Douglas County Search and Rescue will be performing nighttime training at
Hidden Mesa from 8 p.m. to midnight on Oct. 30.
The Douglas County Search and Rescue Team will be conducting a night search training exercise at Hidden Mesa Open Space on Saturday, Oct. 30 from 8 p.m. to midnight. Team and personal vehicles will be staged at the trailheads and personnel will be operating on the trails after hours. Canines may also be utilized, motorized all terrain vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles (aka drones). If you notice any of these activities occurring during that time, please do not be alarmed or notify the authorities. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our public information office at [email protected]. We thank you for your cooperation.
Hidden Mesa is a 1,200-acre property with a picnic shelter and production-orchard and bisected by Cherry Creek and the paved Cherry Creek trail. The adventurous trail system connects the meadow and the mesa. Connector trail “Rocky Pass” is literally a trail within a vein of ever-changing cobblestone, whereas, “Pleasant Pass” is a challenging yet pleasant alternative. The Mesa Run loop takes visitors through a meadow and along a rocky outcrop.
Address: 3217 North State Highway 83, Franktown, CO 80116
Size: 1224 acres
Hours: One hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.
Trail Information:
- Natural surface and crusher fines, moderately easy in the lower Cherry Creek valley to moderately difficult as you ascend the mesa and traverse over some rocks on the south side of the mesa top and put on some miles.
- 4.7 miles of trail, plus trail additions, are natural surface, plus .3 mile of the trail is shared with the Cherry Creek Trail. On a ride or hike up onto the mesa loop and back, you would cover almost 7 miles.
- Multi-use: horses, mountain bikes and hiking.
- Dogs must be on leash.
- Hidden Mesa trail map
Amenities:
- Picnic shelter
- Restroom (portable)
- Handicap access and interpretive signs
- Benches
- Water spigot
- Unpaved parking lot for cars and 15 horse trailers
- Round pen
Wildlife:
- Respect the wildlife including coyote, pronghorn, prairie dogs, elk, mule deer, as well as raptors and other bird species.