austin

Austin

chicago

Chicago

denver

Denver

lasvegas

Las Vegas

madison

Madison

nashville

Nashville

philly

Philly

pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

portland

Portland

saltlake

Salt Lake

seattle

Seattle

twincities

Twin Cities

We make podcasts and newsletters that connect people with the cities they love.

City Cast Denver

Peyton Garcia

A tried and true Rocky Mountain tradition, here’s everything you need to know before you go 🌲

Christmas tree cutting is allowed in most national forests (with a permit) during the holiday season typically from November to January. The options closest to Denver include the 

 (via South Platte or Colorado Springs). But you can check out a 

 of all the Colorado ranger districts that allow tree-cutting this time of year.

Tree-cutting permits in Colorado range in cost from $5 to $20 depending on the ranger district. You can purchase yours online at 

 or in-person at area-specific stores and ranger offices.

Get your tree permit for free if you have an 

Your permit (to attach visibly to the tree or your vehicle dashboard)

Handsaw (chainsaws are prohibited in most national forests)

Tarp (for wrapping up your precious cargo)

Sled (for easier forest-to-car transport)

Strong rope or straps (to secure your tree to your car)

A four-wheel drive vehicle or tire chains (trust me)

Tape measure (so you’re not stuck estimating if it will fit in the house)

A Christmas playlist and a thermos of hot chocolate (optional, but highly recommended 😁)

No “tree-topping” — you must take the entire tree from ground level, leaving no more than 6 inches of stump

Make sure you’re at least 75 feet away from roads and trails when cutting

Once home, cut about 1 inch off the base of your trunk and place the tree in a basin of fresh water

Want to cut down your own Christmas tree? Here’s the 411.

How to Cut Your Own Colorado Christmas Tree

Know Before You Go: Cutting Your Own Christmas Tree 

Life Hacks

Tips and tricks for living your best Denver life, by locals, for locals.

Denver Life Hacks

Yesterday’s cooler weather was a good reminder that colder temps are well on the way. Local meteorologists predict 

 will arrive before the month is over, which makes now the ideal time to start getting your yard ready to ride out winter. Try these tips:

Leaving water in your sprinkler system over winter runs the risk of freezing and bursting pipes. You’ll want to shut off your watering system for the season and blow out the pipes (something you can do through a professional or 

 will help your grass stay strong through the cold months. You can also consider aerating before the first snow fall to support drainage and airflow throughout winter.

 Your lawn still gets thirsty in the winter. Consider watering it with a hose on days over 40 degrees (do NOT turn on your sprinkler system). Winter watering also helps avoid mites!

Though some experts believe a layer of dead leaves can help protect and insulate your lawn from the cold, too thick of a layer can actually smother it. Additionally, while piles of dead leaves can help shelter insects and other small critters, they can also foster a breeding ground for lawn-damaging pests and diseases. So 

! Residents can drop off dead leaves, pumpkins, and other approved lawn debris for free composting.

Lay down burlap or a generous layer of mulch on flower beds and around the base of trees and other plants to help keep their roots from freezing. If you have a south- or west-facing tree, it could be at risk for sunscald — that’s when the sun thaws the trunk during the day, but then nighttime temps freeze it again, causing cracks and other serious damage. 

Leaving your grass too long over the winter can also cause damage. Experts recommend mowing your lawn at regular mowing levels until the grass goes dormant (or stops growing) for the season, usually in late November.

Walking too frequently on dormant grass can cause damage that will prevent those trodden areas from greening up in the spring and could promote snow mold. Also be extremely careful to avoid getting melting salts and other snow-melting agents on your lawn — they can cause serious damage.

Winter lawn care

Share your own tips! 📧

Help your yard stay happy and healthy ‘til next spring. 

Tips to Prepare Your Yard for a Denver Winter 

Tips to Prepare Your Yard for Winter 

Last month, officials confirmed some long-anticipated bad news: The 

invasive emerald ash borer has finally arrived in Denver

. Since its initial appearance in the U.S. in 2002, the pest has decimated hundreds of 

This pesky wood-boring beetle is native to East Asia, and the havoc it wreaks on ash trees (which account for 1 in 6 trees in Denver) is irreversible. The beetle feeds under the bark of ash trees, cutting off the flow of water and nutrients, causing a slow and gradual death for the tree. It was first found in Colorado 10 years ago in Boulder. 

 “the most destructive and economically costly forest insect to ever invade North America.”

Colorado State University reports that roughly 15% of the state’s trees are ash, with nearly 1.5 million providing shade to metro Denverites. Over the last decade, the beetle has largely taken root in ash trees across north Denver, from Fort Collins to Longmont and Thornton to Arvada.

If your ash tree is infested with these pesky little beetles it may exhibit some of these symptoms:

Sparse leaves or branches in the upper part of the tree

Vertical splits in bark possibly showing S-shaped “tunnels” underneath

Miniature leaves at the tips of branches late in the summer

More telltale EAB signs 🔎

Prevention, Mitigation, and Eradication Measures

A tree can be infested long before it begins to show signs of a health decline — so it’s best to treat it before you even suspect an infestation.

You can also opt to replace your ash tree with something different. 

 should be applied every 2-3 years for the life of the ash tree.

For a more holistic approach, some municipalities have 

strategically deployed tiny, stingless wasps

 to attack the beetles’ larvae. Woodpeckers also feast on borer larvae.

Never transport raw ash wood (often firewood) — the most effective way emerald ash borers spread is by hitching a ride on wood transported by humans.

Learn more 🪲

The invasive pest has officially arrived in Denver.

The Emerald Ash Borer is in Denver

Beware of the Emerald Ash Borer

Get to know the natural side of Denver: the plants, animals, weather and more that make our city unique.

Denver Urban Almanac

Urban Almanac

Summer in the Mile High is officially in full swing, and we’ve got the temperature gauges to prove it 🌡️ 🥵 Looking for ways to keep cool and have fun? Here’s our list of all the best things to eat, see, and do around Denver this month.

Beat the heat in quintessential Colorado fashion by tossing a tube into Golden’s ice cold Clear Creek. Then, after you’ve worked up an appetite, hit downtown Golden for a slice at 

This isn’t your rec center’s lazy river. Tube responsibly by 

checking the flow level and safety announcements

Looking for an excuse to spend the day outside soaking up the sunshine? Don’t miss this year’s award-winning 

 July 4-6 showcasing dozens of local artists, entertainers, and culinary vendors for a weekend full of free family-friendly fun.

 where you can meet mermaids, pet stingrays, and get up-close and personal with five different species of shark.

The masterminds behind local cocktail fave Yacht Club are slated to bring Creole cooking to the Five Points neighborhood this month with 

, a new Southern restaurant at 2844 Welton Street inspired by recipes from the team’s roots in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

On your way to or from your next mountain adventure be sure to make time for a pitstop in Pine, Colorado, for fresh, daily made baked goods, hot breakfast classics, and signature iced brews at 

Skip the long lines and high price tags of other water parks when you opt for this 

 complete with water slides, a lazy river, a spray garden, and a pirate ship play structure. The park is open every day for the summer season from 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

 — kid-free and featuring live music from 6-8 p.m. on select eventings.

Nothing says “summer” quite like a cold beverage on a hot day under a refreshing patio mister. We asked Denver reddit users for their 

 to keep cool on, but some of our personal faves include 

Grab your floaty, pack a picnic, and pull up a patch of sand at 

. Find beachy bliss here every day from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. until Labor Day. Entrance is $10 per vehicle ($15 on weekends and holidays), or free if you bike or hike in.

There’s even more where these came from — tune into 

Even more recommendations for your July! 🎧

From a trip to the aquarium to tubing the river, here are our picks for fun things to do this month. 


Your Guide to Denver in July 2025

Your July Guide to the Mile High

Find the best of everything that Denver has to offer.

Denver’s Best

Denver's Best

Just in time for Juneteenth, History Colorado opened its updated exhibit on Lincoln Hills, one of the country’s first mountain resorts for the Black community. The refreshed exhibit features 

 told by visitors of the former resort, as well as photographs and keepsakes. Here’s a primer on the outdoor vacation spot’s unique story:

The Lincoln Hills Country Club first opened in 1922 as a haven for Black people looking to recreate and vacation in the mountains during a time when many resorts were segregated and only allowed white patrons. The outdoor retreat is located along the South Boulder River near Pinecliff and Rollinsville.

In 1925, Obrey Wendell “Winks” Hamlet and William Pitts began building the country club out, constructing the Winks Lodge and several cabins, which would later house celebrities and activists like Duke Ellington, Lena Horne, Zora Neale Hurston, and Langston Hughes.

From the early 1920s to 1945, the resort was also home to an all-girls summer camp called Camp Nizhoni.

Though the Lincoln Hills Country Club closed in 1965, local nonprofit Lincoln Hills Cares still carries on the legacy by hosting outdoor education and recreation programs for youth and families, particularly those in Denver’s underserved neighborhoods.

Today, the land is owned by Colorado businessmen and philanthropists Robert Smith and Matthew Burkett, who are founders of Lincoln Hills Cares and the Lincoln Hills Fly Fishing Club, an invite-only recreational club separate from the nonprofit.

In 2023, U.S. Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland designated the Winks Panorama Lodge a National Historic Landmark. The effort to restore and preserve the lodge is ongoing.

 with documentarian donnie l. betts and retired judge Gary Jackson, who speak about their connections to the historic resort.

 for their reporting and additional resources on this topic.

The History of Lincoln Hills

Denver History

People, places, and scenes from Denver's past.

A Day In Denver History

With Memorial Day just around the corner, Denver’s swimming pools and outdoor beaches are gearing up for the summer crowds. We put together some tips for where and when you can get that needed time in the water 😎👙

Denver Parks and Rec is already selling outdoor pool passes for the 2025 season, which runs from June 9 to Aug. 10. Adults under 24 can get a pass for $35; passes for adults 25-64 cost $50; passes for people over 65 and people with disabilities are $30; and passes for kids are $25. Passes work at all of 

 and you can find schedules online for each pool.

Two pools — Swansea and Mestizo Curtis — will be closed this year. All pools will be closed on June 19 and July 4.

Prefer to stay out of the sun? There are also 

 at local rec centers, which offer a variety of classes, activities, and open swim hours. Schedules are available online and some pools require registration. Rec members can access the indoor pools without additional cost, while non-members can purchase day passes.

 $12 on weekdays for members of the Englewood Rec Center, $13 on weekends for members; $19 on weekdays for non-members, $21 on weekends for non-members (season passes also available)

 $11.25 for Golden residents; $12.25 for Jefferson County residents; and $13.25 for non-residents (multi-day packs and season passes also available)

 $8 for Parker residents; $10 for non-residents (multi-day packs and season passes also available)

 $8 for Brighton residents; $10 for non-residents (multi-day packs and season passes also available)

 plans to open for the season later in the summer because of renovations. An opening date has not yet been announced.

 are open to the public from sunrise to sunset, starting Memorial Day through Labor Day. A day pass is $10 for Cherry Creek and $12 for Chatfield.

, located at Big Soda Lake, opens for swimming on May 17. The swim beach will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through Labor Day.

Tips for where and when pools and swim beaches around Denver open for Summer 2025.

2025 Opening Dates for Denver's Outdoor Pools

Opening Dates for Denver's Outdoor Pools

What Denverites have been wondering. We break down why things in Denver are the way they are and how they work.

Denver, Explained

With Mother’s Day right around the corner, it’s officially time to get your gardens ready! To help, the city is offering 

 to residents from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 3

. Here are some tips on how to take advantage of the spring deal!

, the city has tons of chipped wood to provide to residents for free. The three locations to dig your own mulch are:

Denver Central Platte Campus — 2000 W. Third Avenue

Cherry Creek Transfer Station — 7301 E. Jewell Avenue

The Havana Nursery will have free mulch loader service for trucks and one axle trailers.

 be available at the Denver Central Platte Campus at 1271 W. Bayaud Ave. For this year’s free compost giveaway, the city is having participants 

Since the program is mostly do-it-yourself, make sure to bring your own shovel and bags or containers to put the mulch and compost in. You might also want to have a tarp on hand to protect your car or cover your trailer from dust and debris.

For compost pick-up, come prepared with a 5-gallon bucket, shovel, and your coupon confirmation number, which you’ll be given when you sign up.

Also, be sure to bring proof of residency, like a driver’s license or utility bill.

Have other gardening questions or need some tips on where to start? 

Here are some tips on how to take advantage of Denver's free mulch program.

How to Snag Free Mulch and Compost

Have you ever wondered what species the bird in your yard is or whether a mushroom on your local trail is toxic? This weekend, you can get the answers to those questions 

 participate in a community science project called the 

, all by simply sharing photos of the wild animals, plants, and fungi you see around 📸🐿️🍄

Started in 2016 as a competition between San Francisco and Los Angeles, the challenge is now a global event to track biodiversity data in cities across the world. From April 25-28, volunteers can submit photos of local flora and fauna to 

, where observations can be identified and tracked.

Last year, 400 people in the Denver and Boulder area recorded more than 4,500 observations of more than 1,000 species. This year’s goal is to get 600 people to make more than 6,000 observations.

helping Denver scientists measure biodiversity

, download iNaturalist and start snapping pictures!

Start by exploring your local park, backyard, neighborhood green space, or favorite trail, and 

 that you see. Or if you’d prefer to participate with a group, check out one of the 

organized City Nature Challenge events around the metro area

Once you submit a photo in the app, it will suggest possible identifications — or you can label it with what you know about it, whether that’s as specific as “a Columbine” or as general as “flower.” After the photo is shared, other people on the app can help identify the species or confirm a suggested ID.

Photos taken in iNaturalist or uploaded with location data will automatically be submitted to the Denver-Boulder challenge data, but here are some tips on how to optimize your observations!

Try to get as close as possible to whatever animal or plant you’re photographing and make sure the images are in focus. (But be sure to stay safe and give animals space!)

Focus on one species in each photo to help make identification easier.

If possible, get multiple photos and at various angles, so that identifying features can be spotted.

Following the observation phase there will be the identification phase, which runs from April 29 to May 4, where scientists will try to identify as many species in the submitted photos as they can. The results will be 

Get started here!

A guide to finding out how to identify plants and animals, while also helping local scientists track biodiversity.

Identifying the Plants and Wildlife in Your Denver Neighborhood

Identifying the Plants and Wildlife in Your Neighborhood

You don’t need me to tell you it’s cold AF out there today — and bundle up, because 

. Here are some Mile High hacks for surviving a Denver snowstorm.

In the event of snow, Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure deploys 

 for the city’s main streets. Bike lanes are cleared as a second priority. The city plows residential streets if enough snow has accumulated.

Property owners are required to clear snow and ice

 from the sidewalks in front of / adjacent to their properties as soon as snow has stopped falling. Failure to do so in a timely manner could result in a $150 fine.

Residents who are unable to shovel the snow from sidewalks around their property due to physical or financial constraints can request assistance from volunteers through the city’s 

 The app connects homeowners with local companies offering contactless snow removal services.

Property owners are also responsible for cleaning up downed trees in or near their properties. Here’s 

For most of us, a snowstorm is inconvenient. For many in our community — those living unsheltered on Denver’s streets — it’s a matter of survival. Here are 

 this winter season, plus everything you need to know about Denver’s 

What is La Niña and How Does It Affect Colorado?

Safely Share the Road with Wildlife This Winter

Get to know the city's shoveling rules, snowplow schedules, emergency warming centers, and more.  

outdoor activities

Know Before You Go: Cutting Your Own Christmas Tree

Tips to Prepare Your Yard for Winter

Beware of the Emerald Ash Borer

Latest articles

Know Before You Go: Cutting Your Own Christmas Tree

Tips to Prepare Your Yard for Winter

Beware of the Emerald Ash Borer

Your July Guide to the Mile High

The History of Lincoln Hills

Opening Dates for Denver's Outdoor Pools

How to Snag Free Mulch and Compost

Latest articles

Your July Guide to the Mile High

The History of Lincoln Hills

Opening Dates for Denver's Outdoor Pools

How to Snag Free Mulch and Compost

Identifying the Plants and Wildlife in Your Neighborhood

Tips and Resources for Surviving a Denver Snowstorm

Safely Share the Road with Wildlife This Winter