Gov. Hickenlooper, Sec. Salazar Join Other Dignitaries in Opening Major Segment of Rocky Mountain Greenway

Press Release

Gov. John Hickenlooper today joined former Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, Rep. Ed Perlmutter, U.S. Fish and Wildlife director Dan Ashe, Shari Schaftlein of the U.S. Department of Transportation and other officials to celebrate National Trails Day by opening a significant new stretch of the Rocky Mountain Greenway.

The Rocky Mountain Greenway envisions a trail linking three national wildlife refuges in metro Denver and extending to Rocky Mountain National Park. The segment opened today spans a seven-mile stretch from Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge in Arvada with the Great Western Open Space in Broomfield; it completes the trail from the Rocky Mountain Arsenal in northeast Denver to the boundary of Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge in the northwest part of the metro area.

"The Rocky Mountain Greenway exemplifies our relentless efforts in Colorado to connect people to our natural places, fueling the next generation's appreciation for our spectacular state," said Hickenlooper. "Boosting linkages to three national wildlife refuges on the edges of our largest urban region creates closer ties between people and open spaces, parks and trails. This is precisely the kind of benefit we envision as part of our Colorado the Beautiful initiative."

The Rocky Mountain Greenway was first announced in 2011 by Hickenlooper and then-Interior Secretary Salazar as part of President Obama's America's Great Outdoors Initiative to reconnect Americans with the country's natural resources. The Greenway is also part of the governor's "16 in 2016" initiative, a key component of Colorado the Beautiful's broader goal to ensure within a generation every Coloradan will live within 10 minutes of a park, trail or vibrant green space.

The Rocky Mountain Greenway is intended to close gaps in existing trail networks and develop new trails where needed to ultimately create an 80-mile long continuous route toward Rocky Mountain National Park that will pass through more than 10 municipalities, six counties and four federal land areas. With today's announcement, a 25-mile stretch between the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge and the southeastern portion of Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge is complete.

"I remember well when we announced the Greenway while celebrating the opening of the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Visitor Center in 2011," Salazar said. "That we have come this far is a testament to the hard work of so many, collaborating across jurisdictions, cities, counties and all levels of government. Colorado is once again setting an example to the rest of the country of what partnership can accomplish."

Planning, designing, funding and constructing the Rocky Mountain Greenway has involved cooperation and participation across numerous jurisdictions and agencies. Those include the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Great Outdoors Colorado, Colorado Parks & Wildlife, Denver, Aurora, Arvada, Westminster, Broomfield, Boulder (city and county), Superior, Jefferson County, Adams County, Lyons, the Northeast Greenway Corridor, the Sand Creek Regional Greenway, the Farmer's Highline Canal & Reservoir Company, Farmer's Reservoir & Irrigation Company and the Church Ditch Water Authority.

A draft feasibility study is in process now to examine possible trail alignments continuing north into Boulder County from where this newly opened trail ends at the east edge of the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge. This draft feasibility study is expected to be complete later this year.

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