Parks & Recreation
Greater Denver is a recreational heaven. Where else is it possible to ski on Saturday and play golf on Sunday—all on a sunny March weekend? It doesn’t stop there. We’ve got biking trails, hiking trails, climbing spots, and picnicking galore. You can boat, swim, fish, snow ski, water-ski, or windsurf. You can hunt wildlife or simply admire it from afar. You name it, we’ve got it.
We have organizations, facilities, rental companies, and tour guides for bicycling, climbing, fishing, hunting, running, in-line skating, sailing, waterskiing, and horseback riding, to name a few. We even have ranges for skeet, trap, pistols, and rifles. Skiing, of course, is Colorado’s most popular and famous form of winter recreation, which is why we’ve given it a chapter of its own called Ski Country.
Metro Denver’s beautifully groomed urban parks are among its greatest assets, including those listed below. In general, Denver’s parks are open from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m. and do not allow camping.
Parks & Recreation - The Great Outdoors
Colorado’s mountains offer unparalleled opportunity for adventure. You can venture deep into the Rockies for longs trips or drive less than a half-hour and be surrounded by great exploring territory.
Camping, hiking, and biking abound in Colorado’s great outdoors, so we’ve compiled a few tips on how to enjoy them.
More than one-third of Colorado’s land area is owned by and available to the public, including 8.3 million acres of Bureau of Land Management tracts and 14.3 million acres of national forest. There are 11 national forests in Colorado, covering major parts of the state. The national forests are basically undeveloped areas where you can hike, fish, hunt, ride, and camp just about anywhere. They are also where the vast majority of wilderness can be found, and if you want to hike to some remote and beautiful backcountry refuge anywhere in the US, the likelihood is that you’ll do it in a national forest.
Parks & Recreation - Ski Country
Although Denver is located on the plains, it’s only about an hour away from some of the best skiing on the continent. Most ski areas are open from Thanksgiving to mid-April, but in good snow years (and with the help of snowmaking), the season can stretch from mid-October through June.
Colorado is home to 25 ski areas, ranging from down-home to world-famous, with seven major areas close enough to qualify as day trips from Denver. If downhill skiing isn’t your thing, expect to find lots of things that can be done without skis. Ride the chairlift to Winter Park’s Lodge at Sunspot, for example, just to have lunch and enjoy the view. Other options include ice-skating, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, dogsledding, or riding in horse-drawn sleighs. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing also are popular, with groomed tracks and trails available at most downhill areas. Most ski areas also offer adult and child lessons, child care, and specialized lessons.
The mountain fun doesn’t stop when the snow melts. Colorado’s ski areas are really year-round resorts that offer as many things to do in summer as in winter. Mountain biking? How about an easy lift up with your bike on the gondola and a wild ride down. Music festivals? Ski slopes make great outdoor amphitheaters in the summer. Boating? Try it on a mountain lake or reservoir ringed in jagged peaks. Drift over the Vail Valley in a hot-air balloon, golf at a high-altitude course, or bike along more than 50 miles of paved paths that extend from Breckenridge to Vail.
It’s crucial to take altitude into consideration when traveling to the mountains. Even folks accustomed to Denver’s 5,280 feet above sea level can get dizzy at 10,000 feet unless they guard against altitude sickness. Drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol, give yourself time to adjust, and slow down or descend in altitude if you get a headache or feel nauseated. Also, no one should set out on backcountry trails without sound knowledge of avalanche awareness, direction-finding skills, and adequate clothing, food, and water. Even people going on day trips should be prepared to spend a night outside, as weather conditions in the mountains change in seconds. Local bookstores are filled with trail guides that offer basic safety information. And always let someone know where you’re going and when you expect to be back. If you want to enjoy the great outdoors when the snow is gone, see our The Great Outdoors chapter for hiking and climbing information.
Overview
We’ve listed and described a few ski areas that make feasible day trips from Denver, with information about winter and summer activities, dining, shopping, and accommodations, should you decide to stay longer. For more information about all the state’s ski resorts, contact Colorado Ski Country USA, a trade association (303-837-0793; coloradoski.com).
1. Cheesman Park
City: Denver, CO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: This vast urban oasis just east of downtown features a great 1.5-mile walking/jogging path, enormous trees, manicured flower gardens, and, at the eastern edge, an impressive pavilion with a stunning mountain view. It’s one of the city’s most popular sunset viewpoints. The compressed dirt jogging path is popular with nearby residents. The park was established in 1892 on the city’s former first cemetery lot. It is adjacent to the Denver Botanic Gardens. To get there, take 14th Avenue east from downtown to Lafayette, then head south 1 block.
2. City Park
City: Denver, CO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: At 330 acres in size, City Park is Denver’s largest park. The lake is ringed by acres of grass and mature trees that offer wonderful spots for picnicking. There is also an extensive path for biking, walking, and in-line skating. The historic City Park Pavilion has been restored, with a bandstand on the lake’s west shore. During summer months, paddleboats can be rented for only $5 an hour. The Denver Zoo and the Museum of Nature and Science occupy the park’s east end. To get there, take 17th Avenue east out of downtown to York Street. The park lies between York Street and Colorado Boulevard.
City: Denver, CO
Category: Parks & Recreation
4. Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield
City: Denver, CO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (303) 973-3705
Address: 8500 Deer Creek Canyon Rd.
Description: This little gem offers historic sites, trails, and naturalist guides. It’s a great place for a picnic, and the traditional playground next to the historic schoolhouse is fun for kids. Each fall the gardens creates an 8-acre corn maze, with hayrides, pony rides, and food vendors providing more fun. Down the path along Deer Creek, you can see the foundation where the schoolhouse was before they moved it. Look for the piece of chain on one of the cottonwood branches above the path, the remnant of the swing where kids played more than 100 years ago. The nature preserve is just off Wadsworth Boulevard south of C-470 and is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is charged.
City: Denver, CO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 16831 W. Alameda Pkwy.
6. Sloan Lake Park
City: Denver, CO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: Sloan Lake is a Westside landmark, with acres of landscaped shoreline around a great boating lake. Dragon boat races are staged here each summer during the annual Dragon Boat Festival, joining a fleet of privately owned canoes and powerboats on the water. On dry land, children play in the large playground, joggers and strollers follow the trail that rings the lake, and others grab spots on the grass for picnics, Frisbee games, or summer naps. To get there, take Colfax Avenue west to Sheridan Boulevard, then right to 17th Avenue.
7. Washington Park
City: Denver, CO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: Also designed around water, Washington Park is popular with sports enthusiasts of all types. Its lakeside paths are often used for organized races, but they’re just as fun for bicycling, walking/jogging, and in-line skating. Two lakes in the middle provide fishing (especially for kids), and grassy lawns on all sides are used for impromptu soccer and volleyball games. The flower gardens along Downing Street are perfection, serving as the backdrop for many tourist photographs. But most of all, “Wash Park,” as it’s known, is a wonderful spot to relax and enjoy Denver’s blue skies and sunny weather.
City: Denver, CO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 13401 Picadilly Rd.
City: Denver, CO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 11500 N. Roxborough Park Rd.
10. Cherry Creek State Park
City: Denver, CO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (303) 690-1166
Address: 4201 S. Parker Rd.
Description: Because it is centrally located, Cherry Creek State Park attracts so many visitors it’s often at capacity on summer weekends. Water lovers are drawn to the reservoir, which has 880 surface acres of water, while nature lovers find solace in the natural prairie environment that surrounds it. In addition to camping, picnicking, trail riding, and guided nature walks, Cherry Creek offers model airplane flying, a shooting range, and a riding stable. Along the trail systems you may see mule deer and white-tailed deer, owls, coyotes, and foxes. Plan to make camping reservations well ahead of time. The recreation area is 1 mile south of I-225 on Parker Road, and is open daily 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
11. Golden Gate Canyon State Park
City: Denver, CO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (303) 582-3707
Address: 92 Crawford Gulch Rd.
Description: This is the most mountainous of the six state parks closest to Metro Denver. It covers 14,000 acres with altitudes that range from 7,600 to 10,400 feet; has 275 picnic sites, 35 miles of trails for foot and hoof, and more than 130 campsites, as well as 20 backcountry shelters and tent sites. Two yurts and fire cabins are a recent addition to camping choices. (Reservations are recommended.) Stop at the visitor center on the park’s lower east end (open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily) to get your bearings, browse through the museum, and watch the trout in a nearby pool. A nature trail designed for the physically impaired begins just outside the center. To reach the park, turn west off Highway 93 onto Golden Gate Canyon Road and follow it for about 15 miles.
12. Roxborough State Park
City: Denver, CO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Telephone: (303) 973-3959
Address: 4751 N. Roxborough Dr.
Description: Roxborough was Colorado’s first state park to be designated both a Colorado Natural Area and a National Natural Landmark. There is only one building, the visitor center, which serves as the gateway to a number of lovely hikes through dramatic terrain. The hikes are gentle, but the geology is spectacular, especially the Dakota Hogback and the red-rock moonscape of the Fountain Formation. There are no picnic sites, nor are camping, rock climbing, and pets allowed. Reach Roxborough by following US 85 (Santa Fe Drive) south from Denver to Titan Road. Take a right onto Titan Road and go 3.5 miles. Follow Titan Road left onto Rampart Range Road. Go 3 miles and turn left onto Roxborough Park Road, then take an immediate right onto the park access road.
13. Bear Creek Bike Trail
City: Denver, CO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: You probably won’t see any bears here, but this 20-mile trail from the South Platte River to the town of Morrison has great scenery and side trails connecting to Chatfield, Red Rocks, and Bear Creek Lake Parks. Stop in Morrison for ice cream and browse the antiques shops.
14. Cherry Creek Bike Path
City: Denver, CO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: Running east-west through Denver’s urban core, the Cherry Creek Bike Path is one of a kind. It begins at Confluence Park, at the intersection of the South Platte River and Cherry Creek, and wanders through some of the ritziest areas of Cherry Creek before dumping riders out in Aurora. For much of the way, it follows the creek and is worlds away from the roadways above. Riders share the paved path with in-line skaters, joggers, and walkers, but in exchange they see everything from the Cherry Creek Country Club to beaver ponds.
15. Clear Creek Trail
City: Denver, CO
Category: Parks & Recreation
Description: Running 20 miles from the Platte River Trail in Metro Denver through Wheat Ridge and on to Golden, this path parallels scenic Clear Creek for most of its length. It passes through the Wheat Ridge Greenbelt, skirts several reservoirs, and ends in Golden close to the Coors Brewery. The stretch from the greenbelt to Golden is popular with anglers, birders, and nature lovers.