Sandstone Ranch Open Space

A 2,038-acre Douglas County open space that saved a 150-year-old working cattle ranch from becoming a housing subdivision, where the same blood-red Fountain Formation crags that built Garden of the Gods and Red Rocks erupt from rolling hay meadows still grazed by cattle. Interpretive kiosks throughout tell the story of how conservation dollars preserved the wild land that development nearly swallowed.

The move: Hike the Juniper Valley Loop (3.2 miles) or the longer Sandstone Meadow Trail Loop to reach the Ranch Overlook, where you can sit among the towering red crags, watch cattle wander the meadows below, and read the interpretive panels together about the land's near-miss with bulldozers — then pack a picnic and linger at the overlook for sunset views of the Front Range.

• 📍 Larkspur
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: 9605 S Perry Park Rd, Larkspur, CO 80118

Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3

Verified 2026-06-07.