The Foundation’s Work

Improving Your Parks

The Denver Mountain Parks Foundation works to ensure that the Denver Mountain Parks remain a vital part of Denver’s past, present, and future. We advocate for and fund projects in preservation, conservation, and education, the Denver Mountain Parks. We accomplish these goals through direct efforts and partnerships with other non-profit organizations.

Active Projects

Transportation Micro-Grant Program

Transportation Micro-Grant Program

The Denver Mountain Parks Foundation recognizes that equity of access is vital. For many citizens of Denver, the greatest barrier to visiting the Denver Mountain Parks is affordable, available transportation. The Denver Mountain Parks Foundation is addressing this...

Denver Zoo Conservation Internship

Denver Zoo Conservation Internship

We are committed to creating opportunities for Education, Conservation and Preservation in the Denver Mountain Parks. In 2023 we began a two-year collaboration with the Denver Zoo to fund a college-level internship for work on Zoo science projects at Summit Lake and...

Past Projects

Axton Ranch Floristic Study

Axton Ranch Floristic Study

In 2021 and 2022, we collaborated with the Denver Botanic Gardens to undertake a complete floristic inventory of the Axton Ranch Mountain Park. Over the course of two years, interns from the Denver Public Schools and Denver Botanic Gardens scientists cataloged...

Video Tour of the Denver Mountain Parks

Our most excellent friend Tommy Matthews created this amazing video tour of a few of the Denver Mountain Parks.  You can read his full blog post on the Olmsted 200 website Here.

Axton Ranch Floristic Study

Axton Ranch Floristic Study

The Denver Mountain Parks Foundation is excited to announce that it has partnered with the Denver Botanic Gardens on a floristic study of the newest Denver Mountain park Axton Ranch. Thanks to the...

Youth Education and Outreach

Youth Education and Outreach

Big City Mountaineers: Camping program for underserved 8-13 year olds at Genesee and Katherine Craig Mountain Park. Our first education grant doubles the number of 8-12 year olds from Denver Parks and Recreation La Familia and Central Park rec centers that will get to...

Interpretive Signage

Interpretive Signage

Though Genesee Mountain Park features one of the Front Range’s most iconic attractions, it has long suffered without quality signage to educate the public about Denver’s historic bison herds. The foundation has taken a lead role in advocating for and...

Historic Shelters Capital Campaign

Historic Shelters Capital Campaign

We have worked with Denver Parks and Recreation to identify and prioritize fundraising for the most critical historic preservation projects throughout the mountain park system. As of January 2017, approximately 40% of identified projects have been completed,...

Strategic Plans and Studies

Strategic Plans and Studies

Past projects include: Lobbying for and supporting a major Master Plan, completed in 2008. (Download Master Plan sections, or read the Executive Summary.) Assisting the production of a new logo for the Mountain Parks system, its first, designed by Michael Schwab in...