The Tunnel 5/Oxbow Trailhead on US 6 for the canyon segment of the Clear Creek Greenway opened June 22. It was originally slated to be completed in December of 2021, but was delayed.

The newly completed segment connects the west side of Tunnel 5 to the already completed 3.75 miles of trail towards the east into Mayhem Gulch and further into Jefferson County. This allows people to start the trail in Clear Creek County, rather than having to drive into Jefferson County first. The rock climbing routes beside the trailhead are also now accessible.

This is part of the broader, multi-county Peaks-to-Plain trail project that, according to the Clear Creek Open Space, will eventually become a 65-mile trail from Loveland Pass to the South Platte River Trail in Denver and Adams County. 

Many portions of the trail already exist. In Clear Creek, a trail connects the far east portion of Idaho Springs — by the Central City Parkway entrance — to the Exit 244 of I-70 area. There’s also the Gateway Segment in Jefferson County, about two miles long starting from US 6 outside Golden and passing right through the city.

According to Clear Creek County Open Space Coordinator Martha Tableman, with the completion of the canyon segment of the project, “we are one step closer to getting to Idaho Springs.”