Evergreen Lake in Summer

Walking the short one-mile loop around Evergreen Lake I enter the world of nature even though I’m in the heart of town. The wildlife in and around the water keep my eyes busy searching the landscape for movement, they don’t stray to the small highway circling one side of the lake.

I begin at the large log Lakehouse on the west side of the lake. The Lakehouse is owned by Evergreen Parks and Recreation, which hosts special events there throughout the year. Tall, large windows face into the lake taking in the beauty of the water while giving the building a church like appearance.

This part of the lake will host skating in the winter. I look forward to skating with my family on a frozen lake for the first time in a few months. I know skating first began around 1940 on this lake and even though that was over 60 years ago I feel a connection to the past as I follow in the footsteps of others who have loved this lake.

At first the path is wide to funnel people, small sailboats, or small fishing boats down to the shore. Blue spruce trees line the path and give off a resinous odor. Ducks form small groups of four or five and swim around on unseen roads.

Sleek black cormorants float on the water and periodically dive under the water. I watch anxiously for them to reappear for what seems like a long time. When they resurface they resume floating as if they’d never been gone.

I head east pass several maintenance sheds to a long wooden building that houses a nature center and rents paddle boats and kayaks. It is still early morning so everything is closed. I walk along the docks listening to the water lap against the boats and feel the waves pulse below my feet. Here the water smells a little fishy and I wonder how many fishermen visit each day.

The path quickly narrows as a leave the docks. The path isn’t manicured; powdery gray soil and small gravel mark the footpath bordered with wildflowers mingling with tall grasses. The lake is great for walkers, runners and serious hikers use other nearby parks that allow them speed and freedom. Paths angle down the steep slope to bare areas against the shoreline where fishermen are stationed with ice chests, dogs, and family members. My wrong turns go unnoticed, as the fishermen remain focused on the water.

The main path heading to the dam has several thin wooden bridges. Here I nod as I pass a few other hikers out to enjoy the morning. Beneath one bridge I see something move in the water. A very long fish with teeth, a tiger muskie, is heading into the sun. Posted signs say any caught less than 36 inches must be immediately returned to the water. This fish was introduced into Colorado lakes in the 1980s to control other species and to give fishermen a trophy size fish. I’m excited to see such a large fish, one that can weigh over 40 pounds, that dwarfs the brown or rainbow trout I usually see.

The water before the dam is usually calm because the end of the lake is shielded by hills across the street running behind Main Street in downtown. In the afternoon boats at this end of the lake have to paddle to find the wind.

More cormorants line the top of the dam on the east end of the lake. They sit on the edge as if permanently affixed as the water rushes under them.
I walk down the steps behind the spillway; the water is loud, a light spray of water rises in a white mist, and a slightly musty smell waits at the bottom where the sun encourages algae growth. Here Cub Creek comes from the south to join Bear Creek, and the ice-cold water continues east under a bridge heading off behind buildings in downtown Evergreen.

Coming back up to lake level I see the highway. I keep my eyes looking down at the lake and walk quickly to escape eye contact with the people passing in cars. I know I’m in the middle of the city, but right now I want to continue enjoying nature without interruption. Only the smell of car exhaust is hard to block out. Soon I’m on the north side of the lake where Bear Creek enters and the marshes begin. Red-winged black birds sit sunning in the tall cattails, the bright red on their wings stand out against the green grasses and water.

Walking over a bridge something else red catches my eye. A large crayfish over 4 inches long heads out of the grass. It looks more like a little lobster than the small brown crayfish I’m use to seeing in Texas. I pull my camera out to record his progress, but before I can focus he ‘s under the bridge as if intentionally avoiding having his photo taken. Even though this area has many marsh features the cold running water in the area gives off no stagnant water odors.

At the end of the marsh I come back to the Lakehouse and turn for a one last look down the lake. I see a serious wave of walkers begin their circle. Since we moved to Evergreen at the first of the year I’ve enjoyed this walk many times. It is short and I can enjoy it alone or with my family. In a few weeks as fall arrives I will learn what changes a new season will bring.

Walking back in to the parking lot I notice the golf course is busy and carts are traveling across the well manicured grass. The golf course comes right up to the lake, but the golfers ignore the lake and its visitors the same way we ignore them. I’m glad the elite of Denver invested in Evergreen and started the Mountain Park System in the early 1900s. The money created fast economical growth, and later protection of the natural resources. How wonderful that when there isn’t time to hike the mountains and be alone with nature I can come to this man-made lake and get a quick nature fix.