Cherry Creek State Park: A Visit of Excellence

I recently had the opportunity to visit some friends in Denver, Colorado; we were looking for spots to camp around the Denver area and found a gem of a state park. Cherry Creek State Park has everything one could possibly want when it comes to exploring the outdoor attributes that make Colorado such a desired destination to visit.

Cherry Creek State Park, located in the city of Aurora, is so close to Denver (about 17 miles from downtown) that it could quite literally call Denver its neighbor. We only had a night so it was extremely nice to be able to arrive at our campsite and still have plenty of daylight to hike and explore. We went on a Wednesday in late August which is considered the busy time of the year, so I would recommend booking a site well in advance. Weekends in the summertime are the busiest. The campground has 135 sites that can fill up quickly depending on the day and time of the year. It’s open year round so plan your stay accordingly. There will always be plenty to do here no matter the weather.

What was so astonishing during my visit to Cherry Creek State Park was the number of activities to be done and the abundant wildlife that we came across. The park is 4,000 acres of pure beauty and it is easy to get lost in the peace of tranquility of it all. There are many trails to take and I would highly recommend taking both a sunrise and sunset stroll; we did the Cherry Creek Trail (almost five miles). The park isn’t nestled in the Rocky Mountains but you can surely see their beauty in the distance.

The park is close to urban life that it’s easy to forget that there is plenty of wildlife to be seen. We saw a bald eagle, plenty of other birds, deer, prairie dogs, squirrels and more. We didn’t see any raccoons this visit but the park is home to them to make sure food is contained if you decide to camp overnight.

The park is home to an 880-acre body of water that allowed us to have a picnic by the water. People were fishing the lake, as well as paddle and sail boating. Powerboats are also permitted. The water was also comfortable, so don’t hesitate to take a dip after a long hike. Cherry Creek State Park is a perfect little getaway and right around the corner is the Southlands Shopping center.

Whether one wants to relax by the lake or hike the many trails that span 35 miles, there is enough to do here to make everyone happy. The campgrounds are maintained with restrooms, showers, dump stations, laundry facilities, and many other things that are there to make your stay comfortable. It doesn’t give up beauty with its convenient location by the city, but surely provides plenty of outdoor beauty and thrill to make this getaway well worth it. Cherry Creek State Park provided me with ample relaxation and a deep appreciation for Colorado’s natural scenery.