· Red Rocks

Crown Hill Park and Crown Hill Cemetery

Aliases: Arvada Cemetery, Maple Grove Reservoir, Kestrel Pond

Crown Hill Lake, in the park of the same name, is a good place to look for geese and diving ducks, including Red-breasted Mergansers in winter. A couple of groves on the north side of the park are worth birding; one is the fenced wildlife preserve around Kestrel Pond in the northwest corner of the property, which is closed to protect nesting birds from March to June. During the closure, the only access to this area is during guided nature walks scheduled by Jefferson County Open Space. Several blocks east of here is a shelterbelt of mature cottonwoods and underbrush, best accessed from a small roadside pullout on the south side of 32nd Avenue near Estes. This shelterbelt should be checked in spring and fall for migrant land birds. East of the park and lake is the massive Crown Hill Cemetery. Bird the evergreens in winter hoping for irruptive species like crossbills, Cassin’s Finch, Evening and Pine Grosbeaks, and Bohemian Waxwing. Also check for various warbler species during the spring and fall.

County: Jefferson

Directions: From I-70: take exit 267/Kipling St. and go south for two miles and the park will be on the east side. Head east at 26th Ave. to reach the main parking lot for Crown Hill Park. To reach Crown Hill Cemetery, go east on 32nd Ave. to Wadsworth Blvd., south to 29th Ave., and then east into the cemetery.

Dates of Access: Open all year; The Wildlife Sanctuary and Kestrel Pond are closed during peak nesting season from March 1 to June 30
Hours: Daylight hours
Ownership: Municipal
Admission: Free

Restrictions: Respect funerals at the cemetery; obey all local rules and regulations

Parking: Paved parking areas
Lodging: Hotels in Denver, Golden, and nearby suburbs

Handicapped: Yes
Handicapped Access: Most trails handicap accessible; some car viewing

Latitude: 39.755153
Longitude: -105.102248

» Visit the website for Crown Hill Park and Crown Hill Cemetery