🕶️ Happy Friday! Who's got fun weekend plans?

• Today's weather: Patchy fog, then chance of showers. High of 77.

🎂 Happy early birthday to our members Michelle Francis, Jaci Lippert, Jana Smith-Carr, Nancy French and Lisa Christie!

Today’s newsletter is 962 words — a 3.5-minute read.

A stretch of Colfax Avenue will soon give Denver its first glimpse at the corridor's transit future when bus-only lanes open between Colorado Boulevard and Broadway.

Why it matters: It's a major milestone for the Colfax bus rapid transit (BRT) project — ending nightmarish construction conditions for area businesses.

State of play: The RTD's existing 15 and 15L bus lines will begin using the two center lanes between Colorado and Broadway starting Sunday, project manager Doug Monroe tells us.

• It marks a "return to normalcy."

Yes, but: It's not technically the BRT ... at least not yet. That'll use new buses along 9.9-mile stretch from Denver Union Station to I-225 in Aurora.

• The eventual Lynx BRT will be more frequent, with buses arriving every 4.3 minutes.
• The goal is to boost ridership and improve reliability, Monroe tells us.

Context: New stations feature elevated platforms, added security cameras, an emergency phone, interior bike racks, sidewalk improvements and nearly 200 new trees.

• Those upgrades will help Colfax feel more like a walkable main street, program director Jonathan Stewart tells us.

Between the lines: Clearing construction materials will likely be a welcome sight for storefronts that endured nearly two years of upheaval.

• Minimizing further disruption to businesses factored into the city's decision to open the segment about a year earlier than anticipated, Stewart adds.

What they're saying: Opening the lanes is an important moment for businesses that "showed real resilience," Argonaut Wine & Liquor general manager David Bentley, who sits on the Colfax Business Improvement District board, said.

What's next: The full Colfax BRT will likely be operational by late 2027.

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Denver house hunters, circle Sept. 27–Oct. 3 on your calendars.

Why it matters: That may be the best week of the year to buy a home, a new Realtor.com report says.

By the numbers: In the Denver-Aurora-Centennial metro, shoppers could find up to 30% more homes for sale than at the start of the year.

• Buyers can face less competition than in spring and summer, plus listing prices typically fall roughly 7.5% from their seasonal high.

Yes, but: Mortgage rates just hit 7% for the first time in two years, and stubbornly high prices continue to sideline shoppers.

Zoom in: Metro Denver's median single-family home sale price was $649,500 last month, essentially flat from last August, per the latest report from the Denver Metro Association of Realtors (DMAR).

• The market remains highly uneven.
• "Some sellers negotiating hard, others fielding multiple offers, some buyers waiting months, others closing in weeks," DMAR's Amanda Snitker wrote in the report.

👀 What we're watching: Federal legislation introduced this week would give first-time homebuyers as much as $50,000 for a down payment, Axios first reported.

Tell a house hunter

💔 Gov. Polis' dog, Gia — almost always by his side, including at an event we hosted — died this week at age 17. She was a very good girl. (Colorado Sun)

💰 Denver needs to prove it can raise $75 million to $100 million as it competes with two other cities to host the Democratic National Convention. (Denverite)

👷‍♂️ Local construction costs are among the highest in the nation due to a labor shortage. (DBJ 🔑)

⚡️ State regulators are crafting new rules for Xcel Energy's wildfire-prevention power shutoffs after complaints about poor communication and coordination. (Denver Post 🔑)

🤑 Someone won $2 million on a lottery ticket sold at a King Soopers in Windsor. (9News)

Hiking with a baby can be hard enough. Figuring out where to go shouldn't be.

The big picture: The best trail isn't necessarily the most scenic. It's the one with shade, bathrooms, easy parking and a quick escape when somebody starts screaming (possibly you) or has a blowout (been there).

I asked readers for their favorite family-friendly hikes — then added a few of my own based on outings with my son, Cyrus.

• Here are the top trails we came up with together to take littles:

🏰 Mount Falcon Park: Castle Trail

The draw: Castle ruins without a huge trek.

• From the west trailhead, it's roughly 0.7 miles each way to the Walker Mansion Ruins, with wide trails and mountain views.

Mom factor: Short, interesting and easy to bail when baby's had enough.

• From Denver: ~35 minutes
• Best for: Carrier or stroller

🌲 Genesee Mountain Trail Outer Loop

The draw: A 3.6-mile forested loop with sweeping foothills views and a relatively gentle 462 feet of elevation gain.

Mom factor: It feels like a proper mountain hike without requiring a proper mountain drive.

• From Denver: ~30 minutes
• Best for: Carrier

💦 Lair o' the Bear Park: Bear Creek Trail

The draw: Follow Bear Creek through a shady foothills park outside Morrison. Wander along the water as far as everyone's willing, then turn around.

Mom factor: Shade, easy terrain and plenty of spots to play and picnic near the water.

• From Denver: ~30 minutes
• Best for: Carrier

What they're saying: This was readers' most-recommended spot.

• It's "easy, nicely shaded and has great spots for tiny ones to dip their toes in the river," reader Grant S. says.

Five more hikes

🗓️ Upcoming events around the city:

🐴 Ponies on the Plaza at DMNS Sturm Family Plaza on Oct. 8th: Celebrate the human-horse bond at Ponies on the Plaza, meet pony ambassadors and community partners, then enjoy the premiere of Horse Power 3D.

🎃 Glow at the Gardens at Denver Botanic Gardens on Oct. 15th-18th and Oct. 21st-24th: Discover spooky and enchanted landscapes illuminated with hand-carved jack-o'-lanterns, larger-than-life pumpkin displays and performers. This spirited autumnal event is like no other.

Fall's on full display. These stunning snaps were taken last weekend by reader Jessica N. in Winter Park, where she says there was little traffic, no crowds and lots to do.

🔨 John is playing handyman all weekend.

🫶 Alayna is grateful for all your hiking recs. It takes a village.

🦐 Esteban is grabbing dinner with friends at Salt Water Social tonight.

Thanks to our editor, Gigi Sukin.