Bear Creek Canyon Scenic Mountain Drive facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bear Creek Canyon Scenic Mountain Drive
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Bear Creek Canyon Scenic Mountain Drive, located on Colorado State Highway 74 between Morrison, Colorado and Idledale, Colorado.
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| Nearest city | Morrison, Colorado |
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| Area | 688 acres (278 ha) |
| Built | 1914 |
| Built by | Civilian Conservation Corps |
| Architect | Olmsted Bros. |
| MPS | Denver Mountain Parks MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 90001706 |
| Added to NRHP | November 15, 1990 |
The Bear Creek Canyon Drive is a beautiful road that stretches for two miles. It's now part of State Highway 74. This scenic drive connects the towns of Morrison and Idledale. It also links up with the western edge of the Red Rocks Mountain Park District.
The Denver Mountain Parks owns a strip of land about 200 feet (61 meters) wide on both sides of Bear Creek. They bought this park area in 1928. The original road ran very close to the creek, which meant it often flooded. In the 1930s and early 1940s, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) helped move parts of the road away from the water. They also raised it higher to prevent flooding. Today, the Colorado State Highway Department takes care of the road.
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Building the Scenic Drive
The first part of this road was once a narrow path for stagecoaches. It needed to be made smoother so that hills weren't too steep. Improvements to the road started in 1914. The goal was to build a road from Denver to Morrison. The entire scenic route was finished by 1921.
A Gateway to the Mountains
This scenic drive is a very important part of Denver's Park and Parkway System. It acts as the southern entrance to the mountain parks. It gives visitors their first amazing look at the beauty of the Denver Mountain Park System. This drive is special because it winds through tight canyon lands right beside a rushing mountain stream.
The drive shows the idea of expanding parks into the mountains. It goes through rough areas and unusual landforms outside the city. This made the beautiful mountain scenery easy for city residents and tourists to visit.
Protecting the Land
One main reason for creating the drive was to protect the area. It stopped new buildings and growth from spoiling the natural beauty. It also kept structures out of the flood areas. This helped make sure the special canyon remained open for everyone to enjoy. The idea of protecting lands outside city limits for scenic drives was part of a bigger movement. This "Park and Parkway Movement" was happening all over the country at that time.
The drive follows ideas from the Olmsted Brothers' plan. This plan suggested preserving lands along major mountain creek areas. Olmsted, Jr. specifically wanted to protect the lands along Bear Creek. He believed they should be part of the Denver Mountain Park System.
Built by Skilled Workers
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) engineered and built this road. Their amazing skills are clear in its construction. You can see their work not in picnic areas, but in the road itself. They built massive retaining walls to hold back the earth. The road had to be strong enough to handle the powerful mountain creek. It also had to be cut right through solid granite rock.
This drive was chosen as the main southern way to access the mountain parks. It helps set the scene for the mountain environment visitors would experience. It is one of the few canyon drives in the park system. It winds through steep, enclosing cliffs. The drive offers a unique experience for anyone who travels on it.
History and Features
Much of Bear Creek Canyon Drive and the land next to it were part of Olmsted's plan from 1914. This drive was first called the Denver Motor Club Road. This was because Idledale was home to the famous Colorado Motor Club.
Just east of the drive, in Morrison, there used to be large columns. These columns marked the southern entry to the Denver Mountain Park System. The McFarland Gateway Columns were built in 1917 on both sides of the road. They gave people a clear sense of entering the park system. Once past these columns, visitors were soon surrounded by steep granite cliffs. They were also within the beautiful area of Bear Creek.
From the very beginning, Bear Creek Canyon Drive was famous. People loved its amazing granite cliffs, many different plants, countless wildflowers, and the loud mountain stream. The area became a favorite spot for camping by the stream, fishing, and picnicking. This was because of the plenty of water, shade, grassy spots, and willow-lined areas perfect for tents and fishing. The drive was seen as a "treasure house of beauty and pleasure." It had lots of clear, clean water, stocked with fish from the Denver Mountain Park's own ponds. These ponds were in Starbuck Park, just up the road in Idledale.
One interesting feature is a water pipeline. It brings drinking water from Idledale to Morrison. This pipeline was built in the 1920s. It's on the south side of Bear Creek, at the edge of the granite cliffs. It is not part of the official protected area.
Bear Creek Canyon Drive is surrounded by narrow, tall walls of solid granite. These dark stone cliffs rise many feet above the road. They create a feeling of being enclosed in nature. The creek rushes over huge boulders along the drive. This creates small waterfalls and swirling pools of water. The original road ran right next to the creek. It crossed the creek when needed to stay on the flattest ground. However, Bear Creek Canyon was known for some of Colorado's worst floods. This road design was not safe. By 1917, concrete bridges were built to make the drive safer and reduce the chance of the road washing out.
