Travel Tips & Trends

Colorado skateboard parks

Back in the '70s, skateboarders were rolling around driveways to learn new moves. In 2005, a nationwide study found upwards of 16 million skateboarding enthusiasts, but only around 1,200 municipal skateparks. As the popularity of the sport expands, skateparks are being incorporated into park designs around the country.

Colorado is second only to California in its number of destination skateparks. Today there are more than 140 skateparks in Colorado. Several of them are counted among the world's best, reports Jimmy Snyder, author of The Colorado Skateboard Guide. In 2004, Carbondale's park got the state's first international coverage for a skateboarding event. Rio Grande Park in Aspen hosted the Concrete Rodeo Tour this summer in early August.

A few upcoming skatepark events on the Front Range:

  • Sept. 6: Thornton Harvestfest Skatepark Competition, Thornton Community Park, Thornton.
  • Sept. 14: Summerset Skate Contest, Clement Park, Littleton.
  • Oct. 11: Ruler of the Railzz, Redstone Park, Highlands Ranch.
  • Oct. 25: Halloween Havoc, Scott Carpenter Park, Boulder.

    • Towns with well-designed public skateparks have found that the parks have a positive impact on visitor numbers. Families with a child or teen who skateboards increasingly plan their family trips to include destinations with a skatepark, and serious adult skaters often plan entire vacations around their sport.

    Directions to all of Colorado's skateparks can be found at www.thecoloradoskateboard guide.com. Safety helmets, knee and elbow pads, and proper footwear should be considered essential skateboard wear, regardless of variations in park rules.