Parker Colorado

Parker Colorado General Information

Parker Colorado is our hometown. We moved here from Austin, Texas in 1987. We arrived with three small children, all of whom went through the school system, from kindergarten through high school. Thirty six years later, we can't imagine living anywhere else. We love Parker and we know you will, too.

The Town of Parker is a home rule municipality located in Douglas County, Colorado. Its location is about 23 miles southeast of downtown Denver, putting it at the most southeastern corner of the Denver Metro Area.  Parker was founded in 1864. When we moved to Parker in 1987, there weren't that many people here. For most of our major shopping, we had to go north to Aurora. In fact, the official population in 1981 (just six years earlier) was 225 residents. That's crazy when you consider the size of Parker today. Incorporated Parker, today, has over 64,000 residents. When you include unincorporated areas, the population is significantly more.

Parker Colorado Has The Best Views

Parker's elevation is 5,869 feet. Think about this. That is about 600 feet higher than Denver and the rest of the Front Range. And, there are many areas of Parker that sit well above 6000 feet. This elevation explains the incredible views from Parker. Our views tend to be out over the Denver Metro Area, downtown Denver, the Foothills and into the Rocky Mountains. On good days, you can see the magnificent Continental Divide, which literally divides the country into the west and east. Few communities in Colorado can match Parker Colorado views.

Parker Colorado Schools

Schools are one of Parker's best assets. Parker is served by the renowned Douglas County School District RE-1.  Frankly, most of the schools in the towns that we serve are excellent.  Douglas County, Arapahoe and Cherry Creek have some of the finest schools in all of the nation.  Parker is home to three great high schools Ponderosa , Chaparrral and Legend. Additionally, Parker is home to some excellent private schools, which include Lutheran High School (9-12)), Ave Maria Catholic School (PK-8) and Southeast Christian School (PK-8).  Within a few miles are two of Colorado's best private schools Valor Christian High School and Regis Jesuit High School.

Parker Colorado Parks

The town has done a great job in making sure that the residents have plenty of parkland available for their pleasure. In fact, there are over 250 acres of developed parks. Additionally, 950 acres of dedicated open space can be found throughout the town. Many of the best parks were created by the developer of the subdivision. The town council has done a great job over the years of making sure that all of the major developments are packed full of great amenities. Some of the many parks are Auburn Hills Community Park, Bar CCC Park, Bayou Gulch Regional Park, Challenger Regional Park, Discovery Park, Preservation Park and Trailhead, Railbender Skate and Tennis Park, Salisbury Equestrian Park and Sports Complex, Stroh Ranch Soccer Fields, Tallman Meadow Park, Iron Horse Park, Living Well Park, O'Brien Park, Twenty Mile Historic Park, USMC CPL David M. Sonka Dog Park and Westcreek Disc Golf Course. Literally everywhere you look, you'll see parks and open space for your enjoyment. This is one of the many things that Cheryl and I appreciate about Parker.

Probably the most exciting park/recreation area to ever come to Parker is the Rueter-Hess Reservoir. It is a water resource to Douglas County. When complete, it will encompass 1170 acres, about one and a half times the size of Cherry Creek Reservoir. Hopefully, it will be open to the public in the summer of 2023.

Parker Colorado Arts and Event Venues

Parker is known for it small town feel, but that doesn't mean that we don't have the big city amenities that make a community complete. We have great shopping represented by almost all of the national big box stores. Most of the national restaurant chains are here. And, we have some wonderful local independent restaurants, as well. You certainly will not need to leave Parker to have a meal in a great restaurant. Our crown jewel is the Parker Arts, Culture and Events Center (PACE). The PACE center hosts art shows, theater productions, concerts, lectures, meetings, weddings and more. Its 536 seat theater is one of the premier venues in all of Colorado. Another less known gem is the Vehicle Vault. Privately owned, this facility contains one of the premier classic car collections in the nation. Another outstanding event facility is the Colorado Horse Park. It is a world class equestrian event center and is home to a number of events including top hunter/jumper, dressage and evening competitions during the spring, summer and fall seasons. It also, includes annual boarding for over 100 horses.  

Parker Colorado Fitness and Recreation Centers

Health and fitness facilities abound here in Parker. Life Time Fitness chose Parker as their first location in Colorado.  It is an amazing place. And, the outdoor pool area rivals some of those found in places like Las Vegas. The town maintains two massive recreation centers. The Parker Recreation Center has over 30,000 square feet, with a gymnasium, work out facilities, pool, outdoor inline hockey rink and more. The Parker Fieldhouse has over 100,000 square feet with sports turf, batting cages, gymnasium, inline rink, track, fitness rooms and more.

Parker Colorado Annual Events

There is always something going on that adds to Parker's appeal. It seems that every weekend, there will be an event in downtown Parker. It might be movies in the park. Or, an art show. Barbecue cook offs. Farmer's Market during the summer and fall. Then there are the major events like Parker Days Festival in June, Parker Stars and Stripes Celebration on July 4th, Fall Festival and Reapers Hollow at Flat Acres Farm in October and the Christmas Parade in December. Another cool event is the monthly Wine Walk that takes place in downtown Parker each month from June through October. These are just a few of the major celebrations.

Parker Colorado Medical Facilities

Local medical care is of critical importance to the residents of any community. Parker is in great shape when it comes to providing first class medical services. We have two major hospitals that serve Parker. In Parker, we have Parker Adventist Hospital. And, just a few miles west in Lone Tree is Sky Ridge Medical Center.  

We Love Parker Colorado

We could go on and on about how much we love Parker and why. There is so much more information that we could provide.  But, hopefully, we have covered enough to help you get a feel for our wonderful town and why we love to call Parker "home". Cheryl and I spent a great deal of time videoing Parker and her neighborhoods. Here are two that we did. The first one is a drive through Downtown Parker and the second one is a drive all around Parker, pointing out her sites and attractions.