Stapleton Nature

Stapleton Nature

Conifer trees dominate the short informative Stapleton-Braille Nature Trail. Denver Parks and Recreation’s Mountain Parks system manages the unique loop that flanks a small spring-fed creek and features a plastic-covered guidance cable. Thirty-one interpretive signs in both print and braille make for an informative hike. For the sight-impaired, a careful descent is advised; a clockwise hike might be considered as the gentler west side gradient of the loop makes descending smoother. This description, however, travels counterclockwise, dropping 190 vertical feet in 0.3 miles on the south-southwest-facing slope and returning up the cooler, well-graded north-facing bank. Though the Stapleton-Braille loop is just 0.6 miles round trip, it offers the chance to compare flora on opposing exposures. Between the two, hikers shift from a pine-dominated descent to a Douglas fir-dominated ascent, with a chance to view the 50 or so flower species growing on either side. Wildflower alert: Purple rock clematis blooms on the shaded, north-facing banks.

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