13 Outdoors- Other to Explore in Douglas County

Bluffs Regional Park is a 235-acre open space park at the southern reaches of the Denver Metro Area in Douglas County. This park provides a very popular loop trail and two overlooks. Open every day from sunrise to sunset, this park boasts hiking trails, picnic areas, and beautiful scenic views of the city and surrounding area.

Castlewood Canyon State Park offers a beautiful natural setting with hiking, picnicking, rock climbing, sightseeing and so more. The park retains a unique part of Colorado's history, the remains of Castlewood Canyon Dam. Visitors can still see the remnants and damage from that dam which burst in 1933.

Chatfield Dog Park is located in Arapahoe County, Colorado. A variety of terrains keep dogs interested in exploring the park. Other park features include multiple trails and ponds where your dog can take a swim. Bring water for your pup and bags to clean up after your dog. This is a popular trail for birding, trail running, and walking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day.

This beautiful Denver park is popular with hikers, boaters, campers, bikers, fishermen, and picnickers.The park centers on Chatfield Reservoir, a 1,423 acre surface area lake fed by the South Platte River and two other creeks, including Plum Creek.

Cherokee Ranch, in Douglas County, has been a purebred cattle ranch since 1954, including raising Santa Gertrudis cattle. The ranch is private property but offers frequent public and private events and tours. A large portion of the ranch was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. The listing included 19 contributing buildings, five contributing structures, a contributing site, and a contributing object on 3,280 acres.

The Colorado Renaissance Festival is a Renaissance fair in Colorado located in Larkspur, Colorado 39 miles south of Denver and 32 miles north of Colorado Springs. The Renaissance Festival typically runs between the months of June and August. It is based on a 16th-century Tudor village.The festival features over 200 artisan shops and hundreds of costumed performers. The festival also hosts weddings in accordance to the themed weekends.

Daniels Park is a Denver Mountain Park, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 963 acres listing included four clusters of structures, including a total of 10 contributing buildings, nine contributing structures, and three contributing sites. The ranch is rumored to have been the site of Kit Carson's last campfire. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

Hidden Mesa is a 1,200-acre property with a picnic shelter and production-orchard and bisected by Cherry Creek and the paved Cherry Creek trail.The open space is also home to a beautiful array of wildflowers. Hidden Mesa Open Space has several trails. These trails can be combined to make an approximate 6.7 mile keyhole loop hike of moderate difficulty.

This is a hiking or biking park in the middle of a subdivision of Caste Rock. The park provides some nice scenery, great views of the front range, and many options.

Roxborough State Park is filled with dramatic red-rock formations, distinct plant communities, and a variety of wildlife. It was located in Douglas County 20 miles south of Denver, Colorado, the 3,339-acre park was established in 1975. In 1980 it was recognized as a National Natural Landmark.There are six hiking trails in Roxborough State Park, a network of easy to moderate trails that also connect to Douglas County trail system, Pike National Forest and Waterton Canyon trails.

The 1,390-acre Spruce Mountain Open Space Park in Larkspur, Colorado is a hiker’s paradise. With 8.5 miles of trails, impressive wildlife, and beautiful views, nature-lovers will delight in spending a day here.The trail system provides immediate access to fun terrain and views. The climb to the upper loop is hard and so worth the effort.

Thunder Butte is a prominent butte landmark located in the northwest corner of Ziebach County, South Dakota, in the United States. Thunder Butte is a large, isolated hill that can be seen for many miles in every direction, and has served throughout history as an important orientation point for area residents or a navigational aide for travelers crossing the surrounding plains. The butte gives its name to a small community at its base, and to a small creek that runs into the Moreau River.

Waterton Canyon is the gateway for the Colorado Trail. Hike along the North Platte river the entire way on this hike just 30 minutes from Denver. It is home to many different types of wildlife, including the popular Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep herd. There are also mule deer, black bears, mountain lion(s), elk, lizards and snakes, including the prairie rattlesnake.