During the pandemic, many of us got hooked on the solitary, safe activity of fishing. And when we wanted to escape the cares and concerns of the all-too-real world, there was no better place to take the plunge than Cheesman Reservoir. After a scenic drive along Highway 285, then down Jefferson County Road 126 and forest Service Road 211, a quick hike takes you to the dam, named for Denver water pioneer Walter Cheesman. It was the world's tallest when it was completed in 1905, and acquired by Denver Water in 1918. But while it remains an engineering marvel, we're most intrigued by the fishing hole below the dam, on the scenic Goose Creek Arm Trail, where you're almost guaranteed to bag a big Northern pike — and plenty of alone time.
denverwater.org/recreation