The Jones Ranch Conservation Easement is within the Cherry
Creek Conservation Corridor and is an important buffer to Castlewood Canyon
State Park.
Colorado State Parks and Douglas County have been working collaboratively to preserve buffers around the park and protect the Castlewood Canyon from encroaching development. These buffers have been preserved in the form of both fee-title acquisitions and conservation easements. In 1995, Douglas County purchased the 39-acre Jones Ranch conservation easement on a section of the former Jones Ranch abutting the western boundary of Castlewood Canyon State Park. This purchase was the result of a strong partnership between Colorado State Parks, Colorado Division of Wildlife, Douglas County and Douglas County Land Conservancy.
The Jones Ranch conservation easement sits in the flood plain of Cherry Creek on the north end of Lake Gulch Valley. The easement was purchased to protect the view looking west from many of the trails in Castlewood Canyon State Park. The parcel remains in private ownership and does not have public access.
| Year protected: | 1995 |
|---|---|
| Acres: | 39 |
| Land Category: | Preserve |
| Conservation Tool: | Conservation Easement |
| Cost: | $25,000 |
| Partners: | State Parks, Douglas County Land Conservancy, Division of Wildlife and Douglas County |
| Location: | Ten miles south of Franktown and west of State Highway 83 in the Cherry Creek Corridor |