Fred McKown Park
(City of Colorado Springs)
Fred McKown Park is a 9.4-acre neighborhood park offering space for sports and family recreation in northeastern Colorado Springs.
Features
- Playground
- Basketball court
- Multi-purpose field
- Open green space
- Natural riparian area along the eastern side of park
- Access to the Homestead Trail
What to Expect
A larger neighborhood park that supports both organized activity and everyday use.
Plan Your Visit
Location: 5035 Balsam St, Colorado Springs, CO 80923
Parking: Street parking available
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Fees: Free
Mary Kyer Park (City of Colorado Springs)
Mary Kyer Park is an 11-acre neighborhood park featuring a mix of recreation and scenic elements in northern Colorado Springs.
Features
- Inline hockey/basketball court
- Tennis courts
- Walking/jogging loop
- Pond
- Picnic shelter
- Open green space
What to Expect
A unique park with both active recreation and a scenic pond, making it a great spot for walking and relaxing.
Plan Your Visit
Location: 1102 Middle Creek Pkwy, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
Parking: Street parking and nearby access
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Fees: Free
Bancroft Park (City of Colorado Springs)
Bancroft Park is the historic heart of Old Colorado City — a one-block square of green space along Colorado Avenue that has served as a community gathering place since the neighborhood’s founding in 1859. Renovated in 2020, it’s one of the most lively and event-filled neighborhood parks in the city.
Features
- Bandshell (reservable for performances and events)
- Playground
- Picnic shelter and picnic tables
- Trail/sidewalk path
- Flower gardens
- Historic Dr. Garvin log cabin (circa 1867)
- Historical marker and displays
- Award-winning self-cleaning restrooms (named America’s Best Restroom in 2020)
- Wheelchair accessible
What to Expect Bancroft Park is far more than a patch of grass — it’s the cultural hub of Old Colorado City and one of the most charming and active neighborhood parks in Colorado Springs. On any given weekend you might find a farmers market, live music, an art walk, or a community festival. Surrounded by boutique shops, galleries, and restaurants, it’s a perfect spot to anchor a full afternoon in one of the city’s most beloved historic neighborhoods.
Don’t Miss
- Territory Days — one of the largest annual festivals in Colorado Springs, held right in the park every Memorial Day weekend
- Old Colorado City Saturday Farmers Market — running June through October
- Free summer concerts at the bandshell
History Colorado City was founded in 1859 — before Colorado Springs even existed — and briefly served as the first capital of the Territory of Colorado. Bancroft Park occupies what was the original town square. A historic log cabin from that era still stands in the park today. The neighborhood was annexed into Colorado Springs in 1917 and designated a National Historic District in 1983. The park was named for Hubert Howe Bancroft, a prolific 19th-century western history writer, after whose name the former Bancroft School on the site was also named.
Plan Your Visit
Location: 2408 W. Colorado Ave. (W. Colorado Ave. & S. 24th St.), Old Colorado City
Parking: Street parking on Colorado Ave. and surrounding streets
Hours: Open daily Fees: Free
Acacia Park (City of Colorado Springs)
Acacia Park is Colorado Springs’ oldest and most beloved downtown park — a 3.7-acre historic green space donated by city founder General William Jackson Palmer in 1871 and reimagined in recent years with major improvements.
Features
- Uncle Wilber Fountain (interactive splash pad with moving sculpture)
- Ninja-style climbing structure and tot lot playground (completed 2022)
- Bandshell with summer concerts
- Shuffleboard courts (open June–mid August)
- Outdoor ice skating rink (November–January)
- Picnic tables and shade trees
- Acacia Park Visitor Hub
- Story Coffee (on-site coffee shop)
- Wheelchair accessible
What to Expect A lively, year-round community gathering place in the heart of downtown, surrounded by shops, restaurants, and mountain views. Whether you’re grabbing a coffee, letting the kids loose on the climbing structure, cooling off at the fountain in summer, or lacing up skates in winter, there’s always something going on at Acacia Park.
History Donated to the city in 1871, Acacia Park is the first park ever established in Colorado Springs. It has served as a gathering place for the community for more than 150 years and recently underwent a major renovation as part of the Downtown Historic Parks Improvement Project.
Plan Your Visit
Location: 115 E. Platte Ave. / Corner of Tejon St. & Platte Ave., Downtown Colorado Springs
Parking: Metered street parking on all four sides of the park
Hours: Open daily
Fees: Free (ice skating and shuffleboard may have nominal fees)
Explorer Park (City of Colorado Springs)
Explorer Park is a 7.3-acre Briargate neighborhood park with a mix of recreation features and pedestrian-friendly design in northeastern Colorado Springs.
Features
- Playground
- Inline hockey court
- Picnic shelter
- Walking paths throughout the park
- Natural Area
- Trail connection to Briargate Trail
What to Expect
A well-designed park with a balance of active recreation and walkable space for families and neighbors.
Plan Your Visit
Location: 4260 Bardot Dr.
Parking: Street parking available
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Fees: Free
Boulder Park (City of Colorado Springs)
Boulder Park is a 7.2-acre community park near downtown and Memorial Hospital – Central, offering a variety of sports fields and open areas.
Features
- Playground
- Basketball court
- Baseball/softball field
- Football/soccer field
- Open space for informal recreation
- Rare trees planted around the park
- Interpretive signage
What to Expect
A larger neighborhood park that supports both organized sports and everyday use, with plenty of room to spread out.
Plan Your Visit
Location: 1210 E. Boulder St.
Parking: Street parking nearby
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Fees: Free
Thorndale Park
What a history! Thorndale Park was once the Town of Ramona. Once considered the “City of Sin”, Ramona was incorporated as a counter to the temperance movement of the early 20th century.
Recreation and Activities
Thorndale park has plenty of features for families including play equipment, numerous picnic tables, a basketball and tennis court and a large open field for kids to romp. Large old trees provide plenty of shade during the hot summer months.
History
To fully appreciate the fascinating history of both Thorndale Park and the Town of Ramona it preceded, stop at the interpretive sign at the corner of 24th St. and Uinta St. You’ll get a better understanding of the complex history of the area.
Plan Your Visit
Location: 2310 W. Uintah St. The park can be accessed either along Uinta St. or along the side streets: 24th and 23rd Sts.
Parking: Street parking is available on Uinta, 23rd or 24th. Accessibility ramps are located at the corners of 24th and 23rd.
Hours: Open daily, dawn to dusk.
Fees: No entry fee.
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