Trust for Public Land has officially released their 2026 ParkScore report, which analyzes a lot of data related to outdoor spaces and their economic impact. One key part of the report is how it ranks the country’s 100 largest cities across 15 data points that fall into the five categories of acreage, access, equity, investment, and amenities.
When it came to Colorado, three cities were large enough to be included in the ‘largest 100’ ranking – Denver, Aurora, and Colorado Springs. While the Centennial State is known for its green space and outdoor recreation, Denver was the only local spot to end up in the top 50, ranking 11th overall.
A key component of the Mile High City’s respectable ranking was access – 96 percent of all Denver residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park, which is above the nationwide norm of 57 percent when it comes to all cities and towns. In general, the nation’s 100 largest cities do perform a bit better when it comes to this data point – at about 76 percent of all residents within a 10-minute walk of a park, still significantly lower than Denver…