High Line Canal | Denver Water

High Line Canal

Photography by Jackie Shumaker

Owned and operated by Denver Water
Recreational use agreements with seven agencies
Reservations: Day use area — no reservations required
Length: 66 miles
Capacity: The maximum capacity is 600 cubic feet per second. On average, the canal is about 2 feet deep.
Contact: Multiple agencies

Background

The High Line Canal, designated as a National Landmark Trail, was completed in 1883 to deliver irrigation water. Today, the canal is owned and operated by Denver Water. The canal trail has become a major recreational amenity in the Denver area, as people enjoy using the canal’s trail for hiking, biking, jogging and horseback riding.

Directions

From a diversion dam on the South Platte River 1.8 miles upstream from the mouth of Waterton Canyon, the canal runs 66 miles (106 km) east-northeast through Douglas, Arapahoe, and Denver counties, ending at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Lateral in the Green Valley Ranch area in northeast Denver. The canal is accessible along most of its length. To reach its starting point, take Colorado 470 to Wadsworth (Colorado 121) and follow Colorado 121 south to the Kassler Center.

For more information on access and facilities along the canal, check out our High Line Canal Map and Guide to the High Line Canal Trail.

Seasonal Information

Open year round, 5 a.m. – 11 p.m., subject to modification by recreation agencies.

Special Events

Permits must be obtained from both Denver Water and the recreation management agency for the area of the event.

Recreation Opportunities

Overview of available activities

nature viewing	Wildlife viewing, including birds, mammals and several species of reptiles.
bicycling	Road bikes are best suited on the hard surfaces of the canal trail in Denver and Aurora. The routes through South Suburban, Highlands Ranch, Chatfield, Cherry Hill and Greenwood Village are all soft-surface trails, more suitable for mountain bikes.
hiking	The trail is used by a variety of people, from walkers with strollers to joggers and runners. Please be considerate of others.
horseback riding	Horses are welcome on most of the canal, but be aware of the regulations along different parts of the canal.
picnicking	The canal winds through many parks that provide picnic tables. There are a few tables available along the canal trail. Benches also are provided along most of the canal. See local area maps for locations.

Note: Please be aware that pets must be on a leash, and that owners are responsible for cleaning up after their pets.

What agency should I contact if I have concerns about the canal or the trail?
Denver Water is responsible for running water through the canal and for completing general maintenance of the canal. There are seven agencies with recreation agreements that are responsible for maintaining the trail:

Trees
Denver Water is responsible for trimming trees and removing hazardous trees that border the canal. Denver Water has worked with Colorado State University to monitor the health of the cottonwoods along the canal. Trees are evaluated and then trimmed, or removed, to protect the public, including those who recreate on the trail and those who own property that borders the canal. Denver Water has no plans to plant trees along the canal. Without irrigation, new trees do not succeed. Some park districts along the canal have planted trees and installed irrigation lines. Plantings are coordinated with Denver Water and the planting master plan.

When the water flows
The canal has an 1879 water right, which is fairly junior by Colorado water rights standards. Depending on the availability of water from the South Platte River, and irrigation demand by users on the canal, Denver Water intermittently runs water through the canal between the months of April and October. On average, water flows through the canal 92 days a year.

Seepage
All dirt-lined canals seep water. The canal seeps about 60 to 80 percent of the water running through it, making it more suitable for recreation purposes than for water delivery. The canal has been seeping since it opened more than a century ago. Denver Water understands some people who have built below the canal may have problems with normal seepage loss from the canal, but it is not the responsibility of Denver Water, or its seven partnering agencies, to correct those problems. The canal was in operation — and leaking — at its present location long before development in areas near the canal.

High Line Canal Future Management Study
Because of water conservation needs and the canal’s inefficiencies, Denver Water has discontinued use of the lower 22 miles of the canal for irrigation water distribution. Concerned agencies have developed a study to investigate alternatives that would preserve the canal as a recreational resource. For more information on the study, contact a High Line Canal partner: