Barr Lake was at one time an open sewage pit. In the 1950s and 60s all of Denver's untreated wastewater flowed into this reservoir just outside of Brighton, northeast of the metro area. 40 years later it is a haven for wildlife, lush with forests and wetlands, full of living things.
The first of many state parks I hope to visit over the summer, Barr Lake is familiar to me. I've bicycled and hiked even canoed the lake many times. I could have written this without going there this morning and it’s a good thing.
State Park Lesson Number 1: I have to share state parks with other people.As I pulled up to the park entrance at 6:30 this morning, a committee greeted me and asked if I was there for the run. Now this often happens at Cherry Creek State Park where I go most Saturdays. That place is right in the middle of the urban jungle, almost a Central Park of Denver-Aurora. It gets crowded. But Barr Lake always seems so distant, so outside of the city. You never see crowds, and if you do it’s usually a gaggle of lively birdwatchers.
One of the things I enjoy the most is feeling like I’m back in the Midwest, surrounded by hay and cornfields, barns and horses. Unlike much of Colorado, this area is wet and swampy. Barr’s shores are less about sandy beaches and more about bayous. You’d almost expect to see alligators lurking amongst the cottonwoods standing in the shallow water. But as you gaze at the swamp, Longs Peak, in the distance white with snow, rises dramatically out of the plains.
I’ve never seen a gator, but over the years, I've seen many deer - some swimming in the water - hundreds of fish and thousands of birds, including the nesting bald eagles for which the park is famous. Spring is especially lively as hundreds of carp flop around in the shallows near the shore, spawning. Barr Lake is a large lake (by Colorado standards), but it's fairly quiet. Large motor boats are not allowed. There are no jet skis, no water skiers. Even non-motorized boats (kayaks, canoes) are limited to half the lake - the other half is completely reserved for wildlife.
One thing you can do at Barr Lake is walk, nearly 10 miles, all the way around. Not only do you get a feel for the water itself, but the woods and farmland can be soaked in up close, including herds of sheep and cattle.
The hike is flat but can be muddy. The mosquitoes can be nasty. But if you're like me, you forget all about that when a train rolls by. A big part of the lake abuts the railroad. If you're lucky, you'll be near (but not on) the tracks when a giant freight train rumbles past, shaking the ground, and causing that child-like thrill: "A train! A train! Wave at the engineer and see if he waves back!"
So I was disappointed when I arrived at 6:30 this morning, ready for my hike and my communion with nature. What I found instead was volunteers setting up, orange cones marking the trail, tables with big water dispensers on them and those cardboard waste containers with plastic bags in them – all around the lake.I don’t have bad feelings towards the big runs. I love that I live in a state where there is usually one somewhere every weekend: the Bolder Boulder, the Turkey Trot, the Cherry Creek Sneak, the Fury Scurry, and today’s Sean May Memorial Run. Sean May was a district attorney in Brighton who was shot a few years ago. I certainly don’t begrudge today’s runners their good cause. I’m sure the organizers cleaned up after themselves and the wildlife felt no ill effect.
The good news is that people do use the state parks. I just need to get over my hang-up about sharing them.I did get a good hike in before the run started. I didn’t get to go all the way around the lake, but I saw two huge pheasants, a million swallows, several rabbits, and some geese with goslings. I stood on the dam looking over the expanse of water and saw a long coal train making its way towards the city. I put my hands in my pockets to keep them warm and thought about all the state parks I’m going to visit this summer. I’ll try to share better.
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