How many sections of the Colorado Riverfront Trail have you experienced?

 Colorado Riverfront Trail Is A Great Resource For Outdoor Enthusiasts

The Riverfront Trail extends from Palisade to Fruita, providing walkers, hikers, and bikers with a marvelous place to get some exercise and enjoy Western Colorado's great outdoors. But, each section of the trail is very unique.

Today, I want to take a look at the east section of the Clifton Nature Park section of the Riverfront Trail and show you what you can expect on this part of the trail.

Accessing Clifton Nature Park

To get to the Clifton Nature Park, as you head north out of Clifton on 32 Road,  turn east onto D Road and go about a half-mile. The trailhead will be on your right just before you get to  32 1/2 Road.

The parking lot is good-sized, but not huge. It can probably hold 20 vehicles, but I've rarely seen more than 10 or 12 at one time.

Clifton Nature Park Is Very Scenic

The entire trail is pretty scenic, starting out with some fishing ponds that are frequented by local fishermen. About a quarter of a mile in, the trail forks east and west and begins to follow the river.

The east fork, which I am highlighting in this post follows the river on the right, with ponds on the left along with some cattle in an agricultural area.

Wildlife Sighting Possibilities

Along the way, depending on the time of day, it's possible you'll see deer, squirrels, geese, and occasionally maybe even a fox. You'll always see dogs - mostly on leashes - but they don't really count as wildlife.

The east section of the Clifton Nature Park extends for about 1,7 miles until it meets up with D 1/ 2 Road. At that point, you just turn around and head back to the trailhead.

 

Clifton Nature Park Section of Colorado Riverfront Trail

One of the really scenic sections of the Colorado Riverfront Trail is the Clifton Nature Park on D Road in Clifton. Here's a look at what to expect when you head out to the east section of this trail.

Gallery Credit: Zane Mathews

Checking Up on the Waterfall at the Riverfront Trail on the Redlands

If you walk the Riverfront Trail along the Redlands Canal in Grand Junction, you'll spot a small waterfall. Depending on the amount of water diverted to the canal, this waterfall can be anything from a minor runoff to an impressive feature.

Gallery Credit: Waylon Jordan

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