Cheesman Park, Denver

Park Historic urban park with memorials and open lawns

East of downtown Denver, Cheesman Park offers open lawns, mature trees and paved paths; locals and visitors use it for jogging, dog walking, picnics and people-watching near the civic core.

Main image

Cheesman Park is a public park in Denver, Colorado, within the Cheesman Park neighborhood and part of the city’s park system. The site is a long-established urban green space used for recreation and relaxation.

The park offers broad open lawns framed by mature shade trees and paths used for walking, running and informal recreation. It is frequently paired with a visit to the adjacent Denver Botanic Gardens and the surrounding residential streetscape of the Cheesman Park neighborhood.

The site was converted from Prospect Hill Cemetery into a public park in the early 20th century and was named for Walter Cheesman, a Denver businessman and philanthropist. Landscape and grading work in that period reshaped the terrain into the park seen today.

Cheesman Park lies just east of central Denver, within the city’s near-downtown grid and immediately adjacent to the Denver Botanic Gardens, making it easily reachable from the downtown area.

  • Nearby attraction: Directly adjacent to the Denver Botanic Gardens, making it easy to combine a park visit with the gardens.
  • Best times and uses: Popular at dawn and dusk for skyline views and for walking, jogging and dog-walking on the broad lawn areas.
Cheesman Park, Denver
Cheesman Park, Denver (near 8th Ave Pkwy and Cheesman Pl)
39.7320, -104.9660
Park open daily (hours variable); municipal parks generally accessible dawn-dusk

How to Get to Cheesman Park, Denver #

Cheesman Park is three miles east of downtown Denver, bounded by E 8th Ave Pkwy and surrounding residential streets. It’s accessible by car, bike, and city bus routes; limited on-street parking is available nearby.

Tips for Visiting Cheesman Park, Denver #

  • Visit the Denver Botanic Gardens' Greek Theater or other nearby attractions on the same day for a full cultural outing.
  • Early morning photographers can capture long shadows and low-contrast images of Cheesman Park's pavilion and urns.
  • Be aware the park was a former cemetery; some visitors are interested in the site's controversial transformation in the early 20th century.

Best Time to Visit Cheesman Park, Denver #

Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons for visiting; winter can be very cold and snowy, while summers are warm.

Spring
Mar-May · 2-20°C (36-68°F)
Cherry blossoms and milder weather make the park attractive for walkers.
Autumn
Sep-Nov · 5-22°C (41-72°F)
Cooler days and changing leaves provide good photographic conditions.

Weather & Climate near Cheesman Park, Denver #

Climate

Cheesman Park, Denver's climate is classified as Cold Semi-Arid - Cold Semi-Arid climate with warm summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -8°C to 32°C. Semi-arid with limited rainfall.

Temperature & Rainfall
Temperature Range
32°
Warmest Month
-8°
Coldest Month
Monthly Conditions

January

January is the coldest month with highs of 7°C and lows of -8°C. The driest month with just 14 mm.

Comfort

Feels Like Freezing
C
Temperature
-8°

Weather

14 mm
Rainfall
3.4 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze

February

February is cold with highs of 9°C and lows of -6°C. The driest month with just 14 mm.

Comfort

Feels Like Cold
C
Temperature
-6°

Weather

14 mm
Rainfall
3.5 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze

March

March is cold with highs of 12°C and lows of -3°C. Moderate rainfall (36 mm).

Comfort

Feels Like Cold
C
Temperature
-3° 12°

Weather

36 mm
Rainfall
4.0 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze

April

April is cold with highs of 16°C and lows of 1°C. Moderate rainfall (50 mm).

Comfort

Feels Like Cold
C
Temperature
16°

Weather

50 mm
Rainfall
4.3 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze

May

May is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 6°C. The wettest month with 65 mm of rain.

Comfort

14°
Feels Like Cool
14°C
Temperature
22°

Weather

65 mm
Rainfall
4.0 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze

June

June is mild with highs of 28°C and lows of 12°C. Moderate rainfall (45 mm).

Comfort

20°
Feels Like Mild
20°C
Temperature
12° 28°

Weather

45 mm
Rainfall
3.8 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze

July

July is the warmest month with highs of 32°C and lows of 15°C. Moderate rainfall (51 mm).

Comfort

23°
Feels Like Mild
23°C
Temperature
15° 32°

Weather

51 mm
Rainfall
3.4 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze

August

August is mild with highs of 30°C and lows of 14°C. Moderate rainfall (43 mm).

Comfort

22°
Feels Like Mild
22°C
Temperature
14° 30°

Weather

43 mm
Rainfall
3.3 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze

September

September is cool with highs of 25°C and lows of 9°C. Moderate rainfall (35 mm).

Comfort

17°
Feels Like Cool
17°C
Temperature
25°

Weather

35 mm
Rainfall
3.3 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze

October

October is cool with highs of 19°C and lows of 2°C. Light rainfall.

Comfort

11°
Feels Like Cool
11°C
Temperature
19°

Weather

28 mm
Rainfall
3.4 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze

November

November is cold with highs of 11°C and lows of -4°C. Light rainfall.

Comfort

Feels Like Cold
C
Temperature
-4° 11°

Weather

27 mm
Rainfall
3.3 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze

December

December is cold with highs of 8°C and lows of -7°C. Light rainfall.

Comfort

Feels Like Cold
C
Temperature
-7°

Weather

18 mm
Rainfall
3.3 m/s
Wind
Light Breeze

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