Harlow Platts Park

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Parks

Colorado

Nearby: Tantra Park West Highland Park

Last Updated: December 5, 2025

Harlow Platts Park is a popular park located in Boulder, Colorado which spans over 55 acres.

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Summary

The park offers a range of activities for visitors, including hiking, cycling, and picnicking, making it a great place to spend a day outdoors. Some other reasons to visit Harlow Platts Park include its beautiful scenery, numerous playgrounds, and well-maintained facilities.

One of the main points of interest at Harlow Platts Park is the park's large pond, which is great for fishing and kayaking. Visitors can also enjoy the park's many trails, which provide access to stunning vistas of the surrounding mountains and foothills. In addition, the park features a dog park, sports fields, and a disc golf course, providing visitors with plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Interesting facts about Harlow Platts Park include its ties to the historical Harlow Platts homestead, which once occupied the land that is now the park. The park also features a variety of natural habitats, including wetlands and grasslands, which are home to a range of wildlife.

The best time of year to visit Harlow Platts Park is during the summer months when the weather is warm and sunny. However, the park is also beautiful in the fall, when the leaves change color and the weather is cooler. Overall, Harlow Platts Park is a great destination for anyone looking to enjoy the great outdoors in Boulder, Colorado.

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Park & Land Designation Reference

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.

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