Monday, May 10, 2021

A Walk Around Evergreen Lake

 My husband and I took a short drive west to Evergreen, Colorado, last week to take a walk around the lake that is located there.  Evergreen is at an elevation of 7,220 feet (2,200m) and was named for the plentiful pine, spruce, and fir trees that grow at its location.



The area which is now Evergreen Lake was originally the scenic mountain ranch of 1860s pioneer Julius C. Dedisse.  His 420 acres of land were purchased by the City & County of Denver in 1919.  In 1927-28 Denver constructed the 35-foot (11 m) high Evergreen Dam as a flood control measure on the notoriously flood-prone Bear Creek, creating the 55-acre (220,000 m) Evergreen Lake. The surrounding area is now part of Denver Mountain Parks and is called Dedisse Park after the original landowner.  The lake has become a favorite recreational part of the Evergreen Community with ice skating and hockey in the winter and boating and paddleboarding rental opportunities in the summer.  The beautiful rustic Evergreen Lake House, seen in the photo above, is available for rental and many weddings have been held there.

Please click on to enlarge to read the information.

Bear Creek runs through the Bear Creek Watershed that extends from Mount Evans Wilderness to Morrison and it is a tributary of the South Platte River in central Colorado.


 

Parts of the land surrounding the lake have become marshlike with the seasonal ebb and flow of the creek.



A portion of the lake perimeter consists of a boardwalk over the marsh.



The lake attracts many migrating birds and the Evergreen Audubon Society volunteers help observe and keep records of the birds sighted along Evergreen Lake and Bear Creek, as well as completing other studies. Click on the photo above to enlarge it to see a list of some recent bird sightings. The day I was at the lake I saw mainly geese and red-winged blackbirds.


The lake is now open to boating and paddleboarding and rentals are available at the lake boathouse.



I thought the marsh reeds made a pretty pattern in this area!



One of our favorite restaurants--Willow Creek--is located across the road from the lake. We look forward to being able to dine on their outdoor patio once the weather gets warmer.



Another favorite place to dine can be seen in the distance--Keys on the Green. It is located in the original octagonal clubhouse of Evergreen Golf Course, which was the first public golf course in the state of Colorado, constructed in 1925.




After our hike around the lake, we took a drive up Bear Creek Road to admire all the big beautiful houses in the area.  Can you see this one across the creek and behind the towering pine trees? 


Another house along the road had this exhibit outside for the holiday Cinco de Mayo, celebrated on May 5th.




As we headed back home we passed the historic Little Bear Saloon and restaurant in the town of Evergreen.  They have live music six nights a week, and a few years ago we attended a concert there with friends which you can see in this post. It is such a fun venue!



A drive back east down Bear Creek Canyon and we were home again, happily refreshed after a nice day out. I'm really looking forward to going on more local hikes now that the weather is improving.  We feel fortunate to be able to enjoy the outdoors again after such an unusual year. 




I hope everyone had a Happy Mother's Day!

You can also find me on


Bookmark and Share

32 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Hello Pat,
I hope you had a very happy Mother's Day. What a lovely walk, the views of the lake are beautiful. I see you have some Cormorants in your photos too. It is nice to see a list kept of bird sightings in the area. Have a great day and a happy new week!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

I would really enjoy walking around that lake! It looks so beautiful.

NCSue said...

What a beautiful place! Gorgeous scenery.
Thanks for sharing at https://www.sfdsassociation.org/privatehome.html

William Kendall said...

A beautiful area.

ellen b. said...

You've taken good advantage of good Spring weather for your adventures. Such a wonderful place to visit!

Linda said...

It’s been many years and a lifetime ago that I sat at a picnic table by Evergreen Lake and painted! I loved visiting here again, this time with you!

Janice said...

Beautiful blue skies!

Fun60 said...

It looks a lovely scenic area for walking and enjoying the surroundings.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

Nice outing that you had to a pretty lake. I love nice restaurants and bars and looks like Everygreen has them.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Oh what a lovely area! Looks like you had a perfect day, with just the right amount of clouds to make gorgeous pictures.

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

The blue skies are gorgeous!

Joanne said...

That looks like such a beautiful place to hike!

Angie said...

Pat - a fabulous outing to a scenic spot. It has so much to offer! Last week we had our first outside dining for the summer, and it was delightful. One of my all-time favorite things to do! I also liked the pattern of the grasses - very picturesque! I hope you were treated royally on Mother's Day! Thanks for linking to Mosaic Monday!

stevebethere said...

What a lovely walk so much to see thanks for the pleasant tour :-)

Have a walktastic week 👍

Jeanie said...

What a lovely road trip -- and those skies! Oh, we could use a little blue around here. I'm glad to see your snow looks long gone and what interesting sights you saw. I am longing to see water again!

EricaSta said...

Hello Pat, thank you for your nice comment... yes, my eye become better and better. I looking forward hopeful.

That place you shows is fantastic. A wonderful part of nature. I wished I could be there... one day after Corona.

Happy MosaicMonday

Sylvia said...

Pat, Beautiful water shots! Love the big blue skies. Thanks for sharing and have a great week! Sylvia D.

Donna @ Modern on Monticello said...

Absolutely beautiful to see. #HomeMattersParty

Lowcarb team member said...

A lovely trip, it is so nice to get out and about when Covid restrictions allow.
Lovely photographs you've shared.

Enjoy your week.

All the best Jan

Barbara Rogers said...

You are so fortunate to live where there are so many opportunities for being outdoors. Thanks for showing me this beautiful setting.

Sharon Wagner said...

I love trails with elevated boardwalks. I just saw on T.V. that New york is planning a floating swimming pool. (with a floating walkway to get to it)

Spare Parts and Pics said...

That looks like a beautiful little mountain lake, and the scenery all around it is gorgeous. It's wonderful you can get out and enjoy it's natural beauty!

Lorrie said...

What a beautiful place for an outing. Being in the mountains is so refreshing and the lake looks like a jewel there.

Jim said...

Beautiful.

Light and Voices said...

Greetings and Salutations! I enjoyed the walking cyber tour of the lakes in your area. Happy belated Mother's Day! Glad you were able to enjoy the wonderful Spring weather. Take care.

Aditya Narayan Mohanty said...

Nice collection of pics

Nanda kumar said...

I like the lake views with thick clouds. The birds add additional joy

Meditations in Motion said...

I remember seeing the signs to Evergreen when we travel between Denver and our son's home in Steamboat Springs. What beautiful photos! Now, I must stop and take a walk the next time we visit.

betty-NZ said...

There was certainly a lot to see at that lake and the surrounding area! Great pics :)

Thanks for being part of 'My Corner of the World' this week!

Barb said...

It sure was a lovely day to hike at the lake. Evergreen is a charming town and the surrounding natural environment is also welcoming. The Elk Preserve is also a pretty place to hike.

Soma @ inkTorrents.com said...

What an amazingly beautiful place. I would love to visit there one day! Thanks so much for sharing the photos with us.

-Soma

Tom said...

...beautiful country!!!