Colorado's best new park might be closer than you think! The Richard Gary Black Jr. Nature Exploration Area at Morrison Nature Center has earned two prestigious awards, putting Aurora's newest outdoor destination in the spotlight.
The Nature Exploration Area – which opened to the public in late 2025 – received recognition from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) and the Colorado Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA), celebrating its innovative design and commitment to creating welcoming outdoor spaces that bring people closer to nature.
The project received the ASLA Colorado-Wyoming 2026 Merit Award and the CPRA’s 2026 Columbine Award for Best New Park Design. The ASLA Merit Award recognizes outstanding accomplishments in the profession of landscape architecture.
The Columbine Awards recognize projects that exemplify excellence while celebrating the professionals and agencies whose ideas, leadership, and dedication continue to elevate parks and recreation across Colorado. This marks the second straight year that Aurora’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space Department was the recipient of CPRA recognition, as its Prairie Restoration Project at Plains Conservation Center earned the 2025 Columbine Award for Programming.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see the Nature Exploration Area recognized at the state level after years of thoughtful planning, hard work and dedication from so many people,” said Aurora Parks, Recreation and Open Space Director Brian Green. “This project reflects the passion and commitment of our Nature team and our Planning, Design and Construction team, along with the outstanding partnership of Goodbee & Associates, Raw Renovation and Richdell Construction. Most importantly, this space will inspire generations of children and families to connect with nature, explore the outdoors and build a lifelong appreciation for the environment. Creating opportunities for those experiences is at the heart of what we do.”
Designed for visitors of all ages and abilities, the Richard Gary Black Jr. Nature Exploration Area takes a different approach to traditional playgrounds. Instead of swings and slides, visitors can climb through a human-sized beaver lodge, navigate an obstacle course, build with locally sourced natural materials and dig in the sand pit. Dinosaur Hill also features to-scale interpretations of a brachiosaurus and stegosaurus, two dinosaurs discovered in what is now Aurora.
The space encourages curiosity, creativity and hands-on discovery, giving visitors the freedom to explore and connect with the natural world around them.
And the fun doesn't stop when summer ends!
Open 365 days a year, the nature exploration area offers something new to discover with every changing season. From colorful fall leaves and snowy winter adventures to spring wildlife sightings and sunny summer exploration, visitors can enjoy the outdoors year-round.
The Richard Gary Black Jr. Nature Exploration Area is located outside Morrison Nature Center at Star K Ranch, 16002 E. Smith Road. Admission is free, and the area is open daily from sunrise to sunset, rain, shine or snow.
Discover what makes this award-winning destination one of Colorado's best places to play at
AuroraGov.org/Morrison.