Dad Clark Park
Park
232 acres2.9 mi of trail
Dad Clark Dirt Trail
Dogs on leash
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Jguy10218 · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Highlands Ranch
10% of Highlands Ranch’s land is conserved, and 99% of residents live within a half mile of a park
39 miles of mapped trail cross Highlands Ranch, 1.6 per square mile of land. 10% of Highlands Ranch’s land is conserved, about 1,618 acres. The biggest trail networks: Dad Clark Park (2.9 mi), Highlands Ranch Historic Park (1.4 mi), West Big Dry Natural Area (1.1 mi).
Ahead of 90% of U.S. towns · #61 of 159 in Colorado. What drives it
Conserved land
10%
1,618 acres · of 24.3 sq mi of land
Trails
39 mi
1.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,253 ac
12 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
106 mi
56 mi lanes · 49 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
3
What kind of outdoors town is Highlands Ranch?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Highlands Ranch have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Highlands Ranch is ahead of 90% of U.S. towns, #61 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 Highlands Ranch’s overall grade.
Conserved land10% of the land · typical CO town 7% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (39 mi) · CO 1.3 · U.S. 0.4APark land12 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,253 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 62%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Highlands Ranch ranks #81 on Outdoors.
Colorado towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 7%; the U.S., 4%), so Highlands Ranch’s 10% is ahead of 65% of Colorado towns, while its trails per square mile lead 58% 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 Dad Clark Park, with 2.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Highlands Ranch Historic Park
Park
49 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
West Big Dry Natural Area
Managed by Highalnds Ranch Metro District
125 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Cheese Ranch Historic Park
Park
82 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Chatfield State Park
Managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife
138 acres0.9 mi of trail
Cottonwood Trail
Dogs allowed
Directionsto Steven's GroveWebsite ↗
East Big Dry Natural Area
Managed by Highlands Ranch Metro District
154 acres0.7 mi of trail
Goat Trail Connector
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
David A Lorenz Regional Park
Park
91 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Middle Fork Natural Area
Nature preserve
148 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 50 parks & preserves
Dad Clark Park232 acres · 2.9 mi of trail
DirectionsHighlands Ranch Historic Park49 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
West Big Dry Natural Area125 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Highalnds Ranch Metro District
DirectionsCheese Ranch Historic Park82 acres · 1 mi of trail
Chatfield State Park138 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Colorado Parks and Wildlife
DirectionsEast Big Dry Natural Area154 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Highlands Ranch Metro District
DirectionsDavid A Lorenz Regional Park91 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsMiddle Fork Natural Area148 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsFly’n B Park12 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsWater's Edge Park7 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsWildcat Natural Area71 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Highlands Ranch Metro District
DirectionsWildcat Reserve Park18 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Reflection Park9 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Timberline Park5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Dad Clark Natural Area122 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Highlands Ranch Metro District
DirectionsHighland Heritage Regional Park78 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Douglas County
DirectionsKline Homestead Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsCivic Green Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSolstice Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
James G. Toepfer Park20 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Highlands Ranch Metro Distict
DirectionsRed-tail Park11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsKisler Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCougar Run Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Highlands Ranch Metro District
DirectionsOverlook Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Province Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Discovery Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRedstone Park54 acres
DirectionsMarcy Park27 acres
DirectionsNorthridge Park25 acres · Highlands Ranch Metro District
DirectionsFalcon Park12 acres
DirectionsBig Dry Creek Park11 acres · Highlands Ranch Metro District
DirectionsSpring Gulch Park11 acres
DirectionsBluffs Regional Park9 acres · Douglas County Open Space
Plum Valley Park8 acres
DirectionsSouthpark Pickleball Complex7 acres
Paintbrush Park7 acres
DirectionsSand Creek Park7 acres
Welte Park7 acres · Highlands Ranch Metro District
Diamond K Park5 acres
Foothills Park5 acres
DirectionsSpringer Park5 acres
Wildcat Mountain School Park4 acres
DirectionsProghorn Park4 acres
Tanks Skate Park4 acres
DirectionsCentral Park3 acres
DirectionsWindmill Park2 acres
Spearwood Park2 acres
Hearth Park1 acres
Wildcat Ridge Park1 acres
Firelight Park1 acres
Who protects it
1,618 conserved acres
10% of Highlands Ranch’s land. Who manages Highlands Ranch’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Regional agency976 ac
County339 ac
Army Corps of Engineers336 ac
State fish & wildlife186 ac
Regional Water Districts72 ac
Local Park · 1,026 acRecreation Management Area · 336 acUnknown Easement · 222 acState Park · 186 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 72 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 222 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 58 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chatfield Recreation Area Recreation Management Area | Army Corps of Engineers | 336 | Open |
| Chatfield State Park State Park | State fish & wildlife | 186 | Open |
| David A. Lorenz Regional Park Local Park | Regional agency | 146 | Open |
| Spring Gulch Equestrian Park Local Park | Regional agency | 108 | Open |
| Highland Heritage Regional Park Local Park | County | 84 | Open |
| High Line Canal Trail Private Other or Unknown | Regional Water Districts | 72 | Closed |
| Ranch View Middle & Thunder Ridge High Local Park | Regional agency | 70 | Restricted |
| Cresthill Middle School Local Park | Regional agency | 69 | Restricted |
| Mountain View Middle School Local Park | Regional agency | 56 | Restricted |
| Redstone Park Local Park | Regional agency | 48 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
73 places to go in Highlands Ranch
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Highlands Ranch
Diamond-K ParkIn Diamond K Park
DirectionsKisler ParkIn Kisler Park
DirectionsPaint Brush ParkIn Paintbrush Park
DirectionsToepfer ParkIn James G. Toepfer Park
Directions55 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Highlands Ranch
David Lorenz Dog Park
DirectionsDigger's at Dad Clark Park
DirectionsHound Hill Dog Park
DirectionsRover's Run
DirectionsPlus 2 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Fishing spots in Highlands Ranch
2 fishing spots without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Highlands Ranch
7 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Disc golf in Highlands Ranch
Palomino Park Disc Golf
DirectionsWest ForkHighlands Ranch Metro District
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Highlands Ranch
The Corn Cob Community GardenIn Cheese Ranch Historic Park · Highlands Ranch Metro District
DirectionsTrails & water
6 named trails and 3 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 5.4 miUnpaved · 25.5 mi
Dad Clark Dirt Trail1.1 mi
Goat Trail Connector0.4 mi
Grand View Trail0.3 mi
East/West Regional Trail0.2 mi
Wildcat Trail0.1 mi
Cottonwood Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
106 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
56 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
49 mi
off-road bike paths
0.3 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
56Soccer
48Tennis
38Basketball
34Baseball
6Football
5Pickleball
3Multi-sport
3Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Highlands Ranch: 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 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 14.9 | 14.7 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 9.9 | 9.4 |
| High (°F) | 46 | 48 | 55 | 61 | 70 | 82 | 87 | 85 | 78 | 65 | 54 | 46 |
| Rain (in) | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.7 |
January is the driest month (0.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 87 °F). 2.4 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 87 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Highlands Ranch →
Next door
Highlands Ranch and its neighbors
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highlands Ranch | 10% | 1.6 | 12 | 99% | A |
| Littleton | 24% | 3.4 | 30 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Lone Tree | 8% | 1.3 | 35 | 99%+ | A |
| Acres Green | 18% | 2.2 | 21 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Centennial | 10% | 1.7 | 13 | 98% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Highlands Ranch
Where can I hike in Highlands Ranch?
The longest trail networks: Dad Clark Park, 2.9 miles; Highlands Ranch Historic Park, 1.4 miles; West Big Dry Natural Area, 1.1 miles; Cheese Ranch Historic Park, 1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Highlands Ranch 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 Highlands Ranch’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Dad Clark Park (on leash) and Chatfield State Park. For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Highlands Ranch?
106 miles of bike routes are on the map: 56 of painted or protected lanes, 49 of off-road paths and 0.3 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Highlands Ranch?
45,986 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Highlands Ranch or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,483 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Highlands Ranch have?
Ahead of 90% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #61 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 Highlands Ranch 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 →