Dennis Weaver Memorial Park – Ridgway, Colorado
The Dennis Weaver Memorial Park is a magical place of reflection and relaxation. Dedicated to the memory and vision of actor/environmentalist Dennis Weaver and established as a permanent wildlife preserve, this public park along the Uncompahgre River corridor and adjacent to the new RiverSage Subdivision encompasses 60 acres of scenic beauty and offers miles of winding hiking and mountain bike trails with spectacular mountain and river vistas. Artists, bring your easels. Everyone, bring a camera!
THE EAGLE MEMORIAL and CIRCLE OF LIFE
The unforgettable highlight of your park experience will be a visit to the awe-inspiring Eagle Memorial, a towering monument of dry-stacked boulders crowned by an enormous cast bronze American Bald Eagle in soaring flight. This magnificent, anatomically correct bird boasts a wingspan of over 20 feet and weighs 2,800 pounds. Created by Wyoming sculptor Vic Payne and generously donated to the Weaver family by Gerrye and Bill Widger of Ridgway, it was dedicated on August 25th, 2007.
At the gateway to the memorial, embedded into an enormous stone obelisk, a bronze plaque displays Dennis Weaver’s inspirational “Eagle Poem”. Encircling the memorial is a gravel pathway inspired by the design of the Ute Circle of Life. Unknown to most, this “wheel” is aligned astronomically to the summer solstice. Standing at a particular spot along the wheel on June 21st you’ll witness the sun rising directly over the eagle’s wing at the point where its tip brushes the “mountaintop”. Stone indicators are also laid out in alignment with magnetic, North, East, South, and West.
Numerous cairns (stacks of stones) can be found on and around the memorial, carefully placed by local citizens, schoolchildren, and visitors from around the globe. Many cairns contain prayers and pay tribute to loved ones. Others are simply a challenge of patience and skill. All add an undeniably mystical element to the park.
Below the memorial area is a beautiful natural grassland park on the bank of the winding river. Here, visitors are welcome to fly fish, picnic, meditate, or just kick back with a good book and enjoy Mother Nature’s special gifts. Please note that while dogs on leashes are welcome on the park’s trails, they are not permitted in the memorial area, a waterfowl habitat. Also, the park does not yet have restrooms or drinking fountains, so come prepared!
DIRECTIONS:
BIKE OR HIKE: (The recommended scenic route along the river, about 1 mile) Park in Ridgway and head north from Hartwell Park along the concrete bike path (cut the distance in half by parking at the north end of Railroad St.).
DRIVE: From Ridgway, head north on Highway 550 for 1.5 miles. Turn left (West) into RiverSage Drive, wind down and across the river to the main entrance, park in the lot on the right.
HOURS OF OPERATION: Open at dawn, closed at dusk. Due to snow and the needs of wildlife, the memorial area is closed from December through February. The bike path east of the river is always open.