Winters/Matthews Park- Jefferson County, Colorado

 We had nice little streamside picnic and then did a short hike on the" Village Trail" at this park. This is one of the many open space parks run of Jefferson County,  which must be commended for their forward thinking as more or less unrestricted development continues in the Denver area. After crossing the stream, and leaving it's lush riparian evnvironment, we hiked along the trail cut in the lower reaches  of the foothills in grassy open terrain. We checked out the old cemetary, read the interpretative signs about the now vanished town of Mount Vernon( a supply stop for those hardy souls that ventured into the Rockies seeking their fortune), and pondered  what appeared to be the many vehicle tracks(the four wheeled kind) in this the hike and bike only park. We stopped at a large red rock( we may have already been on the Red Rocks Trail of the adjacent Red Rocks Park( home to the famous amphitheater), and then head back. Skies were gray, a few drops fell,but it was a pleasant place to wile away a couple of hours. Note: some sections of trails are for bikes only and there are signs indicating this, it's probably a good idea to heed them.