Peaceful Suburbia in the Fort Logan Neighborhood

After walking all over Denver’s more urban neighborhoods, ambling through Denver’s most southwestern neighborhood of Fort Logan is a peaceful change to the hustle and bustle of urban Denver. Over hill and dale, you’ll find conservative ranch-style homes and an adventure into the Fort Logan National Cemetery. You inviting parks, both fun for different reasons, are also must-stops when you make your way to this far end of Denver. Read about this urban hiking trip through Fort Logan neighborhood and the Fort Logan National Cemetery.

Split Levels and Ranches

Fort Logan neighborhood sits peacefully near the national cemetery with a nice orderly and conservative approach to being neighbors. Not too much flash, neatly trimmed neighborhoods, and quiet streets, there are many retired military families living here among new families and other retirees.

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Occasionally, a homeowner’s quirkiness stands out, but mostly the yards stay trimmed and the parks quietly welcome gentle walks. The sidewalks in the neighborhood invite a good aerobic workout up and down the many hills throughout the area.

The neighborhood has two fun parks. One park is Bear Creek Park, where Bear Creek Trail runs through it. At its western end, you’ll find the super fun park with a cowboy’s hat that both young and old love sliding down into a big boot. A fun poem hangs on the wall in the park. The other park is Bow Mar Heights Park. Overlooking the nearby Bow Mar neighborhood, this park is great for parents with young bike riders. Parents can enjoy the top hill of the park and be able to watch their kids on the bike trail anywhere in the park.

Approach Fort Logan National Cemetery

Going down the hill from the neighborhood, you’ll approach the Fort Logan National Cemetery. Named after General Logan who founded Memorial Day, the fort originally spied native Americans and uprising Mexicans from the ambitious Mexico of the time. It began as a frontier fort in 1886 and eventually closed in 1946.

After WWII, land from the fort was deeded to the state for a mental hospital. The hospital admitted its first patients in 1961 and is now known as the Colorado Mental Health Institute,  94-bed hospital that provides inpatient behavioral health treatment services to adult patients. The hospital’s buildings still sit to the east side of the cemetery property.

In 1950, Fort Logan National Cemetery was established. To the west of the fort’s property is the national cemetery. In 2018, 65 percent of those interned were in the 20 busiest national cemeteries. Fort Logan is one of them.

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Things to Remember When Visiting a National Cemetery

The cemetery buries about 20 a day. The visitor’s center invites you to look up names and locate them. Or, you can solemnly meander the gravestones which position with precision, row after row after row. Interestingly, national cemeteries were established as a result of the Civil War. The largest national cemetery is in Calverton, NY, while the smallest is in Hampton, VA. The newest is nearby at Pikes Peak National Cemetery.

Although this urban hike through the Fort Logan neighborhood doesn’t have many surprises, it’s an honor to experience a quiet, peaceful day giving thought and gratitude to our dead military heroes and their families. If you choose to walk through the cemetery, please be sure to follow proper decorum in national cemeteries. The following items and behaviors are prohibited.

1. Any form of sports or recreational activities, to include (but not limited to) jogging, bicycling, skating, picnicking or fishing
2. Public gatherings of a political nature
3. Littering of the grounds
4. Cutting, breaking or injuring trees, shrubs, grass, or other plantings
5. Boisterous activity
6. Pets on the property, with the exception of identified service dogs, which must be on a leash.
7. Entering the cemetery during the hours of darkness

Finally, fresh flowers are always encouraged. Artificial flowers are only permitted between November 1 and March 31st. All items are removed from gravesites on the second Thursday of each month. For additional regulations and updates, please take a moment and read Fort Logan’s website.

The Route (click for interactive map):

For this 3.5-mile walk, you’ll start in the neighborhood and walk toward the cemetery, looping back to your start.

Park at 3822 W Tufts Ave. Walk west past the school, taking a right on S Utica Street. At W Princeton Drive, take a left.

Take a right on South Sheridan Blvd. At the cemetery, take a right into the property. You’ll see a small visitor’s center on the right where you can research names and get maps to particular graves.

Once you’ve visited the cemetery, return back to Sheridan turning left, and take a left on W Oxford. Take a right on S Zenobia St, heading up the hill.

Cross W Princeton again. At Pinehurst Park, take the trail that veers toward the playground.

Exit the park on S Vrain St, walking to the south. At W Stanford Ave take a left. Take a right on S Utica, then take a left on Tufts, returning back to where you parked.

Meandering a Peaceful Fort Morgan and Supporting Denver By Foot

If you’ve enjoyed this information, maybe you’ll enjoy some other walks curated by Denver By Foot. Get the 52 Hikes 52 Weeks Denver Calendar, which recommends a hike a week, subscribe to the YouTube Channel to hear about weekly hiking suggestions in Denver, and buy access to the Denver By Foot Challenge. The Challenge is 30 activities in Denver to do by foot where you’ll uncover treasures throughout Denver. It’s a great thing to do with friends and family.

Finally, please support Denver By Foot by purchasing Chris Englert’s books, The Best Urban Hikes: Denver and Discovering Denver Parks. Thank you so much!

See you on the trail!
~Chris