Since 1979, the Foundation is the single non-profit entity that collaboratively partners with community representation to create and enhance the trails and greenways in the South Metro area.  We rely on strong, interactive partnership to help us succeed in our efforts benefiting hundreds of thousands of community members.

Our vision is to interconnect a stellar trails network that supports fitness, transportation, health, recreation, and vital links to community amenities to enhance the South Suburban community’s quality of life. The Trustee’s primary role is to increase long range community partnerships and increase communication and marketing to support trail use.

Our mission is to maximize outdoor opportunities benefiting south metro communities by envisioning, promoting, financing, facilitating and completing trails and greenways by creating and strengthening strong collaborative partnerships.

For more than 30 years the Foundation has been a leader in creating and developing stellar trails and greenways benefiting the south metro communities of Denver.  We are always leading the way developing trail projects through strong collaborative partnerships.  Our current projects include the Centennial Link Trail and the Littleton Community Trail.

Centennial Link Trail

The Centennial Link Trail begins at Goodson Recreation Center/deKoevend Park and heads east to Holly Park; Phase III is in the development process.  When completed in 2014, the 2.5 mile multi-use trail will provide a link to a wide range of community amenities including Peabody and Lenski Elementary schools, South Suburban’s regional Goodson Recreation Center & deKoevend Park (baseball fields, tennis courts, picnic areas), Kings Point Swim Club, Little Dry Creek Park, Holly Park/Pool/Tennis Center, Willow Spring Open Space, & Heritage Village Park.
 

Littleton Community Trail

This planned trail project is important to the fabric of our community and has been in the minds and hearts of our community for some time.  The Littleton Community Trail is well defined by the course of the City Ditch and is used by pedestrians and cyclists.  Planned as a 2.3 mile crusher fine trail, users will be able to travel from the Big Dry Creek corridor to Ridge Road, enjoying all the amenities along the trail from Cornerstone Park, Littleton Courthouse, Buck Recreation and Senior Center, War Memorial Rose Garden all the way south past the Historic Littleton Cemetery.
 

Building committed partnerships, we have dedicated and provided the leadership for significant outdoor trail, park and greenway projects including:

The Big Dry Creek Regional Trail which links the Mary Carter Greenway on the Platte River to the High Line Canal in Greenwood Village. Working with multiple partners including Englewood, Littleton, Greenwood Village, Arapahoe County, and the South Suburban Park and Recreation District, we are actively completing this link for 2008. In Fall 2002, a 250-foot pedestrian bridge crossing the South Platte River at the confluence with Big Dry Creek was installed providing a major trail link and access point.

Today, the Big Dry Creek Greenway provides a 10’ wide multi-use trail benefiting cyclists, skaters, pedestrians and equestrians of all ages and abilities.  Neighbors throughout the south area can open their front doors and literally step onto the trail!  Because much of it is below street level and located near high-density development, this trail provides the much-needed outdoor relief from urban living.  A recreational trail and a transportation corridor, the trail benefits local neighborhoods, businesses as well as regional visitors.
 

The Mary Carter Greenway, an eight-mile multi-use trail and whitewater facility along the South Platte River in Arapahoe County, is the Foundation’s legacy trail project.  Forming an integral part of the central spine of the Denver Metro Area greenway system, this $4 million project follows the South Platte River from Denver to Chatfield State Park and is enjoyed by nearly a million visitors each year.  The trail is named after Mary Hampton Carter whose vision and energy led the Foundation for several critical years.  Not only for humans, the trail follows the South Platte River which is a significant transportation corridors for wildlife such as migratory birds, foxes and raccoons spotted frequently along the river and trail.  By improving and creating much needed connections to the larger waterways and wetland habitat areas nearby (South Platte River, Chatfield Reservoir) is imperative for long range sustainability.