Aurora Parks and Open Spaces

Jewell Wetland - This 50-acre wooded wetland located at the northwest corner of Potomac and Jewell Avenue (just east of Utah Park) features over a mile of soft and hard surface trails, a boardwalk/deck access into the wetland and a butterfly garden. A small parking area is located on the Jewell Avenue side of the wetland property.

DeLaney Farm - The farm includes over 130 acres of open space, a historic farm with two structures designated on the National Register of Historic Places, trails, and an organic garden. Access to a parking area is from Chambers Road, about ¼ mile north of Alameda Parkway. The phone number for information about the historic buildings is 303-361-2998.

Plains Conservation Center - 1100 acres of native shortgrass prairie are preserved at the Plains Conservation Center. The site is located north of Hampden Ave. at Picadilly. The West Arapahoe Conservation District manages the site for the city. The District provides a wide variety of educational programs.

Horseshoe Park - An 80 acre site, defined by the confluence of East Toll Gate Creek, the Meadowood Channel and the Cherry Creek Spillway is located north of Iliff, south of Mexico, east of Chambers Road and west of Buckley Road. A network of trails winds through the riparian area as well as past a softball field and playground. The parking lot is off of Kalispell, turning north off of Iliff, ½ mile east of Chambers Road.

Sand Creek - The Sand Creek Greenway follows the creek from its beginnings just east of the Coal Creek Arena in Aurora, through Denver and Commerce City to the South Platte. The 14-mile trail begins at Colfax. To learn more about the Sand Creek Greenway, call 303-393-7700 or visit http://sandcreekgreenway.org. The trail is "soft surface" so we recommend you use a bike with wide tires. Horses are welcome throughout the Aurora section of trail.

As the Sand Creek trail winds through Aurora, four open space areas are worth visiting:
Sand Creek Park - Just east of Peoria Street, ¾ mile north of Colfax, sits Sand Creek Park. MAP The 113-acre site will be transformed into a new park over the next year. With development of the Fitzsimons Parkway on the south edge of the park, access to a new parking lot will provide a trailhead for the Sand Creek Trail. (Master Plan)

Star K Ranch - Located between Chambers Road and Airport Boulevard, north of Colfax and south of Smith Road, is Star K Ranch. The 200-acre natural area houses the new Morrison Nature Center. Access to the nature center and parking for Star K Ranch is from Smith Road, ½ mile east of Chambers Road on Laredo Street.

Environmental Camp - East of Springhill Golf Course, the city owns over 130 acres of Sand Creek floodplain and upland prairie. A prairie dog preserve occupies a portion of the site. To access the site, park at the Coal Creek Arena and walk west along the Creek trail. This is one of the best sites to view bald eagles during the winter.

Coal Creek Arena - The Coal Creek Arena hosts many of the areas small rodeos throughout the summer months. In the winter, it's a great area to view coyotes, hawks and bald eagles. The site is accessed from Sixth Avenue/Highway 30 and is located two miles east of Airport Boulevard. You can rent the arena for your own event.