Centennial Center Park
Park
16 acres1.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Centennial
Centennial has 50 miles of mapped trails, 1.7 for every square mile of land
98% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 10% of Centennial’s land is conserved, about 1,887 acres. The biggest trail networks: Centennial Center Park (1.8 mi), Cherry Creek Ecological Park (1.5 mi), Willow Springs Open Space (1.4 mi).
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns · #63 of 159 in Colorado. What drives it
Conserved land
10%
1,887 acres · of 30.2 sq mi of land
Trails
50 mi
1.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,401 ac
13 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
98%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
48 mi
22 mi lanes · 26 mi paths
What kind of outdoors town is Centennial?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Centennial have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Centennial is ahead of 89% of U.S. towns, #63 of 159 in Colorado. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Centennial’s overall grade.
Conserved land10% of the land · typical CO town 7% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (50 mi) · CO 1.3 · U.S. 0.4APark land13 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,401 acres) · CO 14 · U.S. 13B−Parks close to home98% 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 89%
LessMore
Colorado towns of 2,500+ (159)Ahead of 61%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Centennial ranks #93 on Outdoors.
Colorado towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 7%; the U.S., 4%), so Centennial’s 10% is ahead of 63% of Colorado towns, while its trails per square mile lead 61% 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 Centennial Center Park, with 1.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Cherry Creek Ecological Park
Park
76 acres1.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Willow Springs Open Space
Nature preserve
164 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Dove Valley Regional Park
Park
92 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
deKoevend Park
Managed by South Suburban Parks & Recreation
99 acres1.2 mi of trail
deKoevend Park Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Piney Creek Hollow Park
Park
43 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Holly Park
Managed by South Suburban Parks & Recreation District
47 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Fox Hill Park
Park
39 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 53 parks & preserves
Centennial Center Park16 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsCherry Creek Ecological Park76 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsWillow Springs Open Space164 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsDove Valley Regional Park92 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsdeKoevend Park99 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · South Suburban Parks & Recreation
DirectionsPiney Creek Hollow Park43 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHolly Park47 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · South Suburban Parks & Recreation District
DirectionsFox Hill Park39 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Piney Creek East Park11 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsMedema Park18 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · South Suburban Parks & Recreation
DirectionsArapahoe Park17 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · South Suburban Parks and Recreation
DirectionsCherry Creek State Park22 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Colorado Parks & Wildlife
DirectionsLittle Dry Creek Park17 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · South Suburban Parks and Recreation District
DirectionsFoxhill Park8 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · South Suburban Parks & Recreation
DirectionsCherry Knolls Park30 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWalnut Hills Park9 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · South Suburban Parks & Recreation
DirectionsPalos Verdes Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · South Suburban Parks and Recreation
Smoky Hill Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Smoky Hill Metropolitan District
Milliken Park21 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWillow Creek Park19 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · South Suburban Parks and Recreation District
DirectionsParkview Community Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHunters Hill Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsClarkson Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Saint Thomas More Park and Open Space7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLookout Park and Pool7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Arapahoe Parks and Recreation Department
DirectionsLinksview Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHeritage Greens Poolhouse and Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsArapahoe Road Trailhead at Cherry Creek4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTrails Skatepark4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Piney Creek West Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHighlands Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Arapahoe Parks and Recreation District
DirectionsBig Sandy Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Smoky Hill Metropolitan District
Peakview West Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Palos Verdes West3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHeritage Village Park17 acres
DirectionsPuma Park11 acres
Abbott Park9 acres
Village Park7 acres · Arapahoe Park and Recreation District
DirectionsPeakview Elementary School Park7 acres · Arapahoe Parks and Recreation District
Crestline Park7 acres · Smoky Hill Metropolitan District
Cherry Hill Park5 acres · South Suburban Parks & Recreation
Peakview North Park4 acres
Aurora South Soccer Complex3 acres
DirectionsBig Rock Park3 acres · Smoky Hill Metropolitan District
Gold Rush Park3 acres · Smoky Hill Metropolitan District
Foxridge3 acres · South Suburban Parks & Recreation
DirectionsSunset Park1 acres · South Subuurban Parks & Recreation
Prospector Park1 acres · Smoky Hill Metropolitan District
Heritage Village Community Area1 acres
DirectionsArrowhead Park1 acres · Smoky Hill Metropolitan District
Upper Greenfield Park1 acres
DirectionsKings Point Pool & Park1 acres
Rusty Sun Tennis Courts1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
1,887 conserved acres
10% of Centennial’s land. Who manages Centennial’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency1,517 ac
Town or city204 ac
County98 ac
Army Corps of Engineers52 ac
State fish & wildlife40 ac
State parks29 ac
Regional Water Districts18 ac
Local Park · 802 acLocal Recreation Area · 397 acLocal Other or Unknown · 315 acLocal Conservation Area · 293 acRecreation Management Area · 52 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 21 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 18 of 120 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Suburban Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Regional agency | 197 | Open |
| Willow Spring Open Space Local Other or Unknown | Regional agency | 156 | Unknown |
| Parker Jordan Centennial Open Space Local Conservation Area | Regional agency | 105 | Restricted |
| High Line Canal Trail Local Recreation Area | Regional agency | 82 | Closed |
| Dove Valley Regional Park Local Park | Town or city | 78 | Open |
| Cherry Knolls Park / Big Dry Creek Local Park | Regional agency | 77 | Open |
| Cherry Creek Valley Ecological Park Local Conservation Area | County | 76 | Open |
| Cherry Creek Recreation Area Recreation Management Area | Army Corps of Engineers | 52 | Open |
| Foxridge Parks/ Trails / Open Space Local Other or Unknown | Regional agency | 49 | Unknown |
| Arapahoe High Courts & Fields Local Park | Regional agency | 45 | Restricted |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
159 places to go in Centennial
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Centennial
Hunters Hill Community PoolIn Hunters Hill Park
DirectionsKings Point PoolIn Kings Point Pool & Park
DirectionsWillow Creek 1 Kid Swimming Pool
DirectionsWillow Creek 1 Swimming Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Centennial
Big Sandy Park PlaygroundIn Big Sandy Park
DirectionsPalos Verdes Tot LotIn Palos Verdes West
DirectionsTimberline Playground
DirectionsTimberline Preschool Playground
DirectionsWalnut HillsIn Walnut Hills Park
DirectionsWillow 1 Playground
DirectionsWillow Creek 2 Playground
Directions138 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Centennial
3 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Centennial
4 scenic views without a name on the map.
Disc golf in Centennial
Walnut Hills Disc Golf CourseIn Walnut Hills Park · South Suburban Parks & Recreation
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Centennial
1 community garden without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Trails & water
7 named trails
Named trails
Open to bikes · 5.7 miHorses · 10.6 miUnpaved · 11.1 mi
Little Dry Creek Trail0.4 mi
BigDry Creek Trail0.3 mi
Big Dry Creek Trail0.2 mi
Willow Creek Trail0.2 mi
West Willow Creek Path0.2 mi
Tranquility Trail0.1 mi
deKoevend Park Trail0.1 mi
Biking & sports
48 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
22 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
26 mi
off-road bike paths
1.2 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Lone Treek Creek TrailBike route
0.6 miEast Phillips TrailBike route
0.3 miCourts & fields
113Tennis
69Basketball
32Baseball
21Soccer
12Beach volleyball
7Disc golf
6Equestrian
5Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Centennial: April to June and August
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) | 9.7 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 15.0 | 14.7 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 9.9 | 9.4 |
| High (°F) | 46 | 47 | 55 | 61 | 70 | 82 | 88 | 86 | 78 | 65 | 54 | 45 |
| Rain (in) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
January is the driest month (0.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 88 °F). 2.4 inches fall in July, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 88 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Centennial →
Next door
Centennial and its neighbors
Centennial has the second most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Aurora118 miCentennial50 miLittleton43 miHighlands Ranch39 miGreenwood Village12 miInverness5.3 miDove Valley3.7 miCherry Creek1.2 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centennial | 10% | 1.7 | 13 | 98% | A |
| Aurora | 10% | 0.7 | 27 | 99% | A |
| Dove Valley | 8% | 1.2 | 30 | 99%+ | A |
| Greenwood Village | 10% | 1.4 | 24 | 99%+ | A |
| Littleton | 24% | 3.4 | 30 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Inverness | under 1% | 4.7 | under 1 | 18% | C− |
| Cherry Creek | 5% | 0.7 | 3 | 86% | B |
| Highlands Ranch | 10% | 1.6 | 12 | 99% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Centennial
Where can I hike in Centennial?
The longest trail networks: Centennial Center Park, 1.8 miles; Cherry Creek Ecological Park, 1.5 miles; Willow Springs Open Space, 1.4 miles; Dove Valley Regional Park, 1.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Centennial 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 Centennial’s trails?
Centennial Center Park and Cherry Creek Ecological Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Centennial?
48 miles of bike routes are on the map: 22 of painted or protected lanes, 26 of off-road paths and 1.2 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Lone Treek Creek Trail and East Phillips Trail.
Is there public land near Centennial?
38,823 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Centennial or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,455 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Centennial have?
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #63 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 Centennial 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 →