Park View Trail at Pine Valley Ranch (Jefferson County Open Space)

Trail Difficulty: Easy/moderate. Short uphill climb to lookout.

Trail Length:
1 mile

Trail Description:
Pine Valley Ranch was once a working Ranch in the early 1900’s along the Platte River and the railroad. The park now includes hiking trails, a lake for fishing, picnic pavilions, miles of mountain biking trails, the old lodge, and an observatory.

The Park View Trail is a shady, moderate uphill climb to a lookout point where you will be able to see the beautiful surroundings of the valley. You will start by hiking around part of

Pine Lake and then up the side of the mountain through the pine trees. From the trail you will catch glimpses of the lake, the surrounding hills, as well as the rushing Platte River below. The trail is well-traveled and well-maintained with wooden stairs and railings to make the terrain easier to hike.

This is a huge park and it accommodates many visitors. It is not a low traffic area as you will notice when you arrive in the parking lot. If you are looking for a hike where you feel like you are alone in the wilderness, this is NOT the park for you. Visit on a weekday to avoid the crowds. It is a great place to have a cookout and bring the kids for a day of fun (hiking and fishing) in the mountains.

Restrooms available at the parking/picnic area.

Picnic spot recommendations:
We like to pack our food and head up the trail to eat at the lookout of Park View Trail. If you prefer, there are a lot picnic tables near the river with grills if you like to cookout.

Travel Time:
From Jct C-470 and Hwy 285, approximately 45 minutes

How to get there:
From C-470 and Hwy 285: take Hwy 285 south to Pine Junction (20 miles). Go south on Hwy 126 (Pine Valley Rd.) 6 miles to Crystal Lake Rd.. Turn right on Crystal Lake Rd. and go 1.5 miles to parking lot of Pine Valley Ranch.