Dawson Butte Ranch Open Space Trail

I had a great hike at Dawson Butte Ranch the past Sunday (Oct 11, 2020) with my friend and highly recommend this place for a hike with your friends/family/pooch! This is a spacious place that only has a loop (about 5 miles all the way from the start to finish) so you will never get lost there. It's got some shades so despite the name you will be able to rest and catch some breath in a shaded area if you don't want to be in the sun. The trail is moderate and is mainly sandy which I liked; it's not too burdensome for your knees if you have knee problem. We also saw people with horses and donkeys so there should be some horse/donkey riding place where they offer such service (watch out for their droppings on the trail!) It also offers beautiful views of nearby buttes and you will be able to take great pictures there. Can't wait to go back there again!

Many parts of this hike are desolate & near the road. During this stretch no trees so it's HOT! Many people here with horses don't have to clean up after but if you have your dog you do!

So close to Castle Rock, yet you feel like you are miles away!There is parking for horse trailers, and regular cars in the parking lot. Several picnic tables are also right by the parking lot. We saw more horses than mountain bikers on the trail, and it was quite muddy today since we had about two feet of snow last weekend. There are also many jumps for horses around the space, and we saw some riders taking advantage of those.It warmed up as we were there, and we saw lots of birds, beautiful views, and the trail is super mellow. Many shaded areas under pine trees, which is nice when you would like to take a little rest break. Very peaceful area. We took some of the meadow trails, but mostly stuck to the main Dawson Butte trail and hiked about 5 miles total.Can't wait to go back again.