The Cherry Creek Watershed is one of the most studied and talked about urban watersheds in Colorado because it lies within one of the fastest growing parts of the country.

The 600 miles of riparian vegetated stream corridors, the alluvial aquifer that provides water supplies to many, and the Cherry Creek Reservoir, including its recreational amenities and fisheries, provide a highly valued resource to the residents of Colorado. As early as the 1980s, citizens recognized this and took major steps to protect this resource.

The Cherry Creek watershed is one of the dominant geographical and cultural features of the Denver metropolitan area. The Creek connects communities in Denver, Arapahoe and Douglas counties. For centuries this connection was used by Native Americans, trappers, traders and adventurers who followed the Cherokee trail north from the Santa Fe Trail on toward the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River, the site of Denver’s original settlement.