Heritage sheep & wool spinning at 17 Mile House Farm Park

Arapahoe County Open Spaces presents a heritage sheep and wool spinning educational program. Drop by and learn why we shear sheep and what happens to the fleece and sheep afterwards. Featuring fun, hands-on learning activities for youth, including wool dy...

Backyard Chickens and Chicks educational program

Arapahoe County Open Spaces presents a backyard chicken educational program. Drop by and learn the basics of backyard chicken care, feeding, and coop selection. Featuring fun, hands-on learning activities for youth, including baby chicks!

This is a come an...

Open Spaces delivers real results in 2020

The 2020 Open Spaces Annual Report is hot off the press, and we’d like to share some exciting news about the impact of the program on local communities. If the last year has taught us anything, it is the immense value of our parks, trails, and open spaces...

Is there a Blue Ribbon in your future?

Calling all creatives, gardeners, makers, and more! Plan now to exhibit your entries at the 2021 Arapahoe County Fair

Join us for Chalk Lines & Vines, our first wine and chalk art festival

Join us for Chalk Lines & Vines, our first annual outdoor wine and chalk art festival featuring a wine-tasting tour of Colorado’s best wines, chalk muralists, and live entertainment—set against the colorful backdrop of the Front Range and Eastern Plai...

Arapahoe County Open Spaces virtual town hall to discuss County’s Master Plan

Arapahoe County invites the public to attend a virtual town hall on Thursday, March 25 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the future of the Arapahoe County Open Spaces program. The County has drafted an updated Master Plan, which includes a vision for the future of ...

Let’s get moving and hit the trails!

Register now for Arapahoe County’s inaugural 5K Trail Run/Walk Series celebrating Open Spaces, fitness and good health, and our thriving local trail system

Paving the Way for More Regional Trail Connections

Improving trail connectivity across the County is a priority at Arapahoe County Open Spaces. We want to make it as seamless and safe as possible for trail users to recreate in a variety of ways within the County.

Harvest Trail—a new (2020) multi-use, off-s...

Open Spaces celebrates partnerships and real results in 2020

Did you know Arapahoe County’s parks, trails and open spaces are funded by a voter-supported, quarter-cent Open Space Sales and Use Tax? More than 62% of the tax revenues are distributed directly back to local agency partners through our Shareback (50%) a...

Bijou Basin Open Space goes from wind to solar power

Last week, our Open Spaces natural resources team finished installing two solar-powered pumps at Bijou Basin Open Space, our largest property (2,800+ acres) located in the Eastern plains of Arapahoe County. The solar installation project rejuvenated two w...

DIVE into the Open Spaces Master Plan

Stay up-to-date on the Open Spaces Master Plan process and learn more about the results from the recent DIVE engagement phase.

What We've Heard So Far

DIVE Engagement Summary (December 2020): This document summarizes the results of our most recent phase of ...

Open Spaces recognizes recipients of the 2020 Our Progress Takes Flight Award

Conservation in perpetuity of more than 700 acres surrounding Buckley Air Force Base

This week, Arapahoe County is recognizing the recipients of the 2020 Our Progress Takes Flight Award, an award presented annually&...

Let's play pickleball! All-new courts in Greenwood Village

Have you heard of pickleball? It’s a fast-growing, all-ages sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping pong. Last month, we joined the City of Greenwood Village for a celebration of two brand-new pickleball courts at Westlands Park. The c...

You're invited! Virtual open house for Open Spaces master plan

Arapahoe County Open Spaces is hosting two virtual Public Open House meetings to share potential priorities for its future direction for the next decade and beyond.

Community members are invited to learn more about the master planning process, ask question...

From windmills to bat houses, 17 Mile House Farm Park is great for family explorers!

17 Mile House Farm Park, located at 8181 S. Parker Road in Centennial, is an incredible place for families to wander and explore. While the 155-year-old historic farmhouse is open by appointment only due to COVID, there’s a ton to see and apprec...

A roundup of regional bike trails in Arapahoe County

We’ll miss seeing everyone on Bike to Work Day, when Arapahoe County Open Spaces traditionally hosts a breakfast burrito pit stop during the morning commute, but it’s still a great time to grab your bike and hit the trails. In fact, th...

Partnership with Littleton Benefits School and Entire Community

Back to School looks a bit different these days, but at the beginning of the 2019-20 school year students at Field Elementary in Littleton gathered to celebrate an exciting new addition. Littleton Public Schools (LPS), in partnership with the City of Litt...

Supporting Local Agriculture on the Eastern Plains

Arapahoe County’s Mule Gulch Open Space, located six miles southwest of Byers on the Eastern Plains of Colorado, is one of the County’s largest -- and newest -- properties. It was acquired in 2017 as part of a large-scale effort around...

A Wish Comes True with Aurora's Inclusive Playground

A year ago this week, Arapahoe County Open Spaces joined the City of Aurora, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Aurora Rotary Club, and hundreds of community members to celebrate the grand opening of the City’s first inclusive playground at Red-Tailed Hawk...

Pictures on the Plains treats residents to a (safe) night out

Earlier this month, Arapahoe County residents were treated to a night out under the stars with a pair of movie events that brought more than 300 attendees to the Fairgrounds for Pictures on the Plains. The free events treated guests to a local band and mo...

Get your kids the new #YouthACOS Adventure Workbook today!

Do you have kids at home or work with kids who need something to do, have something to say, or want to learn more about Arapahoe County Open Spaces? Well, we have just the activity to get them (and maybe you) into the Great Outdoors. 

Download our...

Arapahoe County Open Spaces releases annual report

Arapahoe County is fortunate to have strong support from our community – voters, municipalities, recreation districts, nonprofits and businesses alike – which allows us to invest millions of dollars annually in the outdoors through our...

New and improved park reopens in Byers

On July 25, 2020, the town of Byers celebrated the grand reopening of the Byers Community Park. Since 2013, Arapahoe County Open Spaces has granted Byers Park and Recreation District a total of nearly $400,000 in planning and construction funds to create ...

Join us for Pictures on the Plains, August 5!

You’re invited to spend a family night under the stars at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds on August 5! Bring a picnic, games, blankets and lawn chairs, and enjoy a FREE movie (Moana) and concert.

Reserve your social-distanced “pod&r...

You’re invited to Walk FOR the Canal!

Arapahoe County awards Open Space grants to 9 local jurisdictions

A total of $3.43 million in grants will fund playground, park and trail improvements

On Tuesday, July 14, the Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners announced grant awards ranging from $28,000 to $500,000 to local cities, towns and recreation districts as ...

Newest County park opens to the public

The long-awaited Long’s Pine Grove, a 2.8-acre park in the Four Square Mile neighborhood of unincorporated Arapahoe County, opened to the public on July 15. Our Open Spaces team gave Commissioners Jeff Baker and Kathleen Conti an impromptu sneak...

Impact your space

Arapahoe County Open Spaces is asking residents to take the online Open Spaces Master Plan survey to share their thoughts about the future of County parks, trails and open spaces. It should take no more than 15 minutes to complete and can be taken anytime...

$15 million Shareback program helps protect and expand recreation projects throughout County

Annual funding helps municipal budgets hit hard by COVID-19

 This month, Arapahoe County Open Spaces distributed $15.7 million in Shareback funds to 12 incorporated cities and towns to support local parks, trails and open space p...

Temporary Detour on Cherry Creek Trail between South Quebec and East Iliff

A portion of the Cherry Creek Trail between South Quebec Street and just south of East Iliff Avenue will be closed for construction as part of the Cherry Creek Restoration Project starting June 15 – July 6 (approximately three weeks, weather pen...

Help craft the future of your parks, trails and open spaces

Since its inception in 2003, the Arapahoe County Open Spaces Program has built more than 73 miles of new trails, supported more than 160 park and trailhead projects, and conserved more than 31,000 acres of open space. In order to keep this legacy alive an...

Building closures for Memorial Day

In observance of Memorial Day, Arapahoe County administrative buildings will be closed on Monday, May 25.

2020 Arapahoe County Fair canceled due to COVID-19 impacts

Plans for a limited 4-H event are still being developed

After weighing all economic and public health and safety considerations, the Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners has decided to cancel the 2020 Arapahoe County Fair that had been scheduled for late...

Arapahoe County to begin reopening County facilities to the public on May 18

Visits will be by appointment only, with new health and safety protocols in place

 On Monday, May 18, Arapahoe County will begin reopening its facilities to the public after being closed since ...