<b>Heritage Dells & Tripp Ranch Meadow Open Spaces</b>, Jefferson County, Colorado.

Eastern Mojave Vegetation

Heritage Dells & Tripp Ranch Meadow Open Spaces, Jefferson County, Colorado.

Query:

The Heritage Dells and Tripp Ranch Meadow Open Spaces encompass three primary gulches — South Heritage Dells Gulch, Middle Dells Gulch, and North Heritage Dells Gulch — along with the Tripp Ranch Meadows Open Space and its small connecting gulch. These gulches contribute to the headwaters of the Kinney Run waterway, which ultimately flows into Clear Creek. Formed over thousands of years by seasonal rainfall and snowmelt, the gulches serve as natural drainage corridors and provide important ecological buffers within the surrounding neighborhood. Tripp Ranch residents enjoy expansive views of native Foothills grasslands from the open meadow area.

ACRES: 7.66

CLASSIFICATION: Natural Area

ATTRIBUTES: Ecological, Passive Visitation, Scenic

ACCESS AND TRAILS:

DESIGNATED PUBLIC ACCESS: No

TRAILS: Social

KEY FEATURES:

Riparian vegetation
Wildlife corridor
Watershed preservation

MANAGEMENT NOTES:

Natural drainageway – Ongoing monitoring may be necessary to manage erosion, preserve grade control, and maintain streambank stability.

Latitude: 39.7203026 Longitude: -105.2154106 (° decimal)
Elevation: 6126ft, 0m.

Articles that refer to this location:

Crawford Street, Golden, Jefferson County, Colorado: at gulch; at Heritage Dells OS; at trail;
Defrance Court: at Heritage Dells OS;
Defrance Drive: at Heritage Dells OS; at Heritage Dells OS;
Defrance Way: at Heritage Dells OS;
Checklist Flora of Native and Naturalized Vascular Plants of Golden and Vicinity, Jefferson County, Colorado: Heritage Dells OS;
Field Notes: 9 Apr 2026; 23 Apr 2026;

Area Plant Lists that contain this location:

Area Plant List for Heritage Dells & Tripp Ranch Meadow Open Spaces.
Area Plant List for Golden.
Area Plant List for City of Golden Open Space.

Heritage Dells OS, South Gulch, Middle Section, Looking upstream.	Heritage Dells Open Space, South Gulch, Looking Downstream into the Middle Section.	Heritage Dells Open Space, South Gulch, Looking Upstream into the Upper Section.	Small upper part of the middle gulch between Defrance Drive and Defrance Court.	Middle reach of the middle gulch in Heritage Dells Open Space.
Looking upstream at the middle reach of the middle gulch in Heritage Dells Open Space.	Heritage Dells Open Space, north Gulch, upper end.	Heritage Dells Open Space, north Gulch, end on Crawford Street.

Species collected at or near this location.

This list summarizes plants collected or observed at this specific, named location. It does not include plants collected or observed at nearby named or unnamed locations. It may be more instructive to use the Area Lists that contain this location.

TAS – The plant was collected by Tom Schweich.
Oth – The plant was collected by someone, but not Tom.
Obs – The plant was observed, but not collected.

Anacardiaceae

Rhus trilobata Nutt. trilobata. Skunkbush Sumac (Obs) CC:5

Apiaceae

Selineae

Lomatium orientale J.M. Coult. & Rose. Salt-and-Pepper (Obs) CC:6

Smyrnieae

Conium maculatum L. Common Poison Hemlock (Obs) CC:0

Asteraceae

Anthemideae

Artemisiinae

Artemisia dracunculus L. Tarragon, Dragonwort (Obs) CC:3

Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt. Silver Wormwood (Obs) CC:4

Astereae

Chrysopsidinae

Heterotheca villosa (Pursh) Shinners. Hairy False Goldenaster (Obs) CC:3

Machaerantherinae

Grindelia subalpina Greene. Subalpine Gumweed (Obs) CC:4

Pentachaetinae

Ericameria nauseosa (Pall. ex Pursh) G.L.Nesom & G.I.Baird graveolens (Nutt.) Reveal & Schuyler. Goldy-Locks (Obs) CC:3

Cardueae

Carduinae

Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. Canada Thistle (Obs) CC:0

Cichorieae

Crepidinae

Taraxacum officinale F. H. Wigg. Common Dandelion (Obs) CC:0

Heliantheae

Helianthinae

Helianthus pumilus Nutt. Little Sunflower (Obs) CC:4

Boraginaceae

Cynoglossum officinale L. Gypsyflower (Obs) CC:0

Hydrophyllum fendleri (A. Gray) A. Heller fendleri. Fendler's Waterleaf (Obs) CC:7

Mertensia lanceolata (Pursh) DC. Prairie Bluebells (Obs) CC:6

Brassicaceae

Alyssum simplex Rudolphi. European Madwort (Obs) CC:0

Hesperis matronalis L. Dame's Rocket (Obs) CC:0

Thlaspi arvense L. Field Penny Cress (Obs) CC:0

Cactaceae

Cylindropuntia imbricata (Haw.) F. M. Kunth. Tree Cholla (Obs) CC:4

Opuntia macrorhiza Engelm. Western Pricklypear (Obs) CC:3

Caprifoliaceae

Symphoricarpos occidentalis Hook. Western Snowberry (Obs) CC:3

Caryophyllaceae

Cerastium arvense L. strictum Gaudin. Field Chickweed (Obs) CC:5

Chenopodiaceae

Chenopodium album L. Lambsquarters (Obs) CC:0

Convolvulaceae

Convolvulus arvensis L. Field Bindweed (Obs) CC:0

Cornaceae

Cornus sericea L. sericea. Creek Dogwood (Obs) CC:7

Elaeagnaceae

Elaeagnus angustifolia L. Russian Olive (Obs) CC:0

Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia myrsinites L. Myrtle Spurge (Obs) CC:0

Fabaceae

Thermopsis rhombifolia (Nutt. ex Pursh) Nutt. ex Richardson divaricarpa (A. Nelson) Isely. Spreadfruit Goldenbanner (Obs) CC:6

Geraniaceae

Erodium cicutarium (L.) L'Her. ex Aiton. Hemlock-leav'd Crane's-bill (Obs) CC:0

Grossulariaceae

Ribes aureum Pursh. Golden Currant (Obs) CC:6

Ribes cereum Douglas. Wax Currant (Obs) CC:6

Lamiaceae

Salvia L. Sage (Obs) CC:?

Stachys byzantina K. Koch. Lamb's Ear (Obs) CC:0

Oleaceae

Syringa vulgaris L. Common Purple Lilac (Obs) CC:0

Plantaginaceae

Linaria dalmatica (L.) Mill. Dalmatian ToadFlax (Obs) CC:0

Polygonaceae

Rumex crispus L. Curley Dock (Obs) CC:0

Ranunculaceae

Delphinium nuttallianum Pritz. Twolobe Larkspur (Obs) CC:6

Rosaceae

Amygdaloideae

Amygdaleae

Prunus americana Marshall. American Plum (Obs) CC:6

Prunus virginiana L. Chokecherry (Obs) CC:4

Maleae

Crataegus erythropoda Ashe. Cerro Hawthorn (Obs) CC:6

Malus domestica (Suckow) Borkh. Common Apple (Obs) CC:0

Dryadoideae

Dryadeae

Cercocarpus montanus Raf. Alder-Leaf Mountain Mahogany (Obs) CC:6

Rosoideae

Potentilleae

Potentilla L. Cinquefoil (Obs) CC:?

Potentilla fissa Nutt. ex Torr. & A.Gray. Bigflower Cinquefoil (Obs) CC:5

Roseae

Rosa arkansana Porter. Prairie Rose (Obs) CC:5

Rubeae

Rubus deliciosus Torr. Delicious raspberry (Obs) CC:6

Salicaceae

Populus deltoides Marshall monilifera (Aiton) Eckenw. Plains Cottonwood (Obs) CC:3

Salix irrorata Andersson. Dewystem Willow (TAS) CC:7

Santalaceae

Comandra umbellata (L.) Nutt. pallida (A. DC.) Piehl. Pale Bastard Toadflax (Obs) CC:5

Sapindaceae

Acer glabrum Torr. glabrum. Torrey Maple (Obs) CC:7

Acer negundo L. Box Elder (Obs) CC:4

Scrophulariaceae

Verbascum thapsus L. Common Mullein (Obs) CC:0

Amaryllidaceae

Allium × proliferum (Moench) Schrad. ex Willd. Garden Onion (Obs) CC:0

Asparagaceae

Agavoideae

Agaveae

Yucca glauca Nutt. Soapweed Yucca (Obs) CC:4

Scilloideae

Hyacintheae

Muscari botryoides (L.) Mill. Common Grape Hyacinth (Obs) CC:0

Cyperaceae

Carex inops L. H. Bailey heliophila (Mack.) Crins. Sun Sedge (Obs) CC:7

Iridaceae

Iris L. Horticultural Iris (Obs) CC:0

Poaceae

Bromeae

Bromus inermis Leyss. Smooth Brome (Obs) CC:0

Bromus tectorum L. Cheat Grass (Obs) CC:0

Total number of taxa:	58
Native Taxa: (serif, italic, bold)	33
Exotic Taxa: (sans-serif, italic)	22
Nativity Undetermined: (default font, italic)	3
Listed Weeds: Identified as Weed	0
FQA, CC, n=56, Mean C: 3, FQI = 22.2

If you have a question or a comment you may write to me at: tomas@schweich.com I sometimes post interesting questions in my FAQ, but I never disclose your full name or address.

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Date and time this article was prepared:5:20:36 PM, 4/24/2026.