Cherry Creek

River in north-central Colorado, USA, flowing into the South Platte River in Denver; length 103 km/64 mi. It rises in northern El Paso County and flows generally north through suburban Douglas and Arapahoe Counties, then through southeastern Denver before reaching the South Platte River in the downtown area of the city. Floods were a problem until the building (1946–50) of the Cherry Creek Dam, 43 m/140 ft high and 4,359 m/14,300 ft (4.36 km/2.71 mi) long, at the city's southeastern corner. Its reservoir is now in a popular state recreation area.

Rumours of gold deposits at the confluence of the Cherry Creek and South Platte River brought Denver's first settlers to the area in 1858, which led to the growth of the city. More affluent residential neighbourhoods of Denver (Country Club, Cherry Hills), as well as suburbs like Cherry Hills Village in Arapahoe County (city, population (1990) 5,200), grew up on or near the creek.