Dawson Butte, Flat-topped mountain in Douglas County, Colorado.

Dawson Butte is a flat-topped mountain in Douglas County, Colorado, reaching 7,474 feet (2,278 m). Adjacent to it is the 828-acre Dawson Butte Open Space, owned by the county and managed by its Division of Open Space and Natural Resources. A five-mile trail loops around the open space property.

The area took its name from Thomas Dawson, an early settler in the Plum Creek region during Colorado's pioneer settlement period. This naming reflects the area's connection to the state's early development.

The butte gave its name to Dawson Arkose, a geological formation, and was itself named after Thomas Dawson, an early settler in the Plum Creek area. Visitors today share the five-mile loop trail with hikers, horseback riders, snowshoers and mountain bikers, and dogs are allowed on leash.

The five-mile loop trail around the 828-acre open space is open to hikers, horseback riders, snowshoers and mountain bikers, and dogs are allowed on leash. There is no public access to the top of the butte, so plan to stay on the loop. The open space lies about five miles south of Castle Rock.

Dawson Butte itself is named after Thomas Dawson, an early settler in the Plum Creek area, and the geological formation Dawson Arkose takes its name from the butte. The butte rises about 249 metres above the surrounding terrain, and there is no public access to its top.