Aurora Reservoir Perimeter Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Lake · Swimming · Wildlife

There's a $10 daily entrance fee to drive into the reservoir, but there are walk-in entrance gates in the neighborhoods surrounding the reservoir. The reservoir also offers a swimming beach, fishing, boating (electric motors only), paddle boarding, scuba diving, and archery.

The trail is 100% concrete with very little elevation change.

From the picnic area at the reservoir, the trail snakes its way along and near the shoreline. The eastern side of the reservoir has a wide but distant view of the Front Range from Longs Peak to Mount Evans. The one-mile trip over the dam can be surprisingly windy. There's no shade along the trail so bring a hat, sunscreen, and plenty of water. Watch the skies as well because if a thunderstorm rolls through your only shelter will be a few vault toilets spread around the reservoir.

Yucca, shortgrass prairie, cottonwood trees, raccoons, rabbits, various birds, mule deer, pronghorn, and snakes can all be found here.