Office & Parks Winter Weather Closures
Due to expected extreme weather conditions, Denver Colorado Parks and Wildlife Headquarters (including the Call Center), Northeast Region and Littleton Offices, are closing at noon Friday, Nov. 8. Castlewood Canyon State Park is closed. Cherry Creek, Chatfield and Barr Lake Park visitor centers are closed.
Veteran's Day Office Closures
Colorado Parks and Wildlife offices, including park visitor centers, will be closed for the state holiday, Monday, Nov. 11.
State Park in Roxborough, CO
Hours:
Park: Daily, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Office: Daily, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from May through November. Closed on Mondays from December through April.
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
Park Address:
4751 East Roxborough Drive
Roxborough, CO 80125
United States
State Park in Roxborough, CO
Hours:
Park: Daily, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Office: Daily, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from May through November. Closed on Mondays from December through April.
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
Park Address:
4751 East Roxborough Drive
Roxborough, CO 80125
United States
Late Opening Nov. 9
Roxborough will be opening at 10 a.m. due to snow removal operations.
Roxborough State Park
Just a short drive southwest of Denver, Roxborough State Park is a popular urban getaway. With close to 3,413 acres, the park is filled with dramatic red rock formations, distinct plant communities and a variety of wildlife ranging from black bears to mule deer.
3,413
acres
145
species of birds
8
picnic sites
15
miles of trails
Directions
From Denver
Head south on Santa Fe Drive (Highway 85) to Titan Road (4.2 miles south of C-470 intersection). Turn right (west) on Titan Road. Continue heading west on Titan Road. It will curve and begin to head south, becoming North Rampart Range Road (3 miles). Continue south on North Rampart Range Road past Roxborough Village and the Foothills Water Treatment Plant (3.5 miles). At the intersection of North Rampart Range Road and Roxborough Park Road, turn left onto Roxborough Park Road. Take the next right on East Roxborough Drive (about 50 yards away) to enter the park.
The Roxborough Visitor Center is located past the last parking lot heading into the park.
Hours: Daily 9 a.m. To 4 p.m. December-April closed on Mondays.
Groups of 10 or more wanting to visit the park must submit a Special Activity Agreement and receive approval from the park manager prior to arrival. To limit the impact on trails and facilities, groups this size will not be approved for weekends during the months of May through October.
Rideshare or taxi drop-offs will need a prearranged ride for leaving the park, or will need to hike 3+ miles to exit the park in order to find a ride that will drive out to the area. In addition, plan to hike the 2.5 mile entrance road to reach the trails, as many rideshares drop off at the park entrance. Cell phone signal is extremely limited throughout the park.
Pass |
Description |
Duration |
Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Daily Vehicle Pass |
Single vehicle and its occupants |
1 Day |
$10 |
|
Individual Daily Pass |
For individual entry on foot, bicycle, horseback, etc at select parks |
1 Day |
$4 |
|
DMV vehicle registration renewal option for Colorado residents |
12 Months |
$29 |
|
|
Annual Vehicle Pass (Affixed) |
Pass for a single vehicle and its occupants |
12 Months |
$80 |
|
Family Annual Pass (Hang Tag) |
Members of the same household |
12 Months |
$120 |
|
Aspen Leaf Annual Pass |
Visitors 64+ |
12 Months |
$70 |
|
Centennial Pass |
Income-eligible Colorado residents |
12 Months |
$14 |
|
Columbine Pass |
Colorado residents with disabilities |
12 Months |
$14 |
|
Veterans License Plate |
DMV vehicle registration renewal option for military veterans (disabled veterans or purple heart plates) |
Lifetime |
Free |
|
Independence Lifetime Pass |
Colorado resident veterans with disabilities |
Lifetime |
Free |
|
Blue Spruce Pass |
Colorado resident first responders with disabilities |
Lifetime |
$10 |
Roxborough offers a plethora of wonders, from large rock formations and wildlife to small plants and insects, inviting exploration of both the grand and intricate aspects of nature.
Be on the Lookout for Birds
Can you spot all the resident and visiting bird species? Download the Bird List Brochure (PDF).
Roxborough State Park captivates visitors with its prominent Fountain Formation: a breathtaking display of tilted red sandstone that originated over 300 million years ago from the gradual erosion of the Ancestral Rocky Mountains. Standing at a sixty-degree angle, this geological masterpiece represents millions of years of uplift and erosion, exposing rock formations from the Precambrian to Late Mesozoic. At Roxborough, visitors can see the transition between sedimentary rocks of the Great Plains and the crystalline basement rock of the Rocky Mountains, showcasing billions of years of Front Range geology.
The geological narrative of Roxborough unfolds nearly two billion years ago when ancient sediments transformed into metamorphic rock due to immense heat and pressure from tectonic plate collisions. The park's oldest rocks, the Precambrian crystalline rocks of the Idaho Springs Gneiss and Pikes Peak Granite, emerged 1.7 and 1.2 billion years ago, respectively. The Great Unconformity, a billion-year gap in the rock record, hints at a period of erosion. Around 300 million years ago, the Ancestral Rocky Mountains formed, eroding into sedimentary rocks that later became the oldest layers in the park. Over the next 65 million years, various climate and geologic changes shaped Roxborough's landscape, contributing to its unique rock formations and diverse ecosystems.
The geological formations at Roxborough include the Precambrian Basement Rocks, the Fountain Formation (300 Ma) with its striking red spires, the Lyons Formation (280 Ma) formed in an ancient desert, the Lykins Formation (250 Ma) representing a harsh tidal flat and the Morrison Formation (150 Ma) deposited during the Jurassic Period. The Dakota Group or Dakota Hogback (100 Ma) is primarily composed of beach and near shore sediments laid down on the west shoreline of a seaway that began to flood the center of the North American Continent around 100 million years ago. Finally, the Pierre Shale (70 Ma) reflects an inundation of the area by a shallow sea. Each formation tells a story of continual change, from mountain-building events and climate shifts to the traces of ancient life.
Roxborough State Park provides a glimpse into the ever-changing landscape of Colorado and the Rocky Mountain Region, earning recognition as a distinguished Colorado Natural Area, National Cultural District, National Natural Landmark and Leave No Trace Gold Standard Designated Site. Its geological wonders, combined with its biological diversity, make Roxborough a great destination for those eager to explore the geological history and natural beauty of the region.
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Monday, Nov 11
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
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Monday, Nov 11
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
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Monday, Nov 11
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
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Monday, Nov 11
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
Roxborough State Park has grown to its current size of 3,299 acres thanks to the collaborative efforts of citizens and partnering agencies maintaining its status as a spectacular natural area. Roxborough is a designated National Natural Landmark, a State Natural Area, a National Archeological District and an Audubon Important Bird Area. The park has also been recognized as a Leave No Trace Gold Standard Site by the Center for Outdoor Ethics. More than 1.2 billion years of geologic history can be seen in the park’s stunning red-rock formations.
