Village Walk, Red Rocks & Cherry Gulch Trail

The Village Walk, Red Rocks & Cherry Gulch Trail threads through one of Colorado's most geologically and historically layered open spaces—Matthews/Winters Park, a 2,461-acre Jefferson County preserve bordered by I-70 to the north and Red Rocks Park to the south. Here, ancient sandstone formations, a gold rush ghost town, and dinosaur-bearing rock strata all coexist within a single trail system just 15 miles west of Denver.

This is the ideal trail for hikers who want more than a workout. The route descends through the Mount Vernon Creek valley past remnants of an 1859 gold rush town, climbs into dramatic red rock formations, and finishes with a steep descent through the narrow, walled Cherry Gulch—all without the crowds of the adjacent amphitheatre. It's the most complete way to experience everything Matthews/Winters Park has to offer.

Trail Details

Starting on the Village Walk, the trail begins wide and clear from the Matthews/Winters trailhead before gradually narrowing as it transitions onto the Red Rocks Trail. The route is mostly exposed, combining a valley walk along Mount Vernon Creek, a ridge traverse through the red formations, and the steep Cherry Gulch descent—the trail's most dramatic segment. The gulch section is rated difficult for its grade and hairpin pitch, but at only 0.3 miles it's a brief, rewarding challenge before you retrace back to the trailhead.

Best times to visit:

• Weekday mornings before 9 a.m.—the trailhead fills quickly on weekends
• Spring and fall for wildflowers and comfortable temperatures
• Winter on dry days for solitude and crisp Foothills air
• Avoid after heavy rain—trails close seasonally for muddy conditions

Outdoor Wellness Benefits

Matthews/Winters Park is a case study in what urban-adjacent open space can do for mental health. The trail corridor sits between the Denver metro's western suburbs and the Rocky Mountain foothills—a transition zone that delivers the psychological benefits of genuine nature immersion without requiring a long mountain drive.

Movement and terrain variety: The route's combination of flat valley walking, moderate climbing, and the steep Cherry Gulch descent engages multiple muscle groups and keeps the cardiovascular system in an effective aerobic range. Varied terrain effort—fluctuating naturally with the landscape rather than a treadmill's mechanical pace—is associated with higher post-exercise mood ratings than steady-state exercise.

Red rock as restorative landscape: The Fountain Formation sandstone that defines this trail creates what environmental psychologists call a "coherent" landscape: visually organized, easily navigable, and emotionally grounding. The warm tones of oxidized iron in the rock have a documented calming effect on the nervous system compared to cool or neutral palettes.

Micro-dose wilderness: Research from the University of Michigan found that 20-minute nature walks significantly reduce cortisol. This route delivers that threshold and then some, with genuine topographic engagement—you earn the views here, which amplifies the reward response and sense of accomplishment.

What You'll See

Ancient Geology in Every Direction

The trail passes through two distinct geological formations. The red sandstone of the Fountain Formation—deposited 300 million years ago from the eroding Ancestral Rocky Mountains—creates the dramatic formations the route is named for. To the east, the Dakota Hogback rises as a sharp, asymmetric ridge formed 50 to 70 million years ago when sedimentary layers were tilted by tectonic forces.

In 1877, naturalist Arthur Lakes discovered dinosaur bones along this hogback, including the first confirmed specimens of Stegosaurus, Apatosaurus, and Diplodocus. You're walking through a site that rewrote paleontology.

A Ghost Town Underfoot

The Village Walk section passes through the former townsite of Mount Vernon, founded in 1859 as a staging point for gold seekers heading into the mountains via the Mount Vernon Canyon toll road. The town grew quickly with the rush, then collapsed when railroads bypassed the canyon in the 1870s. By 1885 it had vanished from stage road maps entirely. Stone foundations and subtle earthworks are visible from the trail—the foothills weren't always this quiet.

Wildlife

Mule deer are commonly spotted grazing near Mount Vernon Creek at dawn and dusk. Red-tailed hawks hunt the open grasslands between rock formations, and seasonal wildflowers—golden banner, penstemon, and wild plum—color the trail margins in spring and early summer.

Planning Your Visit

Getting there: The Matthews/Winters Trailhead is located off CO-26 (Rooney Road) just north of US-40 in Morrison. From I-70, take Exit 259 and follow signs to the park. Free parking available, but the lot fills by 9 a.m. on weekends.

What to bring:

• Water (minimal shade on much of the route)
• Sun protection—the upper portions are fully exposed
• Trekking poles for the steep Cherry Gulch section
• Sturdy shoes with grip for loose rocky terrain

Dogs: Welcome on leash. Fees: Free. Jefferson County Open Space.

Extending Your Outing

• Dakota Ridge Trail: Continue onto the hogback for a strenuous ridgeline traverse with Front Range panoramas
• Morrison Slide Trail: An additional loop option within the same trail network
• Red Rocks Amphitheater: Just south of the park boundary—combine with a fitness staircase workout on the concert venue steps
• Downtown Morrison: Independent shops, galleries, and a laid-back mountain town feel a few minutes south on US-40