October 20, 2026
Clear Creek Trail
Clear Creek Trail—Formerly Known As Peaks to Plains Trail: What Does it Take to Build a World-Class Park through One of Colorado’s Most Dramatic and Environmentally Sensitive Canyons?
The Clear Creek Trail, formerly known as the Peaks to Plains Trail, is part of an ambitious vision to connect the Denver metro area to the Continental Divide through 65 miles of trail. In Clear Creek Canyon Park, the route winds beneath towering canyon walls, follows world-class whitewater, and passes through habitat shared by bighorn sheep, cliff-nesting raptors, multiple threatened or endangered species, and of course, countless outdoor recreationists.
Join us to hear the successes, challenges, and lessons learned from delivering this one-of-a-kind project and discover how careful planning, collaborative delivery, and precise construction are helping to balance environmental conservation with growing demand for recreation.
Featured Speaker: Scot Grossman
Project Manager, Jefferson County Open Space
Over the course of his 20plus year career, Scot Grossman has developed a deep understanding of, and demonstrated proven solutions to, multi-disciplinary issues on complex projects. He specializes in alternative delivery projects and efficiently navigating all aspects of a project’s lifecycle – from concept to ribbon cutting.
As an Owner Project Manager and Program Manager, Scot has completed projects totaling almost $200 million.
Scot is well-versed in civil design and construction, government procurement, alternative delivery methods, construction management, environmental permitting, land conservation, contract negotiations, and community engagement. He has spent the last 16 years working for Jefferson County Parks & Open Space, currently serving as the Project Management Supervisor. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing design and construction of the organization’s capital improvement program.
Scot’s projects have won numerous awards around the country, and he takes pride in being a part of projects that will long outlive him. He holds a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Colorado Denver, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Colorado College. In his free time, you can find Scot skiing, hiking, playing softball on Monday nights, cooking delicious meals without following recipes, and otherwise exploring the outdoors.
Featured Brewery: Westbound and Down
How This Works
The Buffalo Rose will open at 6:00 p.m. Food and drink service will begin at 6:00 p.m. and the program will begin around 6:30 p.m. Following the presentation, we’ll take a brief intermission for Q + A. We’ll wrap up around 7:45 p.m., but people are welcome to stay a bit longer to chat with the speakers.
Please check out podcasts of Past Talks.