The Stagecoach Trailhead to Elk Meadow Park, closed for extensive restoration work, reopened Oct. 25 with a new trail to Jenkins Peak, new restrooms, expanded parking lot and crosswalk.

With much of it closed for seven years, the site of the former Elk Meadow Park Dog off-leash park reopened in late October with a new trailhead and an added hiking trail up the formerly inaccessible Jenkins Peak.

“We’re thrilled to have the area open again,” said Matt Robbins, spokesperson for Jefferson County Parks & Open Space.

The dog park was open for 15 years and tremendously popular. Not only did its 107 acres give dogs plenty of room to roam and play, it offered their owners stunning mountain views, a combination that drew visitors from not just Evergreen but the metro area.

In the end, the dog park was a victim of its own success. While volunteers worked to clean up after owners who didn’t, Jefferson County said the land had been worn down from overuse and closed the property.

Battling erosion and beetles

Jeffco’s restoration project on the former dog park site began in April 2017.

“It was a lot of work, and not just to the dog park,” Robbins said. “The stream bank had to be redone. Soil was brought in. We did a lot of replanting.

“We’ve also added some amenities, increased the size of the parking lot, relocated and upgraded the restroom and added a flashing beacon and crosswalk over Stagecoach.”

Jeffco Open Space spent years re-establishing native plants and reversing impacts to stream banks.  Unexpectedly, they also found a 36-acre area that had been infested with pine beetles and treated that as well.

Many of those trees now sport green tags, which Robbins said are pheromone pouches that repel the pine beetle.

Jeffco Open Space also constructed a 1.3-mile trail to Jenkins Peak. The trail features an elevation gain of about 300 feet. Dogs are welcome on the new trail and others in the area, but must be on leash.

The county dramatically expanded the parking lot from 29 to 82 spots. That lot includes two EV chargers and a new restroom.

The Stagecoach trailhead is one of two entrances to Elk Meadow Park; the other is on Bergen Peak Drive. Elk Meadow, with 1,658 acres and about 15 miles of trails, is one of Evergreen’s most popular trail destinations.

The Stagecoach Trailhead is at 32281 Stagecoach Boulevard in Evergreen.