Cherry Creek State Park
4.6(9.7K)google
3.8(119)yelp
BoatingFamilyFishingLakeOutdoor
Overview
Cherry Creek State Park is a state park in Arapahoe County, Colorado, United States. The park consists of a natural prairie and wetland environment with an 880-acre (3.6 km2) reservoir at its center which is shared by powerboats, sailboats, and paddle craft. An imported-sand swim beach is situated on the north-eastern side along with ample parking.
Practical Info
Every day5:00 AM – 10:00 PM
Suggested Duration3-6 hours
Best TimeJune to September delivers the finest recreation window. Late afternoon from 4:30 PM to 7:30 PM on a weekday is idyllic for watching white sailboats drift across the Cherry Creek Reservoir. This avoids peak weekend camper gridlock and gifts a beautiful unobstructed vista of the Front Range under sunset tones.
Getting ThereLocated in the southeastern metro suburb of Aurora at 4201 S Parker Rd. Drive south on I-25 S, exit onto I-225 N, then take Exit 2 for S Parker Rd to arrive at the east gate entrance. By light rail, take the Line H or R to Nine Mile Station, followed by a scenic 15-minute walk south over the park boundary.
Travel Tips
- The US Interagency America the Beautiful Pass is invalid inside this state infrastructure; drive-in entry requires purchasing a separate, mandatory Colorado state park daily vehicular validation pass.
- High summer heat domes fuel toxic blue-green algae blooms across the reservoir waters; inspect the physical boat-ramp bulletin boards for toxicity hazard alerts before executing swimming deployments.
- The dedicated off-leash dog park coordinates restrict entry to verified permit holders; visiting canines require specialized pre-registered digital barcode validations to clear the tracking gates.
Reviews
Positive
- The massive reservoir offers expansive water vistas framed by the Rockies, providing a quick, scenic escape near the metro area.
- Water recreation is top-notch, featuring sailboat/SUP rentals and a wide sandy beach perfect for summer family picnics and camping.
- It boasts an elite, massive fenced off-leash dog park with an active creek running through, which dogs absolutely adore.
- Miles of smoothly paved bike and walking paths loop the lake; facility maintenance is stellar with abundant clean restrooms.
Heads up
- On top of the standard state park vehicle pass, the famous off-leash dog area requires a separate extra permit fee.
- Sunny summer weekends bring brutal car lines at the gates; beach picnic sites are first-come, first-served and vanish early.
- Because the preserve flanks the busy I-225 highway, trails on the northern and western loops suffer from heavy traffic road noise.
- Late summer can trigger toxic blue-green algae blooms in shallow coves, turning water murky and forcing strict swimming bans.