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Uncover Denver’s Best-Kept Green Secrets 🌳
Skip the crowds and find your new favorite hideaway—these secret parks around Denver are perfect for chill days, skyline views, and quiet escapes.
What's Happenin' Denver
June 30, 2025
Secret Parks You’ll Wish You Found Sooner 🌸
Hey Denver adventurers! 🧩🎉
Everyone knows about Wash Park and City Park—but what about the quiet bench with skyline views at Zuni & 51st? Or the riverside bridge tucked along the South Platte Trail? This week, we’re taking you beyond the big names and into 10 secret parks that deserve a spot in your weekend plans. Whether you’re after quiet reflection, petting zoos, creekside bike paths, or some unexpected history (astronomy tower, anyone?), there’s a hidden gem with your name on it.
🌼 Looking for more things to do in Denver? Dive into Things to Do in Colorado, Kid-Friendly Hikes, or discover our favorite Colorado Day Trips.
🌆 Mile High Trivia Time!
When was the historic Chamberlin Observatory in Denver’s Observatory Park established? |
👉 Tap your guess — we’ll reveal the answer at the bottom of the newsletter!
🌳 Secret Parks You’ll Wish You Found Sooner
Think you’ve explored every inch of Denver’s green space? Think again. Beyond Wash Park and City Park lies a whole hidden world of quiet lakes, riverside trails, wildflower gardens, and even astronomy towers. We’ve rounded up 10 underrated parks in and around the Mile High City—perfect for your next lazy afternoon, picnic, or unplugged adventure.
Settle under the trees or stargaze beside the Chamberlin Observatory. Great for reading, relaxing, and impressing astronomy nerds. 🐐 Belleview Park (Englewood) Petting zoo, mini train rides, and creekside trails—basically a kiddo’s paradise (but adults love it too). A sports hub with fields, courts, skate bowls, and BMX tracks. Bring your A-game or a lawn chair and watch. Tiny, quiet, and built for skyline gazing. The best bench in the city, guaranteed. Picture rolling hills, sculpted landscaping, and your new favorite picnic spot hidden among office buildings. | Blink and you’ll miss it—this charming flower-filled pocket is tucked right off busy Speer Blvd. Snowboarding in winter, skyline views and mountain biking in summer. Plus, a free concert amphitheater. This 27-acre Holocaust memorial is peaceful, powerful, and full of quiet walking paths. Massive open space with playgrounds, baseball diamonds, and mountain views. Don’t miss the sundial sculpture! Serene lakeside trails, front-range views, and prime fishing spots. Bring a blanket and unplug. |
☀️ Bonus Pick:
🚴♀️ Grant Frontier Park – Nestled along the South Platte River Trail with scenic bridges and playgrounds. Perfect for river views and bike breaks.
🌆 Mile High Happenings
Monday, June 30 🆓 Free Events 🧵 Bowlero And Cars📍 Bowlero | ⏰ 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | 🆓 Free (Recurring Monday) 🧵 Family Matters📍 Shoot Indoors Central Park | ⏰ 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM | 🆓 Free (Kids) (Recurring Monday) 🧵 Smarty Party Trivia📍 Avanti F&B | ⏰ 7:00 PM | 🆓 Free (Recurring Monday) 🎸 Indie 102.3’s June Local 303 Meetup feat: Blankslate📍 404 N Broadway | ⏰ 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM | 🆓 Free 💵 Ticketed Events 🍫 Film on The Rocks: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971📍 Red Rocks Amphitheatre | ⏰ 7:00 PM | 🎟️ $25+ 🎷 A Tribute to Woody Herman📍 Dazzle | ⏰ 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM | 🎟️ $20 – $30 | Tuesday, July 1 🆓 Free Events 🧵 Trivia Night @ Spirit Hound📍 Spirit Hound Distillers – Denver | ⏰ 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM | 🆓 Free (Recurring Tuesday) 🧵 Bingo Night!📍 Waldschänke Ciders | ⏰ 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM | 🆓 Free (Recurring Tuesday) 🧵 Geeks Who Drink📍 Fuel & Iron Bar | ⏰ 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM | 🆓 Free (Recurring Tuesday) 🍺 Trivia Night at FlyteCo – Weekly brewery trivia with prizes and beer📍 FlyteCo Brewing, 7 PM (Recurring Tuesdays) 💵 Ticketed Events 🎤 Dr. Dog📍 Red Rocks Amphitheatre | ⏰ 7:30 PM | 🎟️ Price varies 🎺 Summer Concert Series: The California Honeydrops📍 Denver Botanic Gardens | ⏰ 6:30 PM | 🎟️ $83 🎶 coohills. Beats On The Creek: THE LONG RUN📍 Coohills Bridge | ⏰ 7:30 PM – 9:30 PM | 🎟️ $10 Bridge Fee |
Where are you heading this week? Tag us in your adventures! 🚀
🧺 Pack a Lunch, Bring a Friend
Next time the big-name parks are packed, skip the crowds and claim your own hidden gem. Whether you’re watching the ducks, walking in silence, or simply searching for a new view—there’s a park on this list waiting to become your new go-to. 🌼 Did You Guess Right? Answer: C) 1890 The Chamberlin Observatory was established in 1890 and still stands today as one of Denver’s most unique public science spots. With a 20-inch refracting telescope and regular stargazing events, it’s been connecting curious locals with the cosmos for over 130 years. Not bad for a neighborhood namesake! Stay shady, Denver. 🌳 —The What’s Happenin’ Denver Team 🥃 🫶 |
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