Washington Park: Denver’s Lakes, Trails, and Recreation

Washington Park is a Denver city park with two lakes, flower gardens, playgrounds, playing fields, and picnic areas. Its layout brings together open lawns, planted spaces, and routes for walking or biking, so you can choose a brief loop or make room for several stops within the park.

The landscape has a history as carefully shaped as its paths. Reinhard Schuetze designed the park in 1899, and it was completed in 1904. The original plan featured curving paths, broad lawns edged by mature-tree groves, and two lakes fed by the City Ditch.

A remnant of the ditch still runs through the park; its open section was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Washington Park itself joined the register in 1986.

Several designers contributed to the park after its initial design. George Kessler added roads, paths, and planting schemes in 1908. In the 1910s, Olmsted Brothers designed features including Evergreen Hill, the Lily Pond, and the Boathouse. S. R. DeBoer added the Perennial Garden in 1918 and the Martha Washington Garden in 1926.

Smith Lake offers fishing access and paddle-boat rentals during warmer months. Its Boathouse dates to 1913. On the other side of the park, Lake Windermere sits beside the south garden, which VISIT DENVER describes as a replica of Martha Washington’s garden at Mount Vernon.

The two lakes give a visit distinct waterside settings, while flower gardens, lawns, playgrounds, and playing fields provide other places to spend time.

For a simple sequence, walk beside one of the lakes, then continue to the south garden by Lake Windermere. If you are planning a picnic, the park also has designated picnic areas; playgrounds and playing fields offer options for adding recreation to a walk.

The mix of paths, gardens, and open space makes it possible to keep the outing focused on one area or cover more ground.

VISIT DENVER describes a roughly 2.3-mile paved loop inside the park and a 2.6-mile dirt path around the outside. The paved route gives you a defined circuit on a firm surface, while the outer path offers a different route and footing.

If you are deciding between them, take the paved loop for a paved circuit or choose the dirt path when you want to follow the perimeter.

The routes also make it straightforward to pair a walk with a lakeside stop or the gardens. You can use a loop as the main activity, or treat it as a way to connect parts of the park rather than trying to see everything at once.

The information provided describes the routes but does not specify separate bike facilities, so check with Denver Parks and Recreation if you need details for cycling.

Washington Park is about an 8-minute drive or a 46-minute walk from Off Broadway B & B. If you are planning to walk from the B&B, allow time for the journey before setting out on one of the park’s loops.

The park can also be paired with a separate stop at Civic Center Park, with its monuments and surrounding attractions.

South Pearl Street lies just south of Washington Park and has galleries, shops, and restaurants, according to VISIT DENVER. You can combine time in the park with a stroll through this nearby area. The available details do not specify a route between the park and South Pearl Street, so plan that connection using current local directions.

Washington Park has a goal of three public-event rest dates per month during its April 1–October 31 rest-period season. Exact dates are set annually. If you are planning around a public event or want to know whether a rest date affects your visit, check the official site before you go; Denver Parks and Recreation sets the dates.

Paddle-boat rentals at Smith Lake are available during warmer months. That seasonal activity can give a lakeside visit another focus, while the gardens, routes, playgrounds, fields, and picnic areas support other kinds of outings. No regular opening hours are specified here, so confirm any current operating details with Denver Parks and Recreation before planning around a particular time.