Commons Park

Commons Park is the roughly 20-acre lawn-and-hill that fills the old railyards between Union Station and the South Platte, built out around 2000 as the centerpiece of the Riverfront Park neighborhood. Its east side is urban (paths, benches, the Millennium Bridge landing at 16th Street); its west side along the river was planted with native grasses and wetland. The Grove, an AIDS memorial, was dedicated here in 2000. Climb the hill at the north end for the best downtown skyline shot in the city, then cross the Highland Bridge to Platte Street. On summer evenings it is picnics, dogs on leash, slackliners and people walking home from Union Station; on Rockies nights it is a shortcut. There is a small playground on the Little Raven side and Sploot vet clinic across the street, which tells you who lives here.

Why go. Ten minutes from Union Station you are lying on grass with the skyline in front of you.

Sunset from the top of the hill, then walk over the Highland Bridge for a drink on Platte Street; there is no parking to speak of, so walk or ride.