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West Big Dry Natural Area

West Big Dry Natural Area from directly overhead

West Big Dry Natural Area is a nature reserve in Colorado, at a modelled elevation of 1,794 m. Riley Peak stands 2,854 m to the west, 19 miles off. The nearest named place is Big Dry Creek Park, a park 0.2 miles away. Lariat Loop Scenic and Historic Byway passes 16 miles off.

What to expect

Operated by
Highalnds Ranch Metro District

How to reach it

Coordinates39.53339, -104.92530

Overlooks nearby

Named places within 25 miles

Parks
  • Big Dry Creek Park: 0.2 mi
  • Wildcat Reserve Park: 0.5 mi
  • Highland Heritage Regional Park: 0.6 mi
  • Wildcat Ridge Park: 0.8 mi
  • Wildcat Mountain School Park: 0.8 mi
Gardens
Artworks
Peaks
  • Highlands Point: 2.2 mi
  • Racoon Knob: 5.6 mi
  • Cherokee Mountain: 5.8 mi
  • Cann Hill: 9.0 mi
  • Waterton: 9.1 mi
Historic sites
  • Cherokee Castle: 5.3 mi
  • Denver Tech Center: 6.3 mi
  • George Mackenzie Wallace: 7.0 mi
  • Clarke Farms: 7.1 mi
  • Clarke Farms: 7.1 mi
Attractions
  • Pirates Cove Family Fun Aquatic Center: 7.5 mi
  • MTB Feature: 7.7 mi
  • Bike Jump: 8.1 mi
  • Wall of Healing: 9.5 mi
  • Ring of Remembrance: 9.6 mi
Picnic sites: 48
  • Elk River Park Picnic Area: 6.0 mi
  • Pat Gallagher Park Picnic Area: 6.3 mi
  • Plum Creek Picnic Area: 6.9 mi
  • Riverside: 7.4 mi
  • Marina Point: 7.4 mi
Cliffs: 6
Beaches: 6
Waterfalls: 3
  • Lee Gulch: 5.2 mi
  • The Chutes: 16.8 mi
  • Maxwell Falls: 24.2 mi
Ghost towns: 3
Natural arches: 1
  • Keyhole Rock: 17.9 mi

Summits around it

The highest named summits within 20.6 miles of West Big Dry Natural Area. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.

SummitBearingElevationDistance
Riley PeakW 260°2,854 m19.3 mi
Berrian MountainW 274°2,785 m19.6 mi
Legault MountainW 270°2,757 m18.1 mi
Doublehead MountainW 277°2,711 m18.0 mi
Campbell MountainSSW 212°2,707 m20.5 mi
Long Scraggy PeakSW 228°2,681 m19.8 mi
Crow HillW 268°2,638 m17.0 mi
Huebner PeakW 263°2,633 m16.1 mi

When to go

Light through the year

DateSunriseGolden hourSunset
March equinox07:0418:3619:12
June solstice05:3319:5120:31
September equinox06:4818:2318:58
December solstice07:1715:5716:40

Local time (America/Denver).

Climate normals

Months averaging 50–80 °F: May–Oct.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Avg °F323341475667737163503931
Precip in0.40.41.01.92.02.01.82.31.31.00.50.3

1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Denver Centennial AP, 5 mi away.

Where this comes from

Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.

OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap element way/45159547

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