Jefferson County Open Space now provides trail access from Pleasant View through the campus of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to portions of South Table Mountain Open Space.

Opening the trail was possible through a partnership with the Pleasant View Metropolitan District and the U.S. Department of Energy, which holds the management and operating contract for NREL. Adjacent to Camp George West in Golden, the Pleasant View Metropolitan District developed a community park with a ball field and natural area at 1220 Kilmer Street in Golden. Open Space and the District constructed a gravel trail to connect the park to South Table Mountain through a portion of the NREL campus. With the completion of the corridor fencing, trail enthusiasts are now able to park at the Pleasant View Community Park at Camp George West and access the developed portions of South Table Mountain Open Space.

Jefferson County Open Space first acquired a portion of South Table Mountain in 1977. Smaller portions of the mesa have been acquired through the years with a significant acquisition of 700 acres from Coors Brewing Company occurring in 2004. Portions of the mesa continue to be privately held; users are reminded to respect private property and do not trespass. Users are also asked to be careful when crossing the road that leads into the NREL campus.  The County holds Conservation and Trail Easements on the portions of the mesa held by the State of Colorado and the U.S. Department of Energy where the National Renewal Energy Laboratory campus is located. A Park Management Plan for South Table Mountain has been endorsed by the Open Space Advisory Committee and the Board of County Commissioners. The plan has captured conceptual trail alignments and potential access points for development as capital funds are designated for the project.

In 1972, Jefferson County residents voted to tax themselves one-half of one-percent on sales to fund the planning for, developing necessary access to, acquisition, maintenance and preservation of open space real property for the use and benefit of the public. Today, the Open Space Mission is to preserve open space lands and natural and cultural resources, and to provide for quality park and recreational experiences. For additional information on Jefferson County Open Space, go to http://openspace.jeffco.us