South Platte Park and Carson Nature Center

"I may be a little biased because I'm an employee of South Suburban as a Parks Maintenance Tech but as far as "not wanting to go far but wanting to walk through nature" goes, this park/trail system is by far one of my favorite. You can be so immersed in the peacefulness of the scenery, and get a really engaging walk/hike in. And by the time you're done stopping in awe of another cool view, going off the trail to go stream-side, or even just taking a breather, so much time will have passed and you won't mind one bit. Highly recommended for light casual walkers/trail blazers. And family biking and casual strolling after dinner or a mid day fresh air break."

"We love this trail along the South Platte River. The views of the foothills are beautiful. We’ve seen various wildlife, including coyotes, water snakes, bull snakes, geese, ducks, herons, etc. The small water falls are relaxing to enjoy. When there’s enough water, the tubers, kayaks, and paddle boards are exciting to watch."

"Beautiful area close to the Denver area. Great for biking, hiking, walking, fishing, bird watching, and plenty of wildlife. Dog friendly. Handicapped accessible."

"We biked the Mary Carter/South Platt River Bike Trail. Beautiful scenery. Even saw a surfer and folks painting the incredible landscapes!"

"We had a birthday party here for a bunch of 2nd graders. We did the nature detective party and it was great! The guides were super friendly and did a great job keeping the kids engaged. The pavilion was great, the only thing I would recommend is to bring a table if you need one because they only have benches. Overall loved this area and will be back to hike around on my own again too!"