High Line Canal Trail Walk and Cycle
Begin your walk or ride at the small parking area beside Platte Canyon Reservoir, where a wide, gravel service road follows the route of the historic High Line Canal. From here you head northeast, staying level as the path parallels the gently flowing irrigation ditch through open meadows and riparian woodlands. The surface is compacted gravel, easily navigable by cyclists, joggers, and families with strollers, and it remains largely flat for the entire 12 km stretch.
Along the way you pass through stands of cottonwood and willow that line the canal banks, offering shade in summer and a chance to see songbirds flitting among the branches. In quieter sections you may glimpse mule deer or jackrabbits moving through the grasses, and in wetter spots dragonflies hover over small side ponds where the canal branches off. The trail is punctuated by low wooden bridges that carry farm lanes across the canal, but otherwise there are no steep grades or obstacles—just uninterrupted, gently rolling terrain that brings you steadily northeast toward the foothills. At the end of your 12 km journey you emerge near the old headgate area, where a simple trail sign marks the limit of canal maintenance, and you can turn around or connect with local backroads to complete your loop.
