The story behind the place: Cottonwood Trail

The fur is about to fly. One place to see the faux June snow is the Cottonwood Trail, just south of Jay Road and east of the Diagonal. The trail is only 1.2 miles long, but its name carries the legacy of the tree that has been a towering presence in the life of people and wildlife throughout the Boulder Valley and beyond.

Cottonwoods touched every aspect of life for Native American people, providing shelter, materials, sustenance, gathering places and spiritual inspiration. In the 1800s a new wave of people came to appreciate the trees. Settlers found shade and shelter from heat and wind. The stately trees broke up the endless flat horizon of the Great Plains. Perhaps most importantly, cottonwoods were vital landmarks that signaled water. There was always a surface creek or at least a high water table beneath the tree's outstretched arms.

The Cottonwood Trail name is a nod to the tree's important role as the anchor of riparian zones where water and vegetation provide food and homes for between 70% and 80% of local wildlife species at some point during their life in the Boulder Valley, according to Megan Bowes, ecologist for Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks.

The trees have rooted their place in history, but their future was precarious until the 2013 flood. Most of the cottonwoods around the Boulder Valley are mature, up to 100 feet tall and 60 feet wide. Bowers said there have been few young trees growing along the Cottonwood Trail and other riparian areas due to a build up of organic matter like branches and leaves. The seeds couldn't reach the damp soil they need to get started.

The 2013 floodwaters scoured the banks of creeks and ditches, exposing the soil and providing a fertile landing zone for cottonwood seeds that are carried via little white parachutes from a mother tree. It was especially important to start a new generation because cottonwoods don't live that long, at least as far as trees go. The average life span is between 70 to 120 years, according to The Colorado Plant Database.

Thanks to the new seedlings, the Cottonwood Trail will live up to its name for the foreseeable future, hosting bicyclists, walkers, runners and horseback riders. It's part of the LoBo trail that connects Boulder and Longmont. The trail crosses land that was used for farming and ranching when it was purchased in two pieces in 1974 and 1977 for a total of 165 acres.

Before that, the area may have seen Ute, Cheyenne and Arapaho people who lived and traveled in the region. The cottonwood was such an important part of native culture that the Arapaho called it "hohoot," meaning tree. "In other words, it was considered the prototypical tree, so the same word was used for both 'tree' generally and cottonwood in particular," said Dr. Andy Cowell, head of the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies at the University of Colorado.

Cowell said the cottonwood provided firewood and the inner bark could be eaten by horses or even people when necessary. Wood from the tree was used for cradleboards and toys, according to Katleen Cain, who wrote "The Cottonwood Tree: An American Champion," a detailed guide to the ecological and cultural values of the tree.

Cottonwoods are central to the Arapaho Sun Dance as part of the altar and lodge for the sacred ceremony. Traditional Native American stories also include the trees, Cowell said.

There are several versions of a story about cottonwood trees and the stars that may have come from the Plains tribes, though it's hard to prove exactly where the stories originated. It's not hard, however, to see why the tree's hidden star inspired mythic tales, no matter who first told them.

To find the star, check the base of a cottonwood tree, especially after a good wind. You'll find fallen branches that often have little knuckles. If you take a sharp knife or scissors and slice the branch at the knuckle you'll discover a five-pointed star shining through.

Another defining feature of the Plains cottonwood is furrowed, gray bark. The mature ones along the Cottonwood Trail have earned those wise wrinkles as they stood watch over a century of change in the Boulder Valley. The heart-shaped leaves remind us of the gifts the trees still offer today. Inside and out, the cottonwood shines on as the sage of the prairie.