City Park
Managed by City of Aurora
325 acres6.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Denver
7% of Denver’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 181 miles of mapped trail cross Denver, 1.2 per square mile of land. The biggest trail networks: City Park (6.4 mi), Washington Park (5.4 mi), Prairie Uplands Park (4.3 mi).
Ahead of 83% of U.S. towns · #79 of 159 in Colorado. What drives it
Conserved land
7%
6,910 acres · of 153.1 sq mi of land
Trails
181 mi
1.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
6,395 ac
8.9 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
391 mi
155 mi lanes · 190 mi paths
Highest peak
5,417 ft
Inspiration Point
Lakes & rivers
51
4 beaches · 6 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Denver?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Denver have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Denver is ahead of 83% of U.S. towns, #79 of 159 in Colorado. The share of residents near a park holds the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Denver’s overall grade.
Conserved land7% of the land · typical CO town 7% · U.S. 4%B+Trails1.2 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (181 mi) · CO 1.3 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land8.9 acres of park per 1,000 residents (6,395 acres) · CO 14 · U.S. 13C+Parks close to homeVirtually all residents within a half mile of a park · CO 97% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 83%
LessMore
Colorado towns of 2,500+ (159)Ahead of 51%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Denver ranks #156 on Outdoors.
Colorado towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 7%; the U.S., 4%), so Denver’s 7% is ahead of 53% of Colorado towns, while its trails per square mile lead 45% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ 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 City Park, with 6.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Park Hill Park
Managed by City of Denver
147 acres2.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Bear Creek Park and Trail
Park
167 acres2.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 245 parks & preserves
City Park325 acres · 6.4 mi of trail · City of Aurora
DirectionsWashington Park155 acres · 5.4 mi of trail
DirectionsPrairie Uplands Park113 acres · 4.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCheesman Park72 acres · 3.5 mi of trail
DirectionsPark Hill Park147 acres · 2.7 mi of trail · City of Denver
DirectionsWesterly Creek Park100 acres · 2.7 mi of trail
DirectionsKelly Open Space50 acres · 2.6 mi of trail
DirectionsBear Creek Park and Trail167 acres · 2.4 mi of trail
DirectionsBluff Lake Nature Center125 acres · 2.4 mi of trail
DirectionsRuby Hill Park89 acres · 2.4 mi of trail
DirectionsCentral Park80 acres · 2.4 mi of trail
DirectionsBible Park83 acres · 2.3 mi of trail
DirectionsHavana And Cornell Park52 acres · 2 mi of trail
DirectionsSloan's Lake Park107 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsLowry Open Space57 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsGreenway Belt Park40 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsMary's Meadow49 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
Harvard Gulch Park49 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsNorthfield Pond Park34 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Denver Parks & Recreation
DirectionsRocky Mountain Lake Park59 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsGarfield Lake Park30 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsHigh Plains Park20 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsKennedy Ballfields Complex47 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsCivic Center Park16 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsThe Bluffs36 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsHarvey Park21 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsBow Mar Heights Park17 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsHeron Pond/Heller/Carpio-Sanguinette Park54 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsParkfield Lake Park39 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsWagon Trail Park34 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsBabi Yar Park30 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsSandhills Prairie Park16 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsFuller Park9 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsLakewood / Dry Gulch Park62 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsInspiration Point Park30 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsLoretto Heights Park11 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsWolff And Quincy Park11 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Johnson Habitat Park6 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsBerkeley Park83 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsPaco Sánchez Park34 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsGates Crescent Park23 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsLincoln Park11 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsZuni And 51st Park11 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Mestizo-Curtis Park10 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsHenry S. Lindsley Park10 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsGeorge Morrison Sr. Park10 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsSouth Platte Riverfront Park7 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsIsthmus Park6 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Bowles Metropolitan District
Rosamond Park36 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCommons Park17 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsPrairie Meadows Park16 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsMontbello Civic Center Park6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
City of Kunming Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsRiNo ArtPark3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCity of Cuernavaca Park23 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSandos Park21 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsCottonwood Gallery16 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsCongress Park14 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWillow Basin Park14 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
RiNo Promenade14 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsVeterans Park13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsFour Mile Historic Park13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsArgo Park13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSunken Gardens Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsFalcon Park10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsCrescent Park10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMel Silverman Park9 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Prairie Park9 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsDenver Parks: Conservation Area7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Pinecrest Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Montbello Open Space Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsHallack Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsDailey Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsCity of Axum Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Chaffee Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBen Bezoff Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Boulevard One Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsPlatt Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSkyline Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Denver Parks and Recreation
DirectionsConservatory Green Amphitheater @ Stapleton4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsCity Park Nature Play3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Kittredge Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Tailwind Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Lowry Community Master Association
The Grove at Commons Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsColumbus Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsREI Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSaint Charles Place Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLowry Sports Park39 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCook Park37 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMontbello Central Park37 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsKennedy Park Soccer Complex34 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTown Center Park26 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsGreen Valley East Ranch Park19 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsUplands Park19 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBurns Park19 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMartinez Park11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHutchinson Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsGlobeville Landing Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSkyland Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Weir Gulch Marina Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsAmache Prowers Memorial Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Denver Parks and Recreation
Pulaski Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWestwood Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsOverland Pond Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsDe Boer Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCity of Ulaanbaatar Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCity of Potenza Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
41st & Ensenada Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Founders Green4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsValverde Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMayfair Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Garrison And Union Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Ninth Street Historic Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Auraria Higher Education Center
DirectionsPferdsteller Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Lincoln Memorial Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCity Park Esplanade3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsPea Pod Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Cesar Chavez Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsJames N. Manley Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMadame CJ Walker Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBeeler Plaza1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Square Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Liberator Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Lowry Community Master Association
DirectionsQuilted Garden Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Maple Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Lowry Community Master Association
David T. Garland Sr. Park54 acres
DirectionsCrestmoor Park37 acres
DirectionsSanderson Gulch Park & Trail37 acres
DirectionsBarnum Park South33 acres
DirectionsVanderbilt Park31 acres
DirectionsHuston Lake Park30 acres
DirectionsFred Thomas Park29 acres
DirectionsMamie D. Eisenhower Park29 acres
DirectionsCranmer Park29 acres
DirectionsHampden Heights Park27 acres
DirectionsPrairie Basin Park27 acres
DirectionsGeorge M. Wallace Park26 acres · Denver Parks & Recreation - Goldsmith Metropolitan District
DirectionsJackie Robinson Fields Park20 acres
DirectionsLisbon Park17 acres · Denver Parks and Recreation
DirectionsJohnson Park17 acres
Martin Luther King Park17 acres
DirectionsSouthmoor Park16 acres
DirectionsSanderson Gulch Park16 acres
McWilliams Park16 acres
DirectionsNorth Sports Park14 acres
DirectionsFrances Wisebart Jacobs Park14 acres
DirectionsSwansea Park14 acres
DirectionsBayaud Park13 acres
West-Bar-Val Wood Park11 acres
DirectionsObservatory Park11 acres
Rude Park11 acres
DirectionsVerbena Park11 acres
Ash Grove Park11 acres
Irving & Java Park11 acres
DirectionsEastmoor Park10 acres
DirectionsLakewood Gulch10 acres
DirectionsPlatte River at Elitch Gardens Park10 acres
DirectionsCity of Brest Park10 acres
DirectionsVillage Place Park10 acres
Community Park at Parkfield Lake10 acres
DirectionsBates and Hobart Park9 acres
Barnum Park East9 acres
DirectionsGeorge Wallace Park North9 acres
DirectionsRobinson Park9 acres
Gates Tennis Center9 acres
DirectionsJefferson Park9 acres
DirectionsWeir Gulch Park9 acres
Frog Hollow Park9 acres
DirectionsJefferson Square Park9 acres
Highland Park7 acres
DirectionsCity of Chennai Park7 acres
Viking Park6 acres
DirectionsElmendorf Park6 acres
Godsman Park6 acres
DirectionsCherry Creek North Park6 acres
DirectionsGarland & Saratoga Park6 acres · Denver Parks and Recreation
Ford Park6 acres
Aviator Park6 acres
Puddle Jumper Park6 acres
Grant - Frontier Park4 acres
DirectionsSchafer Park4 acres
DirectionsPhil Milstein Park4 acres
DirectionsJ. Langston Boyd Park4 acres
DirectionsFishback Landing Park4 acres
DirectionsRunway 35 Park4 acres
F-15 Park4 acres
DirectionsMcNichols Park4 acres
DirectionsAspgren Park4 acres
Alamo Placita Park4 acres
Cheesman Park Esplanade4 acres
Pasquinel's Landing4 acres
DirectionsCity of Karmiel Park4 acres
DirectionsGovernors Park4 acres
DirectionsLake of Lakes Park3 acres
Paul A. Hentzell Park (undeveloped)3 acres
DirectionsCiancio Park3 acres
DirectionsPecos And 46th Park3 acres
DirectionsSkyline Acres Swim & Tennis Club3 acres
DirectionsCherry Creek South Park3 acres
DirectionsMcDonough Park3 acres
DirectionsGarland South Greenbelt Park3 acres
Green Valley West Ranch Park3 acres
DirectionsConfluence Park3 acres
DirectionsGolden Key Park3 acres
Dunham Park3 acres
DirectionsDenison Park3 acres
DirectionsCity of Nairobi Park3 acres
Elyria Park3 acres
Montclair Park3 acres
DirectionsJet Stream Park3 acres
Hirshorn Park3 acres
DirectionsSculpture Park3 acres
DirectionsDan's Garden3 acres · University of Denver
DirectionsBonnie Brae Park3 acres
Ark Park3 acres
Marrama Park3 acres
DirectionsSonny Lawson Park3 acres
DirectionsInfinity Park1 acres
DirectionsSpeer Boulevard Park1 acres
DirectionsMagna Carta Park1 acres
DirectionsBenedict Fountain Park1 acres
DirectionsKendall Park1 acres
Athmar Park1 acres
Russell Square Park1 acres
Grant–Humphreys Park1 acres
DirectionsHungarian Freedom Park1 acres
DirectionsMaverick Park1 acres
Southwest Auto Park1 acres · City of Denver
Cherry Creek III Park1 acres · Cherry Creek III HOA
City of Takayama Park1 acres
DirectionsWicker Park1 acres
Harvard Gulch Mini Park1 acres
DirectionsCreekfront Park1 acres
DirectionsBouquet Park1 acres
Directions17th Street Plaza1 acres
DirectionsEntry Park East1 acres
DirectionsHarvest Park1 acres
Hale Park1 acres
DirectionsEntry Park West1 acres
DirectionsSail Park1 acres
Pizza Park1 acres
Frederick Douglass Park1 acres
DirectionsTurtle Park1 acres
Quality Hill Park1 acres
DirectionsMacIntosh Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
6,910 conserved acres
7% of Denver’s land. Who manages Denver’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Joint5,151 ac
Regional Water Districts847 ac
Regional agency525 ac
Town or city409 ac
State land board150 ac
Army Corps of Engineers126 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government56 ac
Local Park · 4,503 acLocal Recreation Area · 1,185 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 892 acLocal Other or Unknown · 321 acState Resource Management Area · 150 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 27 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 6 of 382 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marston Lake Private Other or Unknown | Regional Water Districts | 753 | Closed |
| City Park Local Park | Joint | 326 | Open |
| John F Kennedy Municipal Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Joint | 279 | Restricted |
| Sloan's Lake Park Local Park | Joint | 258 | Open |
| Verbena Park Local Park | Joint | 212 | Open |
| Washington Park Local Park | Joint | 155 | Open |
| Colorado State Land Board State Land Board State Resource Management Area | State land board | 150 | Closed |
| Wellshire Municipal Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Joint | 140 | Restricted |
| Overland Municipal Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Joint | 136 | Restricted |
| City Park Municipal Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Joint | 127 | Restricted |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
994 places to go in Denver
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Denver
4 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Denver
Commotion Ocean
DirectionsCongress Park Outdoor PoolIn Congress Park
DirectionsConnect at First Creek Pool
DirectionsCook Park PoolIn Cook Park
DirectionsEast Range Crossings Pool
DirectionsEisenhower PoolIn Mamie D. Eisenhower Park
DirectionsElevate Community Pool
DirectionsGangplanks & Cannonball Falls
Directions9 more public pools
Green Valley Ranch East PoolIn Green Valley East Ranch Park
DirectionsHook's Lagoon
DirectionsIncline45 Community Pool
DirectionsKiddie PoolIn Congress Park
DirectionsPoolIn Congress Park
DirectionsRedstone Apartment Pool
DirectionsRedstone Ranch Apartment Homes Pool
DirectionsRuby Hill Swimming PoolIn Ruby Hill Park
DirectionsWildhorse Ridge Pool
DirectionsPlus 7 public pools without a name on the map.
Playgrounds in Denver
Adventure ForestIn Gates Crescent Park
DirectionsBabytopia
DirectionsChimney ClimbIn Gates Crescent Park
DirectionsChute SlideIn Gates Crescent Park
DirectionsCluster ClimberIn Gates Crescent Park
DirectionsCottonwood Bark Park
DirectionsExplore the ShoreIn City Park
DirectionsHigh Plains Park PlaygroundIn High Plains Park
Directions14 more playgrounds
Huston ParkIn Huston Lake Park
DirectionsLisbon Park PlaygroundIn Lisbon Park
DirectionsNettie Moore PlaygroundIn Lakewood / Dry Gulch Park
DirectionsNorth Commons Lawn Playground
DirectionsRolling Bluff Park
DirectionsRosamond Park PlaygroundIn Rosamond Park
DirectionsSanderson Gulch PlaygroundIn Sanderson Gulch Park & Trail
DirectionsStinky Climb
DirectionsThe Bluffs PlaygroundIn The Bluffs
DirectionsTippy Tippy Toe Lookout
DirectionsTopaz Playground
DirectionsTot Lot
DirectionsWagon Creek PlaygroundIn Garland & Saratoga Park
DirectionsWillow's Nest
Directions674 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Denver
Bark Park
DirectionsBark Park
DirectionsBarnum Dog ParkIn Barnum Park South
DirectionsBelleview Station Dog Park
DirectionsBenedict Park Place Dog Park
DirectionsBerkeley Dog ParkIn Berkeley Park
DirectionsCarla Madison Dog Park
DirectionsDeerfield Dog Park
Directions11 more dog parks
Denver Beer Co.
DirectionsEdge DTC Bark Park
DirectionsFuller Dog ParkIn Fuller Park
DirectionsKennedy Dog ParkIn Kennedy Park Soccer Complex
DirectionsLowry Dog Park
DirectionsSkiptown
DirectionsStapleton Off-Leash Dog Park
DirectionsTangent Dog Park
DirectionsThe Argonne Dog Park
DirectionsThe Modern Apartments dog run
DirectionsWillow Bark Park
Directions44 dog parks are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Boat launches in Denver
6 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Denver
Signature Overlook of DenverIn Ruby Hill Park
DirectionsSnow Sledding HillIn Ruby Hill Park
DirectionsWinter Railyard SnowboardingIn Ruby Hill Park
DirectionsPlus 5 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Denver
Inspiration Point5,417 ft elevation · In Inspiration Point Park
DirectionsRuby Hill5,394 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Denver
Maroon Bells Picnic Pavilion
DirectionsMount Evans Picnic Pavilions
DirectionsPepsi Groves
DirectionsPicnic Area 2In Rosamond Park
DirectionsPicnic Site 1In Bible Park
DirectionsPicnic Site 2In Washington Park
DirectionsPicnic Site 4In Washington Park
DirectionsPicnic TableIn Sunken Gardens Park
Directions4 more picnic areas
Pikes Peak Picnic Pavilion
DirectionsSanderson Gulch Picnic TablesIn Sanderson Gulch Park & Trail
DirectionsSanderson Gulch Picnic TablesIn Sanderson Gulch Park & Trail
DirectionsSunlight Picnic Pavilion
Directions215 picnic areas are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Disc golf in Denver
Lisbon Park Disc Golf CourseIn Lisbon Park
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Denver
Barnum Community Garden & OrchardDenver Urban Gardens
DirectionsBarnum Community Garden & OrchardDenver Urban Gardens
DirectionsCommons Park Community GardenIn Commons Park
DirectionsHirschfeld Towers Community GardenDenver Housing Authority
DirectionsHistoric Baker Neighborhood Community Garden
DirectionsPlus 11 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
15 named trails and 51 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 35.8 miUnpaved · 54.5 mi
Lowry Dam Trail1.7 mi
Ruby Hill Loop Trail1.6 mi
High Line Canal Trail (Unpaved)1.3 mi
Garfield Lake Park Trail1.1 mi
Rocky Mountain Lake Trail0.6 mi
First Creek Trail Connector0.4 mi
Goldsmith Gulch Trail0.3 mi
20th Street Multi-Use Path0.3 mi
John F Kennedy Park Trail0.3 mi
Ruby Hill Upper Return Trail0.3 mi
5 more trails
Berkeley Lake Trail
0.1 miSmokey Hill North Trail
0.1 miSloan's Lake Trail
0.1 miTrack
0.1 miEast Harvard Gulch Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Barnum Park Lake ReservoirBerkeley LakeBig Lowry PondpondBluff LakelakeDuck LakeDucksEl Pomar WaterwayFerril LakelakeFishing PondpondFour Towers PoolpondGarfield LakeGrant B ReservoirpondGrant C ReservoirreservoirGrasmere LakeHarbor SealHarvey Park LakelakeHeron PondpondHuston LakeIncinerator LakeKelly ReservoirreservoirKoi PondLake of LakeslakeLil Lowry PondpondLily PondpondLollipop LakeMarston LakereservoirMid Lowry PondpondMidway LakeMonet PoolpondNorgren LakeNorthern Shores/Polar BearOverland LakeOverland PondParkfield LakelakeRiver OttersRocky Mountain LakelakeSea LionsSeal Fountain and Reflecting PoolpondSkeel ReservoirSloan's LakelakeSmith LakeSteppe Garden WaterwayValle LakeWard Reservoir Number 5reservoirWesterly Creek ReservoirreservoirWindsor LakeWolcott LakeCherry CreekPlatte RiverSand CreekSouth Platte River
Biking & sports
391 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
155 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
190 mi
off-road bike paths
45 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
John F Kennedy Park TrailBike route
1 miDenver D1Bike route
0.7 miDenver D22Bike route
0.6 miCourts & fields
355Tennis
297Basketball
170Soccer
161Baseball
50Pickleball
24Football
16Volleyball
12Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →324 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 57 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Emmanuel Shearith Israel ChapelBuilding · listed 1969
About itSt. Elizabeth's ChurchBuilding · listed 1969
About itColorado Governor's MansionBuilding · listed 1969
About itDaniels and Fisher TowerBuilding · listed 1969
About itFour-Mile HouseBuilding · listed 1969
About itBrown Palace HotelBuilding · listed 1970
About itTrinity United Methodist ChurchBuilding · listed 1970
About itByers-Evans HouseBuilding · listed 1970
About itGrant-Humphreys MansionBuilding · listed 1970
About itDenver MintBuilding · listed 1972
About itMolly Brown HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About it312 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Denver: 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 | 14.4 | 15.0 | 14.7 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 9.9 | 9.4 |
| High (°F) | 46 | 47 | 56 | 62 | 72 | 84 | 89 | 87 | 79 | 66 | 54 | 46 |
| Rain (in) | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
January is the driest month (0.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 89 °F). 2.5 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 89 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Denver →
Next door
Denver and its neighbors
Denver has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Denver181 miLakewood123 miAurora118 miCommerce City26 miEnglewood4.3 miFour Square Mile3.8 miNorth Washington1.1 miBow Mar0.1 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | 7% | 1.2 | 9 | 99%+ | A− |
| Lakewood | 25% | 2.8 | 40 | 99% | A+ |
| Aurora | 10% | 0.7 | 27 | 99% | A |
| Four Square Mile | 10% | 1.4 | 3 | 99%+ | A− |
| Englewood | 7% | 0.7 | 9 | 98% | A− |
| Bow Mar | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| North Washington | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Commerce City | 4% | 0.7 | 29 | 97% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Denver
Where can I hike in Denver?
The longest trail networks: City Park, 6.4 miles; Washington Park, 5.4 miles; Prairie Uplands Park, 4.3 miles; Cheesman Park, 3.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Denver is conserved land?
7% 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 Denver’s trails?
City Park and Washington Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Denver?
391 miles of bike routes are on the map: 155 of painted or protected lanes, 190 of off-road paths and 45 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: John F Kennedy Park Trail, Denver D1 and Denver D22.
Is there public land near Denver?
77,275 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Denver or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 6,407 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Denver have?
Ahead of 83% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #79 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 Denver 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 →