Construction Update 10.13.22            https://bit.ly/4gY6bAU

Clear Creek Canyon Park – Huntsman Segment – Construction Update 8.3.2023            https://bit.ly/46NpEPU

Clear Creek Canyon Park – Huntsman Segment – Construction Update 11.2.23            https://bit.ly/4nsENgy

Clear Creek Canyon Park – Huntsman Segment – Construction Update 2.1.2024            https://bit.ly/4741jGP

Clear Creek Canyon Park – Huntsman Segment – Construction Update 5.14.24            https://bit.ly/4pQjvuX

Clear Creek Canyon Park – Huntsman Segment – Construction Update 9.19.2024            https://bit.ly/48aQfsy

Clear Creek Canyon Park – Huntsman Segment – Construction Update 4.22.25            https://bit.ly/4pPHUkq

Clear Creek Canyon Park – Huntsman Segment – Construction Update 7.15.2025            https://bit.ly/3IEb9pK

Clear Creek Canyon Park – Huntsman Segment – Construction Update 9.24.2025            http://bit.ly/47vFtuW

Note: these links will not activate when embedded in a PDF document.

Miss Mountain Manners says “Thanks to all those who have worked so hard to make this dream come true. Through the hard work of multiple land conservation organizations, Clear Creek Canyon has been preserved in its near-natural state. As you walk/cycle through it on this award-winning trail, give thanks to the visionaries who have worked for six decades to make this a reality.”