Entry No. 93 — the Denver file — filed under: history
Cranmer Park Sundial Terrace
Hidden in the residential streets of Hilltop is a hundred-yard WPA-built terrace anchored by a giant quartzite sundial modeled on an ancient Chinese design, installed in 1941. Vandals packed dynamite under it and blew it apart in 1965; the neighborhood rebuilt it the next year, and a $1.5M restoration fixed it up again around 2018. The terrace has a mosaic mountain-profile panorama etched into the stone that lines up with the actual Front Range skyline in front of you. There's no real signage and no crowd — just an unobstructed full-range view most Denverites have never seen.
The move: Bring a blanket and snacks, walk out to the sundial terrace near golden hour, line the etched mountain profiles up against the real peaks, and stay for sunset over the whole Front Range.
📍 Before you go The terrace sits at the park's west edge, overlooking the mountains — there's no signage, so head across the grass toward the rim rather than expecting a marked path or building. It's tucked into residential Hilltop, so park on the surrounding streets and keep it low-key around the homes. The stone terrace is fully exposed and west-facing: no shade, often breezy, and no restrooms or concessions nearby, which is why a blanket and snacks pay off. Go on a clear evening — summer afternoons can haze over or bring Front Range storms. Cherry Creek North's shops and restaurants are about a mile west for an easy before-or-after pairing.
- 📍 Hilltop neighborhood, Denver
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Cranmer Park, off Colorado Blvd between E 1st Ave and E 3rd Ave, Hilltop, Denver (terrace/sundial at the west edge overlooking the mountains)
Hours: City park, open daily roughly 5 a.m.–11 p.m. (standard Denver Parks hours). Best at sunset for the mountain panorama.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Atlas Obscura · denverite.com · Wikipedia
last checked: 2026-06-07