Entry No. 24 — the Denver file — filed under: hidden landmark
Prismatic Electric Fountain (Ferril Lake)
“come back after dusk and it becomes a different animal”
By day it reads as a plain fountain in the middle of Ferril Lake. Come back after dusk and it becomes a different animal: 2,000-plus nozzles throw a central geyser up to 90 feet while 112 individually-controlled RGB LED fixtures saturate the plumes in shifting pinks, blues and greens. It dates to 1908 and was the first major fountain in North America to light tall water with high-power LEDs. Almost nobody plans an evening around it, which is exactly why you should.
The move: Pack a blanket and time a sunset arrival at the south shore of Ferril Lake. Watch the color program run after dark from the lawn - the lights run dusk to about 11pm in summer. Pair it with a slow loop of the lake.
📍 Before you go The fountain sits in the center of Ferril Lake inside City Park, Denver's big park on the east-central side. Aim for the south/southwest shore near the Spanish-style City Park Pavilion; there's a lot beside it, and the lawn there gives an open sightline across the water. Bring your own blanket or chairs, since there's little fixed seating at the shore. The show is seasonal and runs only after dark in the warmer months, so check the schedule before making the trip. It's a public park that closes for the night not long after the show ends, and it's free with no reservation. By day, pair it with the Denver Museum of Nature & Science on the park's east edge or the Denver Zoo on the north side.
- 📍 City Park
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Prismatic Electric Fountain, center of Ferril Lake, City Park, Denver (best viewed from the south/southwest shore near the Pavilion)
Hours: Seasonal: typically runs early May through early October. Colored LED show visible dusk to ~11pm. Check denverelectricfountain.org for the daily/nightly schedule before going.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Atlas Obscura · Official site · Westword
last checked: 2026-06-07