Amenities

  • RTD Access
  • Restroom
  • Picnic Area
  • Playground
  • Basketball Court
  • Pickleball
  • Tennis Court
  • Nature Play Opportunity
  • Demonstration Garden
  • Natural Lands

Chautauqua Park History

Chautauqua Park is a portion of an iconic historic landmark dating back to when the City of Boulder began preserving wild lands over 100 years ago. In 1898, Boulder residents approved a bond issue to purchase 80 acres to be used as a “Chautauqua”. The park land owned by Boulder Parks and Recreation is located adjacent to OSMP trails, Chautauqua Dining Hall and Auditorium, and Chautauqua Ranger Cottage and provides a playground, tennis courts, and open turf.

Nature Play Opportunities

Chautauqua Park provides families with access to Open Space Mountain Park trails, which have a wide range of opportunities for children’s unstructured interaction with nature. In the park itself, children are found playing freely on the open turf and along the park’s edges, with an iconic view of the Flatirons.

Large Group Use Permission Permit

Parks and Recreation manages group gathering permit, requests for groups between 50 and 100 people. Requests are accepted up to one year in advance of the event date. Permits do not save a spot on the open grass lawn.
If your group is less than 50 people, please use as general public, not permit is required.

Approving large groups for rite of life private events only(weddings, memorials, Bar Mitzvah, etc.) For another type of event you would like to host at Chautauqua, please check with the Chautauqua Association at 303-442-3282.

  • Times are four hours between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
  • No permit for the lawn are issued after 5 p.m., due to the other events in the Chautauqua facilities.
  • There is a $100 deposit.

Contact email moorek@bouldercolorado.gov.

Historic Places Plan (HiPP)

The Parks and Recreation Department owns and manages twelve culturally relevant and historically designated resources. The Historic Places Plan (HiPP) will serve as a guide for the department in stewarding these resources ensure their vibrant integrity and preservation within the community. To learn more visit the HiPP Project page.

New Sculptures at Chautauqua Playground

Sleepy Bear has new friends: meet Mila, her companion the fox and their animal friends.

These bronze sculptures by artist Anita Miller were generously donated to the park by Mila’s family. This is a place for the community to gather and be reminded of the adventures of Mila bug and the hope that Mila's life has given to millions of children with rare genetic disease around the world.

To learn more about Mila, visit milasmiracle.org

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Sculpture of Mila, fox and their animal friends at Chautauqua Playground August 2022.

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