Type: Trail, Loop/Out-and-back
Difficulty: 3 / 10
Altitude: 5,637 ft
Elev. Gain/Loss: 544 ft / 544 ft
Dog Friendly: Yes
Jog-Stroller Friendly: No
Filed Under: Hiking, Running
Park at the Dowdy Draw Trailhead on Eldorado Springs Drive (State Road 170). This trailhead is directly opposite of the Mesa South trailhead. Go south from the parking lot. The trail is paved for the first .4 miles. Once you approach a picnic area and small outbuilding. Turn left/east, cross bridge, and follow trail through one gate, across one small stream bed, on gradually up the valley.
At about 1.5 miles there is a trail junction. Take a left/east, go down and cross another small creek, then start uphill again. This short uphill section is great for getting the ole lungs warmed up and working! At the switchback the trail becomes less steep and more shaded. Don't forget to enjoy the views of the Flatirons on your way up!
At the top of the plateau, about 2.3 miles, there is a gate and a trail to your immediate right/south. This is part of the loop/lollipop that I like to add to this run. I like to do this loop clockwise. Continue east or straight ahead from the gate and about a tenth of a mile there is a trail junction post. look for faint doubletrack/jeep roads that follow a large electrical powerline. take this trail south for three-fourths of a mile until you come to a fence. At this point you're three miles into the run. Go right/west along the rocky singletrack, another half a mile. At another fence, go right/north following the singletrack, contine on a half mile. This section is beautiful, very shady with many trees, it runs along the edge of the plateau.
Once you reach the start of the loop again, retrace the trail back to the car and enjoy about two miles of gentle downhill. Wasn't this a great run???
The Dowdy Draw trailhead is on Eldorado Springs Drive (State Road 170) directly accross from the Mesa South Trailhead.
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