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The Greenway Foundation

The Greenway Foundation

Revitalizing Rivers. Reconnecting Communities.

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Johnson Habitat Park

Johnson Habitat Park

Johnson Habitat Park is one of the flagship parks along the South Platte River in Denver, thanks to the transformation of eight acres of un-programmed grassland into Denver’s premier environmental education and nature play park. Like many sites along the river, Johnson Habitat Park was originally mined for sand and gravel. Later, the empty gravel pits were filled with municipal trash and construction debris, then covered with dirt and seeded with grasses. Crews removed over 1,200 dump truck loads of dirt, trash and debris. 

This massive excavation set the stage for a uniquely creative and dynamic park. The design includes a series of nature play and environmental education areas arrayed around a central open lawn: an urban camping area with 12’ high boulders, climbing nets, an outdoor classroom area, an interactive wiki-up zone and an amphitheater and fire pit along a jetty adjacent to the banks of the river. The Greenway Foundation’s South Platte River Environmental Education (SPREE) program is headquartered within JHP, so there are always lots of kids catching crawdads and learning about river ecology.

SPREE Summer Camp kids explore river ecology with The Greenway Foundation
SPREE LIT Camper scoops up a sample from the South Platte River
Kids wade through the South Platte River with nets during SPREE Summer Camp
SPREE Summer Camp Staff explores the South Platte River ecosystem with children.

Project Location

Johnson Habitat Park in Our Blog

  • Native November and Secrets of the Forest
  • Bugs, bugs, and more BUGS!
  • Colors of the River
  • Food Web Frenzy
  • Crafts, Crawdads & a Cookout
  • Pollinating Pals
  • Pitching Tents & Catching Crawdads
  • Camp Week 7: Nature is Calling
  • Summer Camp Week 5: Survival Skills Put to the Test
  • Week 4: An Excellent Time Traveling Adventure
  • Cole Neighborhood Campout Evening
  • Volunteers help at our Fall South Platte Stewardship Days
  • New Mural at SPREE HQ
  • SPREE Family Camp Out
  • S’more Engagement
  • Clear Intentions
  • 4th Annual SPREE Camp Out
  • Spring Holiday Camps Get Kids Exploring The River
  • Campers Enjoy Outdoor Adventures Week and SPREE Camp Out
  • Johnson Habitat Park in Full Swing
  • Johnson Habitat Park: Ribbon Cutting
  • First GLC Volunteer Day: Johnson Habitat Park
  • Johnson-Habitat Park Remodel

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Greenway Projects

Adams County South Platte River Vision and Implementation Plan

Adams County South Platte River Vision & Implementation Plan

Chatfield Storage Reallocation Project

Chatfield Storage Reallocation Project

Hydro - The CSU SPUR Campus/Water Center

CSU SPUR Campus / Water Center

Fountain Creek Watershed Vision & Implementation Plan

Fountain Creek Watershed Vision & Implementation Plan

Globeville Landing Park

Globeville Landing Park

Grant Frontier Park

Grant Frontier Park

Heron Pond/Carpio- Sanguinette Parks

Heron Pond / Carpio- Sanguinette Parks

Johnson Habitat Park

Johnson Habitat Park

National Western Center Open Space

National Western Center Open Space

RiNo Art Park & RiNo Promenade

RiNo Art Park & RiNo Promenade

Shoemaker Plaza at Confluence Park

Shoemaker Plaza at Confluence Park

Fall Colors Along the South Platte River

South Platte River and Tributaries Project

The River Mile

The River Mile

Canada Geese Along the South Platte River

Trinidad Purgatorie Visioning Project

Current News

February GLC:Snowshoeing and outdoor skills

In February GLC partnered with Boulder county open space to learn more about survival in the outdoors. We then took a beautiful hike in our snowshoes and learned all about …

More Blog Posts

Mayoral Candidates on the Future of Denver’s Urban Waterways

2022 RECAP: River Rangers

January GLC: Youth Career Exploration Day!

2022 RECAP- The Greenway Leadership Corps (GLC)


The Greenway Foundation

1820 Platte Street, Denver, CO 80202

info@greenwayfoundation.org

303.481.1974

FEIN: 51-0193575

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