Discover Arvada: History, Art, and Nature

Arvada combines historic sites with theater, art, and a variety of natural areas. These themes can offer different focal points as you plan your trip: Olde Town Arvada offers history, shopping, and dining, while preserves and trails provide opportunities to observe nature.

History in Olde Town Arvada and at the Flour Mill

Historic Olde Town Arvada is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The neighborhood offers a variety of shopping and dining options, as well as an RTD G Line station. From there, connections are available to the metropolitan area and Denver International Airport. If you plan to use this connection, check the schedule for your travel dates.

The historic Arvada Flour Mill is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Tours show how wheat was milled into flour using Eugene Emory Benjamin’s ingenious process. They also provide insight into Arvada in the first half of the 20th century. Tours are by appointment; whether they are offered depends on volunteer availability.

Gold Strike Park is at the confluence of Clear Creek and Ralston Creek. The park is listed in the State Register of Historic Places as the site where gold was first documented in Colorado. Together with the Flour Mill and Olde Town, it offers another historical point of reference, but with a different focus: here, the rivers and the history of gold take center stage.

Theater, Art, and Museum

The Arvada Center offers theater performances, including plays, musical theater, and productions for children. The Sculpture Field features large-scale works by notable Colorado artists; the works on display may change. This makes it possible to distinguish between different cultural interests: a performance, outdoor art, or a visit to the History Museum each offers a different focus.

The Arvada Center History Museum’s centerpiece is the 144-year-old Haines log cabin. This exhibit complements the outdoor historic sites with a look at the museum collection. Those interested in Arvada’s past can choose between listed historic sites, a tour about the mill’s history, and a museum visit.

Trails, Wetlands, and Wildlife Watching

The 72-acre Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge has trails through prairie grasslands, wooded areas, and wetlands. Its trail network offers opportunities to observe wildlife in its natural habitat. More than 120 bird species have been recorded there. Free nature programs for all ages are also offered year-round; individual programs vary.

The Ralston Creek Trail is 12.5 miles long. Wetlands rich in wildlife can be found along the trail. Its length gives you a sense of the scale of this trail offering; by itself, it says nothing about how long your walk will take.

Visiting Arvada-Blunn Reservoir

Arvada-Blunn Reservoir offers opportunities for non-motorized boating and fishing; rules apply to use of the water. Hours are daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., April 1 through October 31. Since hours can change, check them before your visit. This lets you take the seasonal schedule into account when planning, without confusing it with the year-round nature programs offered at Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge.

Discover more destinations: Lakewood, Coal Creek, Edgewater, Evergreen, Golden, Wheat Ridge.

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