Play together!
We are better together. That’s why the 1,000 Neighborhood Gatherings community campaign is back for 2025, as Colorado Springs continues to build a city of great neighbors and neighborhoods. A global study showed that knowing as few as six of your neighbors can decrease levels of social isolation and loneliness. This July, we’re challenging residents to host or attend a gathering at each of the 162 neighborhood parks in Colorado Springs. When we play together, we strengthen our community’s connection, mental wellness, and resilience, so get out there!
Ways to activate your neighborhood parks
Adopt your neighborhood park!
Do you love Colorado Springs’ amazing parks and trails? Get your neighborhood together and help us care for our beautiful lands by being an active participant in our Adopt-A-Park/Trail program.
Volunteer with Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation!
The Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services department offers a wide variety of volunteer services throughout the community. Get your neighbors together to help keep City parks and trails clean, or find a program, event, or partner organization to make a difference.
Check out Hey Neighbor's Park Event Toolkit!
Whether it's concerts, festivals, or casual gatherings, parks become vibrant canvases for community bonding, sunshine, and shared smiles. Download Hey Neighbor's toolkit to start planning your park event today!
Hosting a Special Event?
Some gatherings in parks will require a permit, check out the Special Events website to learn more about the kinds of permit that may be required and to apply for yours.
Find a Park Near You
You can use the map tool below to locate parks in your part of Colorado Springs! Use the tabs on the right side of the map to filter between areas of the City and view the neighborhood parks ("urban parks") near you.
Please note: this tool also includes regional parks, trails and open spaces on the left side. While we're encouraging residents to activate all our neighborhood parks, the more gatherings the merrier! If you're taking your neighbors on a hike through a trail, organizing a cleanup in an open space, or hosting any other kind of gathering in those spaces, please consider registering those too!
Follow the Leave No Trace Seven Principles
The City of Colorado Springs Regional Parks, Trails & Open Space (RPTOS) division is dedicated to promoting and teaching Leave No Trace outdoor ethics to all park visitors. Colorado Springs’ population continues to grow at a rapid pace, along with the community’s passion for outdoor recreation. It is vital that all park users know how to leave as little an impact as possible and encourage those they share the parks with to do the same. Part of RPTOS’ mission is to steward the City’s world class natural resources. This mission goes hand in hand with the Leave No Trace Seven Principles and setting park visitors up for success when they visit or research a property. Providing Leave No Trace stewardship information at trailheads and signage, property websites, and on social media emphasizes the importance of this mission and shows visitors the division’s commitment to sustaining the park system through education. Additionally, interpretive programming and partnerships allow park staff to reach out to youth across the community to get them excited about stewardship and connect them to the natural areas they have the power to protect.
| Plan ahead and prepare. A little preparation goes a long way! Checking the forecast, planning your route, and reviewing the Rules and Regulations will help prepare you for your Regional Parks, Trails & Open Space adventure. |
| Travel on durable surfaces. Stay on designated trails to minimize soil erosion and preserve vegetation. Muddy trails? Hike right through them or stick to the urban trail system during heavy mud conditions. |
| Dispose of waste properly. Please pack out all trash, including bagged dog waste and food items, or place it into trash cans before leaving the park. This keeps our park system healthy and litter free! |
| Leave what you find. Our plains to peaks community is home to a variety of natural and cultural resources. Remember to take pictures of these fun finds and leave them where they are for other park users to discover. |
| Be careful with fire. A little spark can go a long way. Smoking, open fires, and charcoal grills are prohibited in our Regional Parks, Trails & Open Spaces. Help us protect these natural areas from wildfires. |
| Respect wildlife. Observe wildlife from a distance and never approach, feed, or follow them. Human food is unhealthy for all wildlife and feeding them starts bad habits. Keep our critters safe by keeping your snacks to yourself! |
| Be considerate of others. Practice recreational empathy! Be sure the fun you have outdoors does not bother others. Be considerate when passing others on the trail. Keep your pet on a leash to protect it, others visitors, and wildlife. |
© 1999 by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics: www.LNT.org.
Be entered to attend our Community Lunch!
As part of the City of Colorado Springs and Hey Neighbor's 1000 Neighborhood Gatherings initiative, we're planning a fun and delicious final gathering to celebrate community connection and to bring neighbors together by sharing a spectacular meal. We're partnering with Longer Tables, an organization dedicated to cultivating humanity through connection and belonging, and the creators of the "mile long table" event this July in Denver.
This year, all neighbors who register a gathering with the 1000 Neighborhood Gatherings initiative will be entered into a drawing to attend our Community Lunch on September 28 – National Good Neighbors Day. This special event will bring together community-builders across Colorado Springs to share stories, inspire one another, and celebrate the connections being formed in neighborhoods throughout our city.
Whether your gathering is big or small, we want to hear about it, so don't forget to register! Colorado Springs was rated the #1 Most Neighborly City for a reason, and we can't wait to hear about the connections you make, the relationships you build, and the change you create together.
