The John Denver Sanctuary
The John Denver Sanctuary
4.5
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The John Denver Sanctuary is an open space and park which is open to the public for FREE from dawn to dusk. There is no fencing around the area and no tickets are required for entry to the Sanctuary and surrounding trails.
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4.5
732 reviews
Excellent
561
Very good
136
Average
29
Poor
4
Terrible
2
Margaret J
Gilbert, AZ30 contributions
Oct 2020
If you are in the Aspen area, this place is definitely a must see! Even if I was not a huge John Denver fan ( I am!!!), I would still recommend this place as a must see! Trees, water, sky, peace, beauty, and JD`s songs all around you, this is a perfect place to picnic, stroll, meditate, nap, contemplate, write songs, sketch, read, cry, heal, and find peace...even if it`s just while you are here. this is not only a tribute to a man who has been the voice of the wilderness for so long, it is also a marvel in reclaiming waste water and bio-filtering it for reuse, truly amazing. JD would definitely approve!!!
Written 12 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sojo83
Overland Park, KS58 contributions
Aug 2020
This little Aspen oasis is worth the trouble to find. (Maybe it was our GPS, or the map we were using, but finding and parking took a while.) Anway, it is a beautiful and touching tribute to the singer who was clearly touched by the natural world.
Written 9 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Destination826490
South Carolina17 contributions
June 2021
We had planned our trip to be able to see the John Denver Memorial and it was awesome. I have been a fan of John Denver since I first heard him sing Country Roads many years ago. I am so glad my girlfriend mentioned going on a trip to Colorado together to see this sanctuary. It certainly did not disappoint and I believe that John would love how this has blossomed into this lovely place. I certainly recommend going there and best of all it's free!
Written 13 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dixiepeach
Kansas City, MO9,508 contributions
Aug 2021 • Friends
The garden area of the sanctuary is beautiful! From the babbling of the stream running by to the beautiful flowers, this a a very peaceful place to walk, share a picnic or read a book. There are very large rocks with the lyrics of many of John’s song inscribed on them as well as other notable quotes of nature and life from other famous people. There is a small theater there but it was not open while we visited. Best of all, it’s free entry into the garden! There is a parking garage directly across the street from the Sanctuary. The garden area has uneven cobblestones and would not be easily navigated by strollers, wheelchairs or by persons with certain mobility issues.
Written 22 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Taylor B
Chicago, IL8,498 contributions
Sept 2022
John Denver, one of the best-selling and most popular recording artists and among the most beloved entertainers of his era, loved to sing about his joy of nature and was known for his love of Colorado. In 1974, he was named poet laureate of the state. In 2007, his anthem Rocky Mountain High was adopted as the state song of Colorado. He lived in Aspen from 1972 until his death in 1997. The following year, the John Denver Sanctuary was opened in the heart of the city. Located at 470 Rio Grande Place, next to Rio Grande Park, near the Roaring Fork River, it is a 4.5-acre landscaped retreat featuring lush grass, perennial flowers and engraved rocks honoring John Denver. The city converted a small ditch into an environmental masterpiece, sculpted thousands of cubic yards of earth, found and placed hundreds of boulders, planted groves of native trees, shrubs and wild flowers and created wetlands, streams and waterfalls. It is an ideal spot for family picnics and for meditation, a favorite go-destination for locals and tourists alike. Visitors can learn about the history of the Sanctuary by walking through the Song Garden, which features many of John Denver's lyrics engraved into huge boulders placed in a perfect circle to represent the circle of life as a score of music. At the circle's center, a single Colorado Blue Spruce was planted which symbolizes the spirit of John Denver. It is an idyllic location and visitors won't wonder for long where rocky Mountain High originated.
Written 30 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sally G
redondo beach, ca324 contributions
July 2021
Quiet and peaceful. A wonderful tribute to one of my favorite singers. An easy and meandering along a lovely stream. Seeing John's words carved into stone was so inspiring. It is a part of a public park so it is free.
Written 13 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephanie M
Freeport, FL236 contributions
Oct 2020 • Couples
This park/sanctuary is a lovely tribute to one of America’s great singer songwriters. We visited in late October and it was still very nice to see the stones with the words of John’s songs etched into them. It’s very tranquil there and being beside the river adds to the charm. Well worth a visit if you’re in Aspen.
Written 29 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sue M
Anaheim, CA44 contributions
Aug 2022
Stopped to visit since it was my bucket list item, loved John Denver. A portion of the Sanctuary was undergoing renovation at the time of our visit. I think best time to go is early to mid-morning hours to enjoy the peace and quiet. Lots of dog-walkers around, some pets unleashed. Sanctuary is located within Rio Grande Park.
Written 2 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kim36237
Lake Zurich, IL164 contributions
Sept 2020 • Couples
Escape from the shopping and restaurant area and make the short walk to enjoy this beautiful and peaceful park area. Stroll the rock paths and sit and listen to the water flowing throughout the gardens. The rocks with John Denver song lyrics is interestingly displayed.
Written 1 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
m2b
4 contributions
Oct 2022
So peaceful and well laid out. Perfect place to relax, read, or just chill listening to the wind rustling thru the golden Aspen leaves. Great place for a picnic. BTW, The Grateful Deli (on Main) has really good sandwiches for a reasonable price.
Written 12 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
How to get there from Aspen Airport without a car
Written 12 November 2022
There's a free bus that goes into town from the airport. You can ask about it at the info kiosk in the airport lobby. It's great if you don't have too much stuff. Keep in mind there's no place to stow your luggage so you'll have to carry it on and off the bus yourself and sometimes all the seats are taken, which means you'll be standing while juggling your stuff. I'd recommend a cab, which was roughly $25 (not including tip) in Oct 2022.
Good luck!
Written 17 November 2022
A member of our party has health issues that prevent a lot of walking. how close can you park to the sanctuary?
Written 14 April 2021
You can drop the person off at the side walk (then park in the garage) - it is a field width long to get to the Sanctuary. There are benches to sit on. It is not a large park.
Written 25 June 2021
Hi I would like to know if it is possible to have a bench placed in memory of John Denver in the sanctuary for the 20th anniversary in October of John's death? Who would be in charge of this and what would the cost be? Fans of John Denver would like to have this done.
Thank you for your time.
Written 11 March 2017
I would suggest contacting Willie Hoevers, who is also making plans for the 20th anniversary of John Denver's death. Willie is also on Facebook. My wife Diane tells me she knows you from Facebook. We live up in Wisconsin.
Written 14 March 2017
kdr2017
Clearwater, Florida
Hello-
Someone said the park is closed in the winter. Is this correct? We are going early March and would like to visit but only if it's open.
Thank you,
Written 4 January 2017
I didn't see any access control so would believe it is open year round. You would miss all the gardens but the stone would still be there.
Written 14 January 2017
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