A Local’s Tips For Visiting John Denver Sanctuary In Each Season

2020…..I know that should be considered a bad word, but 2020 happened and it sucked. At this time of our life where most people were stuck indoors, we lived it the beautiful town of Basalt, Colorado. This is just 30 minutes north of the popular mountainous getaway of Aspen, Colorado. Yeah, heaven on earth I know!

So while others were stuck in cities indoors, we were stuck in the breathtaking Colorado mountains with the whole outdoor to our exposal! It was the only way we stayed sane in that awful year.

While living in this area, to keep our sanity we did lots of walks and hikes, so we really got to know Aspen pretty dang well. One of the greatest gems we have found in all of the Aspen valley area is the John Denver Sanctuary.

When I first looked up the John Denver Sanctuary, my first thought was this does not sound like a me activity. All the reviews were all about meditation and that’s kinda not me. We only went because it was considered one of the top 10 things to do in Aspen.

Now it is number one on my kids list of best things to do in Aspen, Colorado! From a local, here are your tips for visiting the John Denver Sanctuary in each season!

Where Is The John Denver Sanctuary?

470 Rio Grande Pl, Aspen, CO 81611

What Is The John Denver Sanctuary?

John Denver Sanctuary, nestled in the heart of Aspen, Colorado, stands as a natural haven and tribute to the legendary singer-songwriter, John Denver. This serene sanctuary, dedicated to the memory of the iconic artist, blends the beauty of nature with the timeless melodies that defined Denver’s musical legacy.

Now you are probably asking what that even means. This sanctuary is kinda like a rock garden that you can walk through. On these rocks are lyrics to some of John Denver’s most iconic songs. Walk along the trails next to a roaring river, through gardens of vibrant flowers, stop to admire the artwork along the way, and ponder the words of his songs.

It is a beautiful place for a Sunday walk, a fun place for kids to splash in water on a hot summers day, an artist’s dream location to relax on a picnic table to paint the breathtaking scenery, and a romantic walk for a loving couple. This is a peaceful park for all to enjoy that merging of nature and song.

FAQs

1. How much does it cost to go to the John Denver Sanctuary? Its FREE!!
2. Is there parking? Yes and no! There is no set parking lot for the Sanctuary itself, but there are parking areas nearby. There is a paid multi-story parking lot located across the street of Rio Grande Pl, which is next to the park Prices for this parking lot are:0-1 Hours $2, 1-2 Hours $4, 2-3 Hours $6, 3-24 Hours (Daily Max) $12, Free from 5 pm to 5 am, Free Sundays, Free Holidays
3. Is there free parking nearby? Yes! Problem is, it is extremely limited and it is timed parking. There is paralleled parking along Rio Grande Pl, I have never been able to park here though due to the fact that it is so busy in Aspen. My go to free parking is actually to park at Herron Park which is adjacent to John Denver Sanctuary. It is a little walk, but this park and the walk are so beautiful that it makes it worth the time. Again very limited parking, but I almost always found a spot here.
4. What is there to do at the John Denver Sanctuary? The Sanctuary itself has a small hike by the river, art work to admire, a water play beach for kids, picnic tables, and a garden/water garden area to walk through. There are 3 parks connecting to the Sanctuary and they have a small basketball court, a rugby field, skate park, river play access, and a playground.
5. Is the John Denver Sanctuary a good place to take kids? Yes! This is my kids favorite thing to do in Aspen, simply because of the water play.
6. Will toddlers like the John Denver Sanctuary? My toddlers loved it here! There are rocks to climb on a hill to roll down, water to play in and river access to throw rocks in or play in.
7. Can we swim in the water? There is a water area that you can play in the water. It is not very deep though, best just for kids.
8. Is there a bathroom? Yes it is at the entrance of the Sanctuary, in the Rio Grande Park area

Tips

1. Park at Heron Park for free parking and walk from there. Please note there is a time limit to this parking area!
2. If you have kids bring a change of clothes, they WILL get wet in either the river or the water play area. It is inevitable.
3. You cannot take a stroller through the rock water garden, so don’t try. Just park your stroller over by the greenhouse and come back for it.
4. Go in the morning when it is the least busy
5. Weekends are super busy, chances are you will most likely not get free parking, just letting you know
6. Watch out for bears and cougars, just because you are in town does not mean they aren’t there. We have seen bears multiple times.
7. Download PayByPhone app to pay for parking by your phone. They are really big sticklers to paid parking in Aspen.

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The 4 Seasons Of The John Denver Sanctuary:

The cool part about John Denver Sanctuary is that it is open all year long. With that in mind you can visit during many different seasons and each season has a super unique experience to it! I mean each season is almost a new experience entirely and feels like you are experiencing the sanctuary for the first time over again! Here are tips for visiting John Denver Sanctuary in each season.

Spring

Spring is such a weird time of year in the Aspen/Glenwood Springs area. It is entirely dead all around when you go to bed and then all the sudden you wake up and there are flowers and color everywhere!! Spring for the most part is a pretty barren time of year to visit, until that one week when Colorado finally realizes winter is over and everything blooms within a week.

When I say bloom, I mean explode with color! Vegetation that has been dormant for months, doesn’t just slowly come back, it springs out of bed and throws down blankets of flowers and greenery! In the month of March alone, you will watch in a week this sanctuary to go from dead barren trees to full, lush greenery!

Reasons We Love Spring:

1. This is when all of the baby ducklings hatch! Each spring we would always hurry over to John Denver Sanctuary to watch the little ducklings following their mamas around! So cute!
2. The crabapple trees are blossoming that means all around there are giant pink trees with pink pedals swimming in the wind! It is SO pretty!
3. This is the least busiest time of year to visit Aspen. People crowd in for winter to ski, summer to hike, and fall for the leaves changing colors, Aspen just isn’t very popular during spring. So less people equals less parking stress!

What We Don’t Like About Spring:

1. Muddy. The snowmelt makes the trails more muddy.
2. A bucketload of trees are releasing pollen and if you have allergies you will 100% hate breathing!
3. It is still too cold for kids to get in the water at the water play area.
4. Weather can be unpredictable. It could be super warm one day and freezing the next.

Summer

So you know how I said that spring is so colorful and green, well summer is like spring on steroids! The flowers are in full effect and the vegetation is in explosive mode. When you are hiking on the small trail around the sanctuary you have to duck due to the branches being so heavy with leaves!

This is the time to play in the water, admire the sun reflection of the mirrored buffalo sculpture, smell the hundreds of different flowers all over, and clearly see all of the lyrics of John Denver’s songs on the rocks. No snow covering them up!

This is a busy time where picnic tables are filled with families, the nearby parks are crowded with dogs and friends playing frisbee tag, so many people are out using this sanctuary and the nearby parks to enjoy nature in its fullest!

Reasons We Love Summer:

1. The weather is spot on perfect! It isn’t too hot and it isn’t too cold. You can play in the water without freezing and not regret going for a run in intense heat.
2. On the northside of the Sanctuary, under the bridge between the lion statue and the bison statue is a small opening in the giant rocks. This opening takes you to a little sandy beach area. This little area is for kids to have some water play! Feel free to relax in the cold sand and watch your kiddos splash around the shallow water.
3. The small waterfalls in the pond will be at their fullest, and the river along the Sanctuary will be full and powerful! So beautiful to see!

What We Don’t Like About Summer:

1. Its busy. The weather is great, everyone is out of school, the flowers are gorgeous, its tourist season; all resulting in lots and LOTS of people.
2. There are lots of events going on in the parks nearby so again it gets really busy and parking is a nightmare.

Fall

In my entire existence I have never seen anything like Aspen in the fall season. If you are looking for pure beauty, this is where and when you will find it. There is no description accurate enough to depict the beauty you will witness in walking through John Denver Sanctuary in the fall.

Yellow trees are everywhere! I mean everywhere! Instead of water falling from the sky it is raining sunshine colored leaves. Where snow will soon cover the grass, you will see colorful leaves sprinkled across the lawn.

The water garden will have a coat of red and yellow leaves floating on its surface. It is an incredible time to walk through the sanctuary.

Reasons We Love Fall:

1. I never in my entire life have seen such a gorgeous sight. The trees and colors are absolutely breathtaking.
2. The weather is still pretty good for the most part. Just sweater and light jacket weather.

What We Don’t Like About Fall:

1. Again this is a busy time of year because of how incredible the scenery is during fall, so the struggle for parking is real!
2. It is getting too cold to be in that water again, so no water play.

Winter

I never understood what it meant in the song of, “walking in a winter wonderland,” until I walked around the John Denver Sanctuary in the winter time. Okay I shouldn’t say walk, I should say trudged through the waist high snow!

Helpful hint, do not go down the rock hill at the sanctuary in the snow, you will not make it down the hill without plummeting face first into the snow. Ask me how I know this!!

The John Denver Sanctuary is still open in the winter, but the snow is rarely maintained. You will have a difficult time finding the trail or any of the rocks with John Denver’s songs on them. The water garden trail is impossible in the ice and if you try you will most likely end up with a foot in ice cold water.

I know I make the snow sound awful, but really it adds a unique beauty to the experience. Sure it makes the whole thing 100 times more difficult, but nothing will prepare you are the breathtaking views of the snow resting on the trees at the base of the mountains surrounding you.

Reasons We Love Winter:

1. Nobody is here! We walked the whole sanctuary and didn’t see another human being.
2. It is a completely separate beauty from the rest of the year. It is so gorgeous to see the iced water and the snow capped mountains, along with the snowflakes glistening around you!

What We Don’t Like About Winter:

1. It is so cold!
2. Most of the rocks with the lyrics are covered in snow.
3. The trail is covered in snow
4. There is so much snow that you can not tell how deep it is!
5. Did I mention the snow!?

When Is The Best Time Of Year To Visit John Denver Sanctuary?

Each season of the year opens up a new side of the John Denver Sanctuary. This sanctuary lives up to Colorado’s theme of being colorful! Each season ignites a new color; spring is pink trees, summer is a new level of green, fall is an explosion of yellow, and winter is a soft blanket of white snow.

The point is no matter when you visit the John Denver Sanctuary your jaw will drop and your soul will leave filled. BUT…..

If you asked me which season is the absolute most magical and best time of year to visit the John Denver Sanctuary; I would without hesitating tell you Fall! Activity wise, Fall is not as great a time to fully appreciate and try all that it has to offer. But nothing can compare to the incredible sight of the vibrant colors surrounding you.

If you are trying to decide when is the most beautiful time of year to visit Aspen, Colorado; I would consider booking a trip in October if I were you!

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