Campus Improvements Project, Including Main Entrance and Gateway, Is Open!

After a Grand Opening Celebration on February 14, 2026 that brought approximately 1,000 community members to the site, Bluff Lake Nature Center has opened its Campus Improvements Project to the public. This includes a new parking lot, main entrance, accessible ramp and stairs trail, flushing toilets, drinking fountains, and lobby. Bluff Lake Nature Center remains open 365 days a year, sunrise to sunset (see Visiting page for lobby hours, which differ depending on season). 

The $8.75 million Campus Improvements Project includes net-zero building to house a welcoming community space, multi-use classrooms, team headquarters and additional site improvements, including an accessible ramp trail leading into the site. With new infrastructure, Bluff Lake will offer safer, year-round programming, expand childcare and camp offerings, protect a valuable urban nature sanctuary, and provide vital access to nature. 

“This was a true community project,” says Rachel Hutchens, executive director for Bluff Lake Nature Center. “Our community helped us build this project, with thoughtful input, dedicated advocacy, and immense collective financial support, with well over 1,000 donors contributing to our campaign. The vast majority of these donors live in the neighborhoods surrounding Bluff Lake, and include birders, joggers, teachers, scientists, wildlife stewards of all ages, and past and present Bluff Lake board and staff members.” 

Bluff Lake partnered with the design team of Shape Architecture and Superbloom Landscape Architecture & Planning, general contractors Howell Construction, and project managers Cumming Group to realize this ambitious project that has built a sustainable future for the nonprofit organization and site.

Major donors for this project include: The Smith/Dobos family; the Freyer/Walker family; the Barker family; the Valore-Caplan family; Ho/Zeigler family; the Konrad family; the Skramstad family; the Norris family; the Nichols family; the Merganser Fund; the Walker/Weinshenker family; the Robb and Davis families; and the Warner/Erickson family. 

Funding organizations supporting this project include: Rocky Mountain Arsenal Natural Resource Damages Fund, Great Outdoors Colorado; The Hugh and Michelle Harvey Family Foundation; The Colorado Health Foundation; LARRK Foundation; The Anschutz Foundation; The City and County of Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency; Gates Family Foundation; Morgridge Family Foundation; Boettcher Foundation; Metro Denver Nature Alliance; Hammond Climate Solutions Foundation; Renewable Energy Trust (The Denver Foundation); Care Fund (The Denver Foundation).

Thank you so much to our sponsors for this event, Alpine Bank, Howell Construction, Denver International Airport (DEN), Shape Architecture, Cumming Group, Councilwoman Shontel M. Lewis Denver City Council District 8, and Denver Water whose gifts ensured we could make this free for our community.