Morrison Nature Center
Nature preserve
242 acres2.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Mountain Mike Johans… · CC BY 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Aurora
10% of Aurora’s land is conserved, and 99% of residents live within a half mile of a park
10% of Aurora’s land is conserved, about 10,481 acres. The biggest trail networks: Morrison Nature Center (2.3 mi), Proghorn Nature Area (1.9 mi), Jewell Wetlands (1.9 mi). 118 miles of mapped trail cross Aurora, 0.7 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 90% of U.S. towns · #59 of 159 in Colorado. What drives it
Conserved land
10%
10,481 acres · of 164.1 sq mi of land
Trails
118 mi
0.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
10,585 ac
27 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
257 mi
127 mi lanes · 123 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
15
3 beaches · 2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Aurora?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Aurora have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Aurora is ahead of 90% of U.S. towns, #59 of 159 in Colorado. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; the share of residents near a park ranks highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Aurora’s overall grade.
Conserved land10% of the land · typical CO town 7% · U.S. 4%A−Trails0.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (118 mi) · CO 1.3 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land27 acres of park per 1,000 residents (10,585 acres) · CO 14 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home99% of residents within a half mile of a park · CO 97% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 90%
LessMore
Colorado towns of 2,500+ (159)Ahead of 63%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Aurora ranks #80 on Outdoors.
Colorado towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 7%; the U.S., 4%), so Aurora’s 10% is ahead of 64% of Colorado towns, while its trails per square mile lead 26% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Morrison Nature Center, with 2.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Proghorn Nature Area
Managed by City of Aurora
540 acres1.9 mi of trail
Proghorn Path North
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Jewell Wetlands
Park
51 acres1.9 mi of trail
BoardwalkJewel Wetlands Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Windy Plumes Park
Park
15 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Sand Creek Riparian Preserve
Park
321 acres0.7 mi of trail
Triple Creek Greenway Corridor
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Quincy Reservoir Park
Park
287 acres0.7 mi of trail
Quincy Reservoir Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
All 145 parks & preserves
Morrison Nature Center242 acres · 2.3 mi of trail
DirectionsProghorn Nature Area540 acres · 1.9 mi of trail · City of Aurora
DirectionsJewell Wetlands51 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
DirectionsSand Creek Park77 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMeadowood Park44 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWindy Plumes Park15 acres · 1 mi of trail
Sand Creek Riparian Preserve321 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsQuincy Reservoir Park287 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsHorseshoe Park104 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · City of Aurora
DirectionsHogan Park @ Highlands Creek99 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · The Aurora Highlands
DirectionsTraditions Park17 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
Del Mar Park45 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · City of Aurora
DirectionsAdonea Community Center Pool & Park14 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Sagebrush Park16 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsGenerals Park9 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsOlympic Park43 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsRed-Tailed Hawk Park30 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsPathfinder Park8 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Inspiration Metro District
Aurora South Soccer Complex47 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsGreat Plains Park34 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Aurora Parks and Open Space
DirectionsReckenbaugh Park22 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsNome Park17 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Aurora
DirectionsMarina Park11 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Aurora
Aqua Vista Park11 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Aurora
DirectionsEagle Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Larkspur Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMission Viejo Park28 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Aurora
DirectionsMountain View Park16 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Aurora
DirectionsCity Center Park12 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Aurora
DirectionsCity Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Aurora
DirectionsGolden Eagle Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsShenandoah Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWagon Trail Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Inspiration Club4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Inspiration Metro District
Estates HOA Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Ponderosa Residential Homeowners Association
DirectionsMountain View Neighborhood Activity Center1 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Sand Creek Regional Greenway64 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsUtah Park49 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBicentennial Park31 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSidecreek Park28 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Aurora Parks and Open Space
DirectionsAnchor Point Park25 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBoettcher Commons17 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSunrise Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Aurora Parks and Open Space
DirectionsSeven Hills Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsToll Gate Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Aurora Parks and Open Space
DirectionsKalispell Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSpencer Garrett Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Winged Melody Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWheatlands Community Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTriangle Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Aurora
Andover Glen Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLa Parquita Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Aurora
DirectionsOrange Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Ridge Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Arapahoe Parks and Recreation Department
Watering Hole Neighbohood Activity Center2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Inspiration Metro District
Bear's Lair Neighborhood Activity Center1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Inspiration Metro District
Painterd Prarie Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Ponderosa Preserve65 acres
DirectionsExpo Park59 acres
DirectionsThe Aurora Highlands Community Park35 acres
University of Colorado Hospital Greenway Park-31 acres
DirectionsCentrePointe Park31 acres
DirectionsHighline Park & Ballfields29 acres · City of Aurora
DirectionsWheel Park28 acres
DirectionsHorseshoe Natural Area27 acres
DirectionsCenter Park Site26 acres · City of Aurora
DirectionsHighland Hollows Park25 acres
Rocky Ridge Park16 acres · City of Aurora
Hoffman Park11 acres · City of Aurora
DirectionsTierra Park10 acres
DirectionsMontview Park10 acres · City of Aurora
Carson Park9 acres
Tollgate Crossing Park9 acres · Tollgate Crossing Metro District
DirectionsPark Lane Park8 acres
DirectionsEldorado Park8 acres · City of Aurora
DirectionsVillage Green Park8 acres · City of Aurora
DirectionsCanterbury Park8 acres
DirectionsWheatlands Open Space8 acres
DirectionsHOA Park8 acres · Auburn Hill
Fulton Park8 acres · City of Aurora
DirectionsColorado Freedom Memorial8 acres
DirectionsPrairie Winds Park7 acres
Hill Top Park7 acres
DirectionsSettlers Park7 acres
DirectionsSunset Park7 acres
Appaloosa Park7 acres
DirectionsTerrace Park7 acres · City of Aurora
DirectionsWheeling Park6 acres · City of Aurora
Kestrel Point Natural Area6 acres · City of Aurora
DirectionsSummer Valley Park6 acres
Singletree Park6 acres
DirectionsSwitchgrass Park6 acres
DirectionsPheasant Run Park6 acres
DirectionsPeoria Hills Park5 acres
DirectionsCottonwood Park5 acres
Blue Grama Grass Park5 acres
DirectionsBeacon Point Park5 acres
Apache Mesa Park5 acres · City of Aurora
DirectionsNative Grasses Restoration Study Area5 acres
DirectionsSwing Park5 acres
Village East Park5 acres
Eastridge Park4 acres
DirectionsGrandview Dog Park4 acres
DirectionsWorld War 1 Memorial Park4 acres
DirectionsTollgate Crossing Neighborhood Park4 acres
Southlands Metro District Park4 acres
DirectionsBeacon Point Pocket Park4 acres
Westerly Creek Trail3 acres
DirectionsMoorhead Memorial Park3 acres
DirectionsPanorama Park3 acres
DirectionsCountry Lane Park3 acres · Arapahoe County Parks
DirectionsHampden Run Park3 acres
DirectionsHorizon Park3 acres
DirectionsMcMullen Park3 acres · City of Aurora
Bioscience Park3 acres
DirectionsSterling Hills West Park3 acres
Sunburst Park3 acres
DirectionsLos Ninos Park3 acres · City of Aurora
DirectionsHavana Heights Pond Park3 acres
Havana Park2 acres
Flanders Park2 acres
DirectionsParade Grounds2 acres
DirectionsSterling Hills Park2 acres
Pagosa Park2 acres
Crestridge Park2 acres · City of Aurora
Bellewood Park2 acres · City of Aurora
DirectionsFirst Light Park2 acres
Aurora Sundail2 acres
DirectionsSandy Creek Children's Park2 acres
Possible Future Community Garden2 acres
DirectionsFood Truck Park2 acres
DirectionsWesterly Creek Park1 acres
DirectionsAlta Vista Park1 acres
Havana Heights Park1 acres
DirectionsSaddle Rock East Park1 acres
DirectionsNorfolk Glen Park1 acres · City of Aurora
DirectionsDel Mar Family Aquatic Center1 acres
DirectionsFairplay Park1 acres
Hoops Park1 acres
DirectionsCreekside Eagle Park1 acres · Creekside HOA
Quincy Park1 acres
Kingsborough Park1 acres
Jewel Park1 acres · City of Aurora
Willow Bend Park1 acres
DirectionsFletcher Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
10,481 conserved acres
10% of Aurora’s land. Who manages Aurora’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city12,306 ac
Regional agency1,471 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits1,237 ac
County1,164 ac
Army Corps of Engineers508 ac
Private owners219 ac
State land board75 ac
Local Conservation Area · 5,207 acConservation Easement · 2,469 acLocal Park · 2,377 acLocal Other or Unknown · 2,350 acOther Easement · 1,997 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 916 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 27 of 283 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dia Nmp Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 1,743 | Open |
| Plains Conservation Center Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 1,384 | Restricted |
| DIA NMP (Part 3 - G) Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 1,045 | Unknown |
| Pronghorn Natural Area Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 857 | Restricted |
| Cherry Creek Recreation Area Recreation Management Area | Army Corps of Engineers | 508 | Open |
| Cherry Creek Spillway Local Other or Unknown | Regional agency | 366 | Unknown |
| Sand Creek Greenway Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 346 | Closed |
| DIA NMP (Part 5 - L) Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 299 | Closed |
| Signature Park Local Park | Town or city | 296 | Open |
| Quincy Reservoir Natural Area Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 284 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
657 places to go in Aurora
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Aurora
Public pools in Aurora
Beck Rec Center Pool
DirectionsDel Mar Swimming PoolIn Del Mar Family Aquatic Center
DirectionsDunkirk Manor Pool
DirectionsParklane Pool
DirectionsSilverbrook Pool
DirectionsUtah Park Indoor PoolIn Utah Park
DirectionsPlus 7 public pools without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Aurora
Carson Park PlaygroundIn Carson Park
DirectionsCentrePointe Park Playground
DirectionsDam East Circle Playground 2
DirectionsDam East Circle Playground 4
DirectionsEldarado Park PlaygroundIn Eldorado Park
DirectionsMountain View PlaygroundIn Mountain View Park
DirectionsOrange PlaygroundIn Orange Park
DirectionsPark PlaygroundIn Olympic Park
Directions7 more playgrounds
Playground at the Lighthouse
DirectionsRidge PlaygroundIn Ridge Park
DirectionsSchool PlaygroundIn Olympic Park
DirectionsSeven Hills Kid Playground
DirectionsSide Creek PlayroundIn Sidecreek Park
DirectionsSpinnaker Park
DirectionsWillow Bend ParkIn Willow Bend Park
Directions475 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Aurora
21 Fitzsimmons Dog Park
DirectionsBicentennial Park Off Leash Dog Area (Trial)In Bicentennial Park
DirectionsDiscovery Park Dog Park
DirectionsDog Run
DirectionsInspiration Bark Park
DirectionsLarge Dog AreaHours: Mon–Sun 6 am – 8 pm · In Grandview Dog Park
DirectionsSmall/Timid Dog AreaIn Grandview Dog Park
DirectionsSouthshore Dog ParkIn Ridge Park
Directions33 dog parks are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Boat launches in Aurora
Boat Launch Ramp
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Waterfalls in Aurora
1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Aurora
10 Year Flood LevelIn Utah Park
Directions3 StonesIn Utah Park
DirectionsAircraft Viewing Spot
DirectionsWells Crossing
DirectionsPlus 2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Aurora
Good Times
Directions117 picnic areas are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Campgrounds in Aurora
Williams FamcampUS Air Force
DirectionsDisc golf in Aurora
Centre Hills Park Disc Golf CourseCity of Aurora
DirectionsPlus 1 disc golf course without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Aurora
4 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
19 named trails and 15 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 24.1 miHorses · 0.9 miUnpaved · 56.3 mi
Proghorn Path North1.8 mi
Aurora Reservoir 5K Trail1.2 mi
First Creek Trail1.0 mi
Proghorn Nature South0.8 mi
Badger Internal Trail0.7 mi
Front Range Fork0.7 mi
Seven Hills Trail0.5 mi
Tollgate Fork0.4 mi
East Toll Gate Creek Regional Trail0.4 mi
Triple Creek Greenway Corridor0.3 mi
9 more trails
East The Aurora Highlands Parkway
0.3 miHampden Run Path
0.3 miSide Creek Trail
0.3 miGreat Plains Park Internal Fitness Trail
0.3 miPower Line Trail
0.3 miEast 36th Place
0.2 miThe Aurora Highlands Parkway
0.2 miQuincy Reservoir Trail
0.2 miHutton Street Trail
0.1 miBiking & sports
257 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
127 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
123 mi
off-road bike paths
6.8 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Plains TrailBike route
1.6 miYaleBike route
1 miMarina Park TrailBike route
0.6 miNorfolk Glen PathBike route
0.5 miEast Tollgate Creek TrailBike route
0.4 miPowerline TrailBike route
0.4 miCourts & fields
195Basketball
179Tennis
114Baseball
106Soccer
26Pickleball
23Tracks
22Volleyball
20Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →10 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 29 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Melvin SchoolBuilding · listed 1984
About itWilliam Smith HouseBuilding · listed 1985
About itGully HomesteadBuilding · listed 1986
About itDeLaney BarnBuilding · listed 1989
About itBlanche A. Wilson HouseBuilding · listed 1996
About itCommandant of Cadets Building, US Air Force AcademyBuilding · listed 2007
About itM.J. Lavina Robidoux HouseBuilding · listed 2011
About itGranville Fuller HouseBuilding · listed 2012
About itJamaica Primary SchoolBuilding · listed 2017
About itWilson, S.A., Elementary SchoolBuilding · listed 2017
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Aurora: April to June
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.6 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 15.0 | 14.7 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 9.9 | 9.4 |
| High (°F) | 45 | 46 | 55 | 61 | 71 | 83 | 89 | 86 | 79 | 65 | 53 | 44 |
| Rain (in) | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.4 |
January is the driest month (0.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 89 °F). 2.3 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 89 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Aurora →
Next door
Aurora and its neighbors
Aurora has the second most mapped trails of the 6 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora | 10% | 0.7 | 27 | 99% | A |
| Centennial | 10% | 1.7 | 13 | 98% | A |
| Denver | 7% | 1.2 | 9 | 99%+ | A− |
| Watkins | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Parker | 20% | 2.7 | 15 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Four Square Mile | 10% | 1.4 | 3 | 99%+ | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Aurora
Where can I hike in Aurora?
The longest trail networks: Morrison Nature Center, 2.3 miles; Proghorn Nature Area, 1.9 miles; Jewell Wetlands, 1.9 miles; Sand Creek Park, 1.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Aurora is conserved land?
10% of its land, against a typical 7% for a Colorado town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Aurora’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Jewell Wetlands (on leash). For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Aurora?
257 miles of bike routes are on the map: 127 of painted or protected lanes, 123 of off-road paths and 6.8 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Plains Trail, Yale and Marina Park Trail.
Is there public land near Aurora?
37,011 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Aurora or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 11,035 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Aurora have?
Ahead of 90% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #59 of 159 in Colorado. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Aurora neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →