Niver Creek Open Space
Nature preserve
64 acres1.9 mi of trail
Niver Creek Open Space
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Billy Hathorn · CC BY-SA 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Thornton
11% of Thornton’s land is conserved, and 98% of residents live within a half mile of a park
38 miles of mapped trail cross Thornton, 1.0 per square mile of land. 11% of Thornton’s land is conserved, about 2,649 acres. The biggest trail networks: Niver Creek Open Space (1.9 mi), Pelican Ponds Open Space (1.7 mi), Aylor Open Space (0.8 mi).
Ahead of 90% of U.S. towns · #58 of 159 in Colorado. What drives it
Conserved land
11%
2,649 acres · of 36.7 sq mi of land
Trails
38 mi
1.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,598 ac
18 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
98%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
159 mi
59 mi lanes · 100 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
16
2 beaches · 1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Thornton?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Thornton have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Thornton is ahead of 90% of U.S. towns, #58 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 Thornton’s overall grade.
Conserved land11% of the land · typical CO town 7% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.0 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (38 mi) · CO 1.3 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land18 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,598 acres) · CO 14 · U.S. 13BParks 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 90%
LessMore
Colorado towns of 2,500+ (159)Ahead of 64%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Thornton ranks #76 on Outdoors.
Colorado towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 7%; the U.S., 4%), so Thornton’s 11% is ahead of 66% of Colorado towns, while its trails per square mile lead 37% of them.
Water is 5% of Thornton’s area (2 of 39 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 11%.
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 Niver Creek Open Space, with 1.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Pelican Ponds Open Space
Managed by Adams County
194 acres1.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Aylor Open Space
Park
138 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Sintra Lewis Pointe Park
Managed by City of Thornton
20 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Grandview Ponds Open Space
Park
54 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Lakeview Tributary Open Space
Nature preserve
30 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Lee Lateral greenway
Park
20 acres0.4 mi of trail
Lee Lateral Ditch TrailLee Lateral alternate path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 82 parks & preserves
Niver Creek Open Space64 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
DirectionsPelican Ponds Open Space194 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · Adams County
DirectionsAylor Open Space138 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Sintra Lewis Pointe Park20 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · City of Thornton
Grandview Ponds Open Space54 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsBell Roth Park12 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsLakeview Tributary Open Space30 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsLee Lateral greenway20 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsHomestead Hills Park17 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City of Thornton
DirectionsTrail Winds Park and Open Space110 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsLambertson Lakes Park & Open Space42 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Thornton
DirectionsEastlake #3 Park and Nature Preserve101 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsRiverwalk Ballfields & Batting Cages21 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Thornton
DirectionsFallbrook Farms Park17 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBramming Farm Park2 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMargaret W. Carpenter Park & Open Space151 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Thornton
DirectionsSpratt Lake Fishing Area95 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCommunity Park32 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSpringvale Park Disc Golf Course19 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Thornton
DirectionsTalon View13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Woodglen Meadows Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWillow Bend II-Signal Hill Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Sherwood Hills Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Platte River Trailhead5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFranklin Street Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Riverdale Open Space58 acres
DirectionsSignal Ditch Park and Open Space54 acres
Woodglen / Brookshire Park34 acres
DirectionsBrantner Gulch Open Space29 acres
DirectionsHunters Glen Park27 acres
DirectionsThornton Sports Complex25 acres
DirectionsCherry Park23 acres
DirectionsCivic Center Park17 acres
DirectionsGrange Creek Park16 acres
DirectionsQuebec Highlands Park15 acres
Brantner Gulch OS14 acres
DirectionsWillow Bend Park14 acres
DirectionsPark Village14 acres
DirectionsYorkborough Park12 acres
Skylake Ranch Park12 acres
Northbrook Park10 acres
DirectionsSky Lake Park9 acres
Pecos Park9 acres
DirectionsNorthaven OS8 acres
DirectionsKing Ranch Estates Park8 acres
Lake Village Park8 acres
DirectionsAspen Park8 acres
Cherrywood Park8 acres
DirectionsHolly Park7 acres
Brantner Village Park7 acres
Eagleview Park7 acres · City of Thornton
DirectionsNorthstar Park6 acres
DirectionsQuebec Run Open Space6 acres
DirectionsTuck Ditch Park5 acres
Walton Heath Park5 acres · City of Thornton
DirectionsNorth Creek Farms Park5 acres
Elaine T. Valente Open Space Park4 acres
DirectionsEastlake Park4 acres
DirectionsColony Park4 acres
DirectionsBriar Ridge Park4 acres
Glencoe Park3 acres
DirectionsSage Creek Park3 acres
Northhaven Greenway3 acres
DirectionsRemington Park3 acres
Liberty Hills Park3 acres
Woodhaven Park3 acres
Notts Landing Park2 acres
Shadow Ridge Park2 acres
DirectionsSummit Grove Park2 acres
Brookshire Park2 acres · City of Thornton
DirectionsLily Park2 acres
DirectionsHaven at York Street Park1 acres
Playway Park1 acres
Steele Park1 acres
Columbia Park1 acres
DirectionsCroke Drive Park1 acres
Lu Murray Park1 acres
Preble Creek Playground1 acres
Eastglen Park1 acres
Vanessa Park1 acres
Eastlake Shores Park1 acres
DirectionsRace Street Playground1 acres
Who protects it
2,649 conserved acres
11% of Thornton’s land. Water is left out: Thornton has 36.7 square miles of land and 2.0 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Thornton’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city2,432 ac
County650 ac
Regional agency33 ac
State land board23 ac
Private owners16 ac
Local Park · 831 acLocal Other or Unknown · 628 acLocal Conservation Area · 603 acOther Easement · 335 acLocal Recreation Area · 260 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 195 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 12 of 159 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pelican Ponds Open Space Local Conservation Area | County | 183 | Closed |
| Thorncreek Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 168 | Open |
| Recreation Center Local Park | Town or city | 140 | Open |
| Aylor Park & Open Space Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 137 | Open |
| 136th & Holly Pk-OS Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 137 | Open |
| Fukaye - South Platte Valley Farmland Preservation Acquisition Local Resource Management Area | County | 135 | Open |
| Gravel Lakes Fishing Facility Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 122 | Unknown |
| Eastlake Reservoir #3 Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 101 | Open |
| Sprat Platte Fishing Facility Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 96 | Open |
| Riverdale Park Local Park | Town or city | 68 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
150 places to go in Thornton
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Thornton
2 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Thornton
3 public pools without a name on the map.
Playgrounds in Thornton
Carpenter ParkIn Margaret W. Carpenter Park & Open Space
DirectionsHidden PlaygroundIn Lee Lateral greenway
DirectionsLily Park PlaygroundIn Lily Park
DirectionsLily Park PlaygroundIn Lily Park
DirectionsPark PlaygroundIn Lake Village Park
DirectionsSkylake Ranch Park PlaygroundIn Skylake Ranch Park
DirectionsSkyview Campus Playground
Directions127 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Thornton
4 dog parks without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Thornton
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Fishing spots in Thornton
Gravel Lakes
DirectionsScenic views in Thornton
TouristIn Eastlake #3 Park and Nature Preserve
DirectionsPlus 3 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Thornton
6 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Thornton
2 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
5 named trails and 16 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 12.3 miUnpaved · 10.3 mi
Niver Creek Open Space0.9 mi
Lee Lateral Ditch Trail0.4 mi
South Platte Fishing Facility Trail0.1 mi
Eastlake Nature Trail0.1 mi
Lee Lateral alternate path0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Brewer ReservoirreservoirCroke LakereservoirEast Lake Number 3reservoirGerman Reservoir Number 1reservoirGinther Reservoir Number 1reservoirHunters Glen LakelakeLake AverylakeLambertson PondsMarshall ReservoirreservoirMetzger ReservoirreservoirNott LakereservoirSmith ReservoirreservoirSpratt LakelakeSunny Acres ReservoirreservoirWoodglen PondSouth Platte River
Biking & sports
159 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
59 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
100 mi
off-road bike paths
0.2 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
53Basketball
41Tennis
35Baseball
16Soccer
8Football
5Pickleball
4Softball
3Volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →1 place on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Eastlake Farmers Co-Operative Elevator CompanyStructure · listed 2010
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Thornton: 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 | 9.3 |
| High (°F) | 46 | 47 | 56 | 63 | 72 | 84 | 90 | 87 | 79 | 66 | 54 | 45 |
| Rain (in) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 |
January is the driest month (0.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 90 °F). 2.4 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 90 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Thornton →
Next door
Thornton and its neighbors
Thornton has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Thornton38 miBroomfield38 miCommerce City26 miTodd Creek9.0 miNorthglenn8.0 miFederal Heights5.2 miWelby2.0 miSherrelwood0.8 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thornton | 11% | 1.0 | 18 | 98% | A |
| Northglenn | 8% | 1.1 | 10 | 99%+ | A |
| Todd Creek | 5% | 0.9 | 3 | 25% | C+ |
| Welby | 4% | 0.5 | 7 | 99%+ | B+ |
| Commerce City | 4% | 0.7 | 29 | 97% | A− |
| Sherrelwood | 3% | 0.3 | 4 | 92% | B− |
| Broomfield | 21% | 1.2 | 29 | 99% | A+ |
| Federal Heights | 18% | 2.9 | 14 | 99%+ | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Thornton
Where can I hike in Thornton?
The longest trail networks: Niver Creek Open Space, 1.9 miles; Pelican Ponds Open Space, 1.7 miles; Aylor Open Space, 0.8 miles; Sintra Lewis Pointe Park, 0.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Thornton is conserved land?
11% 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 Thornton’s trails?
Niver Creek Open Space and Pelican Ponds Open Space don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Thornton?
159 miles of bike routes are on the map: 59 of painted or protected lanes, 100 of off-road paths and 0.2 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Thornton?
31,378 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Thornton or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,598 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Thornton have?
Ahead of 90% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #58 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 Thornton 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 →