South Valley Park - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Deer Creek Canyon Park is located in the southwestern part of the Denver metropolitan area about 27 miles from downtown Denver. It is a foothills park with the entrance and trailhead parking at the edge of an upscale suburban subdivision. It has seven trails with a total length of 11 miles.

Hildebrand Ranch was a large cattle ranch and farm along Deer Creek southwest of Denver. After remaining in the hands of the Hildebrand family for more than a century, the ranch was condemned by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1971 for the construction of Chatfield Reservoir. The ranch sits on land that had been used for thousands of years as hunting, gathering, and camping grounds by Native inhabitants including the Ute, Cheyenne and Arapaho.

A picturesque nature preserve among the grasslands, ponds and cottonwood banks of Deer Creek houses a community farm supported by CSA members. Facilities include nature trails, a wildlife observation area, display gardens, educational exhibits, a historical farm, a 19th century one-room schoolhouse, working beehives and picnic areas.

Chatfield State Park is a state park located in Douglas and Jefferson counties of Colorado. The park centers on Chatfield Reservoir, a 1,423 acre surface area lake fed by the South Platte River and two other creeks, including Plum Creek. It is popular with hikers, boaters, campers, bikers, fishermen, and picnickers.

Chatfield State Park is a state park located in Douglas and Jefferson counties of Colorado. This beautiful Denver park is popular with hikers, boaters, campers, bikers, fishermen, and picnickers. The park also features a full service marina, stable concession, off leash dog walking area, and a summer-time swim beach.

Chatfield Reservoir is a flood-control reservoir on the South Platte River owned and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In addition to its primary purpose of flood control, it serves as one of many water supply reservoirs for the city of Denver, Colorado. The reservoir is surrounded by Chatfield State Park, a recreation area with boating, horseback riding and camping. A secondary inflow from the south is Plum Creek. A tertiary inflow from the west is Deer Creek.