Trail Construction Update: December 2022
Property boundary issues have been resolved, plans for final 1.5 miles of trail construction east of Severance have been approved. Contractor has been selected and authorized to begin project. Unfortunately, actual construction is now delayed until Spring 2023 due to production delays in the manufacture of a steel bridge needed to span the Roullard Ditch.
The Town of Severance has completed concrete paving of a section of trail north of CR 72 (Tinsman Ave). This will connect the Severance Community Park to the new sidewalks west of the trail along CR 72. A flashing crossing sign will also be installed at this intersection.
The Great Western Trail is a wide unpaved trail located in rural Weld County in Northern Colorado. There is a 3 mile section of the trail that connects to the Windsor Trail system on the northeast edge of the Town of Windsor, traveling northeast across open countryside and new subdivisions to the center of the Town of Severance. There is also a 5.5 mile stretch of newly constructed trail beginning at Cheyenne Avenue in the Town of Eaton and proceeding west toward Severance, terminating at Roulard Lake east of County Road 27. The remaining 1.5 miles of trail connecting these two segments is scheduled for construction in 2021, which will complete the entire 10.5 mile Great Western Trail.
The Great Western Trail is a mixed-use recreation trail that utilizes the abandoned rail bed of the Great Western Railroad. The trail helps to preserve this historic right-of-way through the “railbanking” provisions of the federal National Trails System Act.
The trail has a gentle grade, is quite wide, and is surfaced with a soft crusher fines aggregate. It offers spectacular views of the adjacent farmland and the mountains on the western horizon. The Great Western Trail is part of Northern Colorado’s growing regional trail system.
Click here for a map of the trail.
History
The tracks for the Great Western Railroad were laid in the early 1900’s to service the booming sugar beet industry in the Northern Colorado area. These rail lines crossed through Weld County, Larimer County and Boulder County.
Read more about the history of the Great Western Railroad…
Today
The Great Western Trail provides a recreational opportunity for the three communities as well as access for the local schools. It creates a corridor to connect the three communities and connects to the Town of Windsor Recreational Trail System to the west. The trail can be used to reach Windsor Lake and via on-street bike lanes to connect with the Poudre River Trail.
Find out more about the Great Western Trail Authority…
Great Western Trail Foundation
Your tax-deductible contribution to the Great Western Trail Foundation helps fund construction of the trail by providing the local matching funds required by our grants.