Just Lauren

With fall coming to a close and winter soon upon us (although it’s been relatively warm recently so maybe winter is still a ways away), I want to highlight my favorite Littleton park and my favorite Centennial park. While it’s not nearly as enjoyable walking outside during the winter as it is during spring and summer (lack of color and the cold are not great combos for me) it’s still important for our physical and mental health to get outside. Next time you’re wondering where you should wander, consider Ketring Park or deKoevend Park.

Kaitlin and Kayla introduced me to Ketring Park and I’m eternally grateful to both of them for that. This park is right next to the Littleton Museum (which is free and is both an indoor exhibit and two outdoor working farms – check it out) and is basically a hidden gem smack in the middle of neighborhoods. There are two parking lots – one by the museum and one by Ketring Lake on the northeast side – so there’s no worry about finding street parking.

Ok, let’s say you park by the lake and are ready to start your stroll. If you meander on to the right of the lake, you’ll eventually find yourself at a large expanse of green grass surrounded by giant trees (there’s a marshland loop before the grassy area if you want to extend your walk). This space is great for picnics, as long as the geese haven’t overrun it. Thankfully, during the warm months, it’s generally geese-free and prime space to relax. This area also has a handful of picnic tables already set up for use so I appreciate that, but if you prefer to sit on the ground there’s lots of room.

After you’ve picnicked, continue walking and you’ll run into the museum. Definitely enter if it’s open, but if it’s not, then wind your way around it and you’ll find the path continues on the edge of the museum’s property. This means you can peek into the farm even if you can’t go in. If you’re lucky, aside from the neat farm structures you’ll see, you’ll get to spot a horse, mule, and/or sheep as you stroll around the perimeter. In October, for two weekends (Friday and Saturday, Sunday’s they are closed), the farm sells pumpkins too. If you can swing it, purchase a pumpkin from them one year.

Right past the farm, you’ll come to Ketring Lake, which is a really pretty thing, especially in the fall with the fall colors. People fish there, ducks swim there, and it’s just a nice view all around. There is at least one bench off the sidewalk where you can sit and watch the water and there are many benches right by the parking lot too. At this point you’re back at the parking lot by the lake and hopefully you feel content and happy to have spent some time outside.

Now, if you’re looking for a park that has a stream AND is connected to multiple walking paths, deKoevend Park is for you. This park is a stepping point to Highline Canal Trail and Big Dry Creek Trail. Plus, it has a really large parking lot (you cannot get into it via the stoplight though, heads up) so that’s a major plus. It boasts a really awesome looking playground too but I haven’t actually gone over there to determine if there are swings or not (I sure hope so) so I can’t vouch for it. There are tennis courts that are always in some sort of use and sports fields that double as good picnic areas. A creek runs through the middle of the park, separating it in half. In fact, I’ve never been to the north half of the park and have only caught a glimpse of it when I walked the Highline Canal Trail. Elisabeth and Kayla introduced me to this park and I’m grateful for that too because this is a lovely park to stop at after I’ve dropped off compost in downtown Littleton, assuming it’s a nice day, of course. So next time you are feeling antsy or want to try somewhere new, I encourage you to give one of these parks a go. What are your favorite parks in Colorado (or outside of Colorado)?

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