Clear Creek Trail (formerly Peaks-to-Plains Trail) Downtown Golden Alternatives

Project Update: April 2, 2026

The City will host a public meeting on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, 5:30 - 7:00PM at the Golden Community Center. Note that this date is different that what was posted in the Golden Informer to accommodate a separate Mayor's Town Hall meeting.

The meeting will be an opportunity to review the 90% design plans for the near-term option (widening the existing South Clear Creek Trail) between Illinois Street/Billy Drew Bridge and Ford Street. This design builds on the concept design plan shared in December 2024. The design plans will be shared in mid-April in advance of the meeting.

The Clear Creek Trail through Downtown Golden has become increasingly popular in recent years and is considered a recreational destination for the Denver Metro area. The regional Peaks to Plains (P2P) Trail connecting Idaho Springs to Denver will be a major part of this popularity once complete.

The City is pursuing additional design of improvements to the South Clear Creek Trail with remaining project funding in 2025 through early 2026. This portion of the project had largely been on hold to better align with the Golden Hotel patio project which impacts the trail.

Full design and construction of the near- and long-term alternatives will largely be grant dependent, though some smaller components could be constructed using existing Capital Improvement Program funding. City staff will continue to evaluate local and grant funding opportunities and post specific project data on Guiding Golden for community feedback.

Community Engagement Opportunities

The project was originally focused on developing a preferred alternative for a trail bypass through downtown Golden. Based on public feedback, the project scope expanded to include both near-term and long-term options with design work focused on the near-term option utilizing unused grant funds.

• Alternatives Development Open House (May 2024)
• Preliminary Alternatives Analysis Open House (July 29, 2024)
• Preferred Alternative Open House (September 17, 2024)
• Near-Term and Long-Term Options Concept Design Open House (December 11, 2024)
• Near-Term Option 90% Design Open House (May 5, 2026, 5:30 - 7:00PM at the Golden Community Center (1470 10th Street))
  • Parks and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) Meeting (May 21, 2026, 6:00PM at City Council Chambers (911 10th Street))

Alternatives Analysis Process

The City engaged with the Golden community to determine the best route for a 'secondary route' of the P2P Trail through Downtown Golden. A secondary route could help alleviate trail congestion and create a better trail experience for all users. This analysis outlined project-specific and community goals, and leverage existing or anticipated funding to determine the construction feasibility of a secondary route.

The alternatives analysis and conceptual design phase of the project is complete. Please contact Matt Wempe (mwempe@cityofgolden.net or 303-215-8884) if you would like a PDF copy of the final report and conceptual design plans.

Accessibility Support

Please contact Matt Wempe (mwempe@cityofgolden.net or 303-215-8884) if you, a person you are assisting, or an organization needs additional help to engage with our planning process due to limited access to technology, a disability or a language access need.

Póngase en contacto con Matt Wempe (mwempe@cityofgolden.net o 303-215-8884) si usted, una persona a la que asiste o una organización necesita ayuda adicional para participar en nuestro proceso de planificación debido a un acceso limitado a la tecnología, una discapacidad o una necesidad de acceso lingüístico.