Denver, Colorado Parks

1. Civic Center Park

Surrounded by the State Capitol, the Denver Art Museum, and the City and County Building, Civic Center Park is the green heart of Denver.

Every summer, the park is covered with 25,000 square feet of blooming flower beds and it’s no wonder that the park is a venue for many events. The park has large open expanses of lawn broken by paved paths, blooming flower beds, rows and clusters of trees, and many memorials. The most prominent structures in the park are the amphitheater and an Ionic colonnade, which is mirrored by another colonnade and a pond on the north end.

Civic Center Park , Bannock St. to Broadway south of Colfax Ave. and north of 14th Ave, Denver, CO 80203

2. Alamo Placita Park

Opened originally in 1892 as Arlington Park, Alamo Placita Park is known for perfectly designed floral displays on one end and a playground and picnic area in the other.

The southern section of the park consists of a formal flower garden that can be reached by sandstone steps. Beds of colorful annual and perennial flowers stretch from a tangle of junipers in the center. Each corner of the garden has a specimen juniper surrounded by a walkway and a dense thicket of spruce and pine. A walkway connects the colorful formality of the southern section of the park with the recreational segment north of 3rd Avenue, with basketball courts and a playground. There is a paved square with benches and a sundial surrounded by a grove of cottonwood. Beyond this section is a wide expanse of lawn surrounded by a grove of flowering shrubs, pine, maple, and spruce.

Alamo Placita Park, E 3rd Ave, Denver, CO 80218, Phone: 720-913-0700

3. Greenway Park

What makes Greenway Park in Denver’s Stapleton neighborhood so special are magnificent mature trees, some of them the oldest in Stapleton.

The trees provide shade for a range of wonderful features and activities. The park has Skate Park, where skateboarders, in-line skaters, and BMX bikers can come to challenge themselves and other advanced riders. There is a Dog Park, a heavenly place where dogs can run free to their hearts’ content. The Community Garden is the place where neighbors can come and put their hands in the dirt and grow their own food. The park also has an observation tower, the Mud Pie Sandbox, climbing wall, barbecues, tennis courts, kids’ playgrounds, public art, and green, shady spots to relax.

Greenway Park , 8180 E 26th Ave, Denver, CO 80238, Phone: 720-913-1311

4. Berkeley Lake Park

Berkeley Lake Park is an 83-acre park in northwest Denver with the 34-acre Berkeley Lake in its heart.

The park offers magnificent views of the Rocky Mountains. The land was originally settled in 1879 by John Walker who developed a racetrack around the lake, a resort, and dance hall. The city bought the site in 1906 and included it in the Denver Park and Parkway System. Denver’s first public golf course was built in the park in 1910 to the north of the lake. A boat dock and pavilion were developed, and lawns and a grove of trees were planted on the south shore.

The park also has a Moorish-style bathhouse built in 1918, an Italianate pumphouse, and the cottage-style library. Green meadows alternate with mature cedar, oak, pine, and birch. Cottonwoods provide shade for the footpath along the lakeshore.

4601 W 46th Ave, Denver, CO 80212

5. Bluff Lake Park

Located within Denver’s city limits, Bluff Lake Park is a 123-acre wildlife nature center located along Sand Creek, with serene Bluff Lake at its heart.

It is a peaceful oasis full of wildlife and a range of different ecosystems. No motor vehicles, bikes, or dogs are allowed, but hiking trails abound and provide wonderful views of the city and the Front Range, especially from the top of the bluff. There are several nature observation stations and a boardwalk over the lake. There are a few picnic tables at the top of the bluff. If you want to keep hiking, there are connections to the Sand Creek Trail at the east and west ends of the park.

Sand Creek Regional Greenway, Denver, CO 80239, Phone: 720-708-4147

6. Cheesman Park

Cheesman Park is an 80-acre urban park located southeast of downtown Denver.

It is one of the oldest parks in the city. It occupies part of the site of the former Prospect Hill Cemetery. The park is located in center of the Cheesman Park neighborhood. Oak, hackberry, maple, fir, pine, and spruce trees were planted to buffer the park from the surrounding residences. There is a drive that goes around a hilly green lawn that connects the park to several neighborhood streets.

On the east end of the park on a prominent knoll is the Cheesman Pavilion, surrounded by two grand stairways, three pools, and a terraced lawn with a large open lawn beyond. Cheesman Park is known as a gathering spot among the gay community in Denver and many LGBT-related events take place at the park, such as the annual PrideFest parade.

8th Ave & Franklin St, Denver, CO 80206

7. City Park

One of the oldest parks in the city, City Park is a 330-acre green space constructed on gently rolling fields along the City Ditch, with wonderful views of the surrounding Rockies.

The park was originally built in 1882 and redesigned at the turn of the century. The northern section has tennis courts, baseball diamonds, and football and soccer fields. The western section has dense groves of deciduous and coniferous trees, rolling meadows, and an extensive network of trails and roads. The center of the park has two large artificial lakes, historic fountains, pavilions, and islands. East of the lakes is the Denver Museum of Natural History. There are a number of thematic gardens in the southeast part of the park including a collection of junipers.

Colorado Blvd. and York St., Denver, CO 80205

8. Bear Creek Park

Located around three lakes in the foothills of Lakewood, Bear Creek Park is hidden between C-470 and Red Rocks.

At 100 acres, Bear Creek Lake is the largest. The lake was formed as a result of building Bear Creek Dam. Bear Creek Lake is open to motorized boating between March 15 and November 15. The park has 47 campsites, two yurts, and three cabins. There is a lovely sandy beach at Big Soda Lake perfect for swimming, and it is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. There are no lifeguards on duty but there is a small playground, two sand volleyball courts and several beach picnic shelters. The park is also popular for fishing, horseback riding, biking, and hiking on the 15 miles of park’s multi-use trails. Pets are welcome in the park on-leash everywhere except on the beach.

4901 W Kenyon, Denver, CO 80236