Great Lawn Park
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Great Lawn Park offers a compelling blend of natural beauty and active play, featuring a large playground, expansive open fields, and serene water elements like streams and ponds with observable wildlife. It's an excellent choice for families seeking free outdoor recreation and nature appreciation, but parents must be prepared for significant facility maintenance shortcomings.
Key Highlights
- ✓Large playground with ample space and benches for parents to supervise.
- ✓Extensive open fields, perfect for running, playing, and various activities.
- ✓Serene natural water features, including a flowing stream, ponds, and lovely walking paths.
- ✓Rich wildlife observation opportunities, including many birds (Egrets specifically mentioned) and the fun activity of catching crawdads (catch and release).
- ✓Interesting artistic elements like a sundial sculpture.
- ✓Presence of many trees providing shade in various areas of the park.
- ✓Lawn is regularly mowed, indicating good upkeep of the green spaces.
Standout Features
- ⭐The generously sized and spacious playground.
- ⭐The immersive natural environment with a river stream, ponds, and diverse wildlife.
- ⭐Extensive open fields for unconstrained play.
- ⭐Shaded areas provided by numerous trees, offering comfort during sunny days.
- ⭐Unique sculptural elements, such as the interesting sundial.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →**Bring your own sanitizing wipes and table covers** if you intend to use the picnic tables, as they are reportedly very dirty.
- →**Bring your own water, drinks, and snacks**, as water fountains are not working and no food vendors are mentioned.
- →**Plan for restroom access:** Main bathrooms are closed; be prepared to use the single porta-potty or make alternative arrangements.
- →**Consider sun protection** (hats, sunscreen) for children and adults, especially when spending time in the open fields where sun can be glaring.
- →**Bring small buckets or nets for crawdad catching** if your children enjoy interactive nature exploration (remember to release them).
Things to Consider
- ⚠Public bathrooms are unmaintained, closed, and locked.
- ⚠Water fountains are non-functional.
- ⚠Only one porta-potty is available, located near the road and only on one side of the park.
- ⚠Picnic areas and tables are consistently dirty, described as having 'layers of filth and grim' and appearing unsprayed for years.
Price & Value
Entry appears to be free, offering significant value for access to a large playground, expansive open fields, and natural amenities. However, the complete lack of functional basic facilities (closed bathrooms, non-working water fountains) diminishes convenience and requires families to bring many essentials, which can offset some of the 'free' value.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •A single porta-potty is available near the road, offering basic restroom access. No specific details regarding broader accessibility for strollers, wheelchairs, or special needs on paths or playground equipment are mentioned.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Outside food, drinks, and picnics are permitted (implied by the presence of picnic areas).
- •Parents are strongly advised to bring their own table covers and sanitizing wipes due to the consistently poor condition of the park's picnic tables.
🚗Parking Info
- •No specific details about parking availability, capacity, or cost are mentioned in the reviews.
👥Crowd Levels
- •No specific information about crowd levels or peak times is mentioned in the reviews, suggesting it might not be consistently overcrowded, or reviewers did not find crowds to be a significant issue.
🛡️Safety Features
- •No specific safety features such as staff supervision of play areas, first aid stations, or controlled entry/exit points are mentioned in the reviews.
⏰When to Avoid
- • Relying on park restrooms or water fountains for basic needs.
- • Planning a picnic and expecting clean, ready-to-use tables without bringing extensive cleaning supplies or covers.
- • Visiting without bringing personal hand sanitizer and adequate hydration.
Pricing/Package/Events
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Fall Parks Cleanup
Sunday, the 28
Free (requires signup)
Councilwoman Sawyer's Fall Parks Cleanup. Applies to Lowry parks generally, may include Great Lawn Park.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Dogs must be leashed and under their owner’s or keeper’s physical control in any public space – including parks (Denver Municipal Code Section 8-16).
📅Booking Policy
- • Park Use Permit available (details/process not specified, implies booking/permitting for park use)
What People Say
What's Great
- Spacious play areas (mentioned in 5 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 4 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Chris J
a month agoRecently stumbled upon this stunning park featuring sculptures, a flowing stream, and serene ponds. It’s the perfect spot for a rejuvenating stroll on my commute to work!
Em S
7 months agoWater is lovely to walk by, especially at sunset. There are lots of birds to see. It's fun to catch crawdads just for fun (catch and release). There is plenty of open field. Large playground with lots of space and benches for parents. Bathrooms weren't maintained. Now, they remain closed and locked. The water fountains no longer work either. They did add a potter potty near the road and only on one side of the park. They do have other benches away from the playground for parties or picnics. There are plenty of trees for shade, too. DON'T FORGET TO BRING YOUR OWN SANITIZING WIPES AND TABLE COVERS. Tables are always dirty.
Erik Hockom
9 months agoThe playground is pretty nice and the pond and pathway is nice but the picnic areas are absolutely atrocious. I don't think they have been sprayed down in years. Layers of filth and grim on the tables and the concrete. If you're coming here I'd plan a picnic elsewhere and just enjoy the playground and path
Jim Conley
a month agoNice park with walking paths, water, some wildlife, big open fields and an interesting sundial sculpture.
Yan Ying Lim
a year agoIt's a nice park to walk about if the sun wasn't too glaring. Not many trees around it, however it does have a peaceful river stream and Egrets can be spotted! Sundial rather simple and lawn is also mowed regularly.