7 Fun Spring Activities to Do in Parker, Colorado

Engaging in activities that encourage self-care is a terrific way to improve the quality of your mental health and your physical health. After all, self-care is more than just finding ways to relieve stress. It also involves ensuring you have a suitable exercise routine, eating well, improving your mood, forming positive relationships with friends and family, and enhancing your overall quality of life.

At Rocky Vista Health Center in Parker, Colorado, we understand the need to improve your overall wellness. That’s why we’ve put together a list of fun springtime activities that are bound to boost your serotonin levels and improve your overall fitness. 

1. Go For a Hike 

Hiking outdoors is a wonderful way to indulge in some self-care. It’s an efficient cardio workout that keeps you fit, lowers your risk of heart disease, and improves your blood pressure and sugar levels. It also gives you the chance to be outdoors, get some fresh air, and connect with nature. You can go hiking either by yourself and enjoy some much-needed alone time or with your family or friends, making it a fun bonding activity.

Parker, Colorado, has a variety of trails to choose from—all of which offer breathtaking views and proximity to wildlife. Here are some trails you can try out:

The Sulphur Gulch Trail

The Sulphur Gulch Trail is a hiking and biking trail that’s approximately four miles long and is paved and easily accessible to all. It includes beautiful views of Colorado’s farmlands, vast blue skies, and charming homes. 

Cherry Creek Regional Trail

The Cherry Creek Regional Trail is around eight miles long and is one of the most popular trails in Parker, Colorado. The trail includes a 10 feet wide, concrete path that allows for activities like walking, hiking, biking, and even horseback riding. 

The Baldwin Gulch Trail

Take a nice relaxing walk along the Baldwin Gulch Trail, which goes on for two miles between Pine Drive and the Cherry Creek Regional Trail. It’s made of concrete and follows an intermittent waterway towards Cherry Creek. 

When you reach the end of the trail and would still like to continue, you can move on towards the Cherry Creek Regional Trail. 

Rosie Rueter Trail and Incline Challenge

The Rosie Rueter Trail is considered a decently challenging route and has a completion time of around 39 minutes. It’s popular among hiking enthusiasts and people looking to go walking or on a trail run. And the best part, the trail is open year-round—not just in spring.

Tallman Gulch Trail 

The Tallman Gulch Trail is a paved and smooth trail that goes on for 10.78 km. It is generally considered to be an easy route and is known for bike riding, walking, and trail running. You can pay a visit with friends and family and even bring your furry friends along! Dogs are welcome and allowed to be off leash in certain areas. 

2. Go Camping 

In today’s technologically advanced world, most people tend to be plugged into their smartphones, laptops, or other gadgets, leading to less time spent socializing with friends or family and unhealthy amounts of time spent in front of a device. This is why camping is a great way to reconnect with people in person, reduce your overall screen time, and improve your stress levels. 

Consider planning a camping trip and giving yourself the chance to unwind and relax in nature. Parker, Colorado, is a mountainous area that offers tent campers or RV users access to many different parks and secluded campsites that allow you to plug into nature and spend time with yourself or the people you care about. 

3. Take Up Horseback Riding 

Horseback riding is a great activity that boosts your physical and mental health. It’s a great way to burn calories, strengthen your core, and even improve your breathing. It’s also been proven that spending time with animals tends to increase the levels of serotonin in your brain, alleviate your stress levels, and improve your overall mood.

There are several places where you can go horseback riding in Parker, Colorado. Parker Trail Riders (PTR) is a non-profit and family-oriented organization that allows horse riders to participate in equestrian shows and offers scenic trail rides, overnight rides, and more. They even provide year-round clinics that teach people horse riding. 

4. Play Fun Games at Parker Fieldhouse

Parker Fieldhouse is a massive sports and entertainment complex that offers access to recreational facilities like a climbing wall, an indoor pool, a gymnasium, an indoor sports turf and court, batting tunnels, and more. Their batting tunnels also provide amenities like portable pitching machines, study bats, dimple balls, and helmets.

You can either watch or participate in hockey, futsal, and lacrosse matches in a climate-controlled indoor court with premium lighting and easy access to team rooms. If you’re looking to play a fun game with some friends, you can also reserve their courts.

Whether you’re a working adult looking for a sports or fitness center or a parent looking to engage their kids with fun activities, Parker Fieldhouse has something for everyone. Give your body the workout it needs to improve your muscle strength and mood. 

5. Pay a Visit to Pine Lane Nursery

Research has shown us that our environment plays a huge role in our overall mental well-being. Surrounding yourself with nature leads to a reduction in unpleasant feelings like anger, fear, and stress and an increase in more pleasant feelings. Being in nature also contributes to your physical wellbeing.

Pine Lane Nursery is a family-owned garden center that offers gardening enthusiasts a wide selection of flora and fauna, including trees, shrubs, grasses, herbs, flowering plants, and more. If you’re a first-time gardener and are feeling a little lost or overwhelmed, their friendly and experienced staff are always available to guide and equip you with everything you’ll need. Pine Lane Nursery also plans fun events, like greenhouse tours, workshops on gardening or designing outdoor pots, and more. 

6. Explore Your Creative Side 

Did you know that indulging in activities that allow us to discover our creative sides actually come with several health benefits? Whether it’s drawing, painting, dancing, or even theatre, art has been found to improve mental health. It provides people with an outlet to express themselves and is also a medium that allows other people to understand different perspectives and experiences. 

Here are some fun, artsy places you can visit: 

The Parker Arts, Culture, & Events Center

The Parker Arts, Culture, & Events (or PACE) Center is a modern, state-of-the-art facility that offers incredible performances, exhibits, and even educational programs. Whether you’re in the mood to visit an art gallery, watch a play, pick up some culinary classes, or find creative ways to keep your kids occupied, the PACE Center is the place for you. 

Take the opportunity to escape the stress of your daily grind, explore your creative side, learn new things, and improve your wellbeing. 

The Jay Moore Working Studio and Showroom

The Jay Moore Working Studio and Showroom was once the art studio of local artist, Jay Moore, who graduated from the Colorado Institute of Art. He first started out with graphic design and illustration before focusing his efforts on full-time painting.

After graduating from college, he spent the first few years camping out in his sleeping bag, surrounded by nature, painting the beautiful landscapes Colorado had to offer. Today, his incredibly detailed paintings have appeared in magazines, collections, exhibitions, and more. His art can be found in various art galleries across the country.

Parker Symphony Orchestra

Listening to music is said to improve one’s focus, mental health, self-esteem, and confidence. It can help relax you, uplift your mood, and even improve your concentration.

The Parker Symphony Orchestra is a community orchestra that was established in 1994. Their aim was to educate, inspire, and entertain their audiences through beautiful orchestral music and exciting performances. Even today, they still continue to conduct performances and cover a wide range of musical genres. 

7. Bond with Family at Boondocks Food & Fun Parker

Spend time with your family and improve your relationships at Boondocks Food & Fun Parker, a theme park that offers a variety of indoor and outdoor attractions meant for the whole family. You can play miniature golf, bumper boats, laser tag, go bowling, go-karting, and more. They even have a fun arcade with a prize center and a wide variety of prizes to choose from. 

The bowling center comes with eight private lanes, two billiard tables, a warm fireplace, large HD projection screens, and catered meal and cocktail packages. This way, if you’re visiting with kids, both the adults and the children can have a fun time.

At Rocky Vista Health Center, we believe that comprehensive self-care is essential for everyone. That’s why our primary care providers strive to meet all of your requirements. We offer a wide variety of healthcare services to ensure your mental and physical health and well-being. If you’re in Parker, CO, get in touch or schedule an appointment today.