In addition to Horsetooth Mountain Open Space and Lory State Park, the abundant Natural Areas all over the city, and the outdoor havens further out (looking at you, Rocky Mountain National Park), Fort Collins is a city of parks. The City maintains more than 925 acres of developed parkland, including seven larger community parks and more than 40 neighborhood parks—with more on the way.
In this guide, we rounded up all the community parks and highlights from the largest and newest neighborhood parks. Covering every area of the city—from north to south and east to west—these parks offer some of the best open spaces, sports fields and family-friendly attractions in town. Enjoy!
Avery Park
Avery Park covers 17 acres and is the neighborhood park for the Avery Park neighborhood in Central Fort Collins. The park reopened in August 2017 with an updated playground, remodeled restrooms, a new shelter, creek elements and a new bridge.
Nearby, you can also explore Overland Park, City Park, Blevins Park and several Natural Areas like Red Fox Meadows Natural Area.
City Park
One of the largest parks in Fort Collins, City Park offers more than 85 acres of outdoor space and kid-friendly attractions.
Nearby, you can also explore Rogers Park, Avery Park, and all the attractions of Downtown Fort Collins. That long list includes Sheldon Lake and City Park Pool, City Park Nine Golf Course, playgrounds, and sports fields that include baseball fields, softball fields and tennis courts.
Edora Park
Encompassing more than 65 acres in the heart of Fort Collins, Edora Park is one of the city’s most popular. It’s home to the Edora Pool Ice Center, a community garden, a skate park, playgrounds, a disc golf course, baseball fields, basketball courts and tennis courts.
Nearby, you can also explore Eastside Park, Indian Hills Park, and the spacious natural areas of East Fort Collins, including Kingfisher Point, Riverbend Ponds and Prospect Ponds.
Fossil Creek Park
Photo courtesy of City of Fort Collins
Just half an acre smaller than Spring Canyon Park, Fossil Creek is one of the largest community parks in Fort Collins. A popular spot for the whole family, this South Fort Collins gem is home to the Southridge Golf Course, Fossil Creek Dog Park, amazing playgrounds, a splash park, a skate park, tennis, basketball and hockey courts, and baseball fields.
Surrounded by natural areas and near Fossil Creek Reservoir, Fossil Creek Park is also within close proximity to Miramont Park and the award-winning Twin Silo Park.
Greenbriar Park
Directly adjacent to Redwing Marsh Natural Area, Greenbriar Park encompasses more than 22 acres in North Fort Collins. The wide open lawn offers the perfect setting for year-round play, and the open space also offers baseball fields, basketball courts, tennis courts and playgrounds.
Other North Fort Collins parks include Iron Horse Park, Richards Lake Park, Trail Head Park and several lakes and reservoirs.
Lee Martinez Park
A jewel of the Fort Collins parks system, Lee Martinez Park is home to some of the best family-friendly attractions in the city, including The Farm at Lee Martinez Park, which offers farm animal encounters and educational experiences. Also in the park, you can find playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts and baseball fields, and Fort Collins Museum of Discovery is located at the southeast corner!
Just on the opposite side of the Poudre, you can also explore Salyer Natural Area, Legacy Park and River’s Edge Natural Area. And neighborhood parks within walking distance include Soft Gold Park, Old Fort Collins Heritage Park, Alta Vista Park, Buckingham Park, Freedom Square Park and Romero Park.
Library Park
Library Park is just over 4.5 acres in the heart of Downtown Fort Collins. There, you’ll find Old Town Library and Carnegie Center for Creativity in addition to flower beds and shaded benches, historic structures, walking paths and playgrounds.
One of quite a few Downtown parks, Library Park is within walking distance of Oak Street Plaza, Civic Center Park and Buckingham Park.
Oak Street Plaza
One of the many highlights of Downtown Fort Collins, Oak Street Plaza is nestled beside the historic Museum of Art Fort Collins and is the headquarters of some of our favorite events, including Noontime Notes and the Oak Street Shamrock Festival. During the summer, kids can play in the waters of the splash pad, and it’s always a cozy, shaded place to enjoy lunch.
Other Downtown parks include Washington Park, Civic Center Park and Library Park nearby.
Rolland Moore Park
This community park encompasses 68 acres in Midtown. Those acres include baseball fields, basketball courts, racquetball courts, tennis courts and a volleyball court. Rolland Moore is also surrounded by stretches of Ross Natural Area and Fischer Natural Area and is nearby neighborhood parks like Beattie Park, Blevins Park and Woodwest Park.
Soft Gold Park
Soft Gold Park is a 10-acre gem in North Fort Collins offering a dog park and a BMX course, in addition to baseball fields, basketball courts, hockey courts and playgrounds. Directly above Lee Martinez Community Park, other nearby recreation opportunities include Magpie Meander Natural Area and McMurry Natural Area.
Spring Canyon Park
The largest community park in Fort Collins, Spring Canyon Park encompasses a whopping 100 acres just east of Pineridge Natural Area in West Fort Collins. Lined with walking trails and open lawns, guests will also find Inspiration Playground, Spring Canyon Dog Park and Veterans Plaza, which is the headquarters for Veterans Day services every year.
Adjacent to Cottonwood Glen Park, Pineridge Natural Area and Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, the play opportunities in Spring Canyon Park are endless.
Spring Park
One of the largest open spaces in Midtown, Spring Park offers nearly 17 beautiful acres of open lawn, playgrounds, baseball fields and accessible walking trails.
The closest neighborhood parks are Creekside Park and Indian Hills Park with the Gardens on Spring Creek nearby, too.
Twin Silo Park
In November 2017, Twin Silo Park became the seventh community park to open in Fort Collins. And when it did, the 54-acre park literally became one of the coolest in the country; The Urban Adventurer named it on their list, Coolest Playgrounds of 2018. Designed to honor the city’s agriculture heritage, Twin Silo offers community gardens, paved recreation trails, an orchard, a BMX park, pickleball courts, a dog park, original artwork designed specifically for the park, and a playground that includes the tallest slide in Fort Collins. This slide is located between two 48-foot-tall silos that were moved to Twin Silo Park for this purpose.
Twin Silo Park is located in a part of Fort Collins that is spotted with open spaces and neighborhood parks, including Harmony Park, Radiant Park and Fossil Creek Reservoir.
Warren Park
Located near Warren Lake, Warren Park consists of 26 acres of playgrounds, baseball fields, basketball courts, tennis courts and open fields. It also has its own small pond and island surrounded by accessible recreation trails.
In the same area, you’ll find Golden Meadows Park, Landings Park, English Ranch Park, Stewart Case Park, Ridgeview Park and Spencer Park.
Water’s Way Park
Water’s Way Park is a hidden gem in South Fort Collins complete with a beautiful playground, a skate park, and open lawns lined with accessible, winding trails. The park is a peninsula jutting out from Pelican Marsh Natural Area and the land around Robert Benson Lake, so it offers spectacular views and outdoor opportunities. It’s also surrounded by four other natural areas and very near Fossil Creek Park, Homestead Park and Registry Park.
Westfield Park
Westfield Park is the neighborhood park for the Westfield Park neighborhood. Its 14 acres are home to wide open lawns, baseball fields, tennis courts, basketball courts and playgrounds. Westfield Pool is also on the north end and other nearby parks include Troutman Park, Ridgeview Park, Spring Canyon Park and the huge Cathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area.
Need more parks?
To see the City of Fort Collins’ full list of community and neighborhood parks, click here.
Header photo of Fossil Creek Park was provided courtesy of City of Fort Collins.
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