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city in Adams and Jefferson counties in Colorado, United States
North America > United States of America > Rocky Mountains (United States of America) > Colorado > Denver Area > Arvada

Arvada is a city of about 122,000 in the Denver Metropolitan Area of the U.S. state of Colorado. A former farming community in Jefferson and Adams counties, the city is now a residential suburb of Denver. Olde Town Arvada is 7 miles (11 km) northwest of the Colorado State Capitol and 9 miles (14 km) east of the Front Range foothills.

Understand

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An aerial view of Arvada

History

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The first documented discovery of gold in the Rocky Mountain region occurred on June 22, 1850, when Lewis Ralston, a Georgia prospector headed for the California gold fields, dipped his sluice pan into a small stream near its mouth at Clear Creek. Ralston found about 1/4 ounce (6 g) of gold, then worth about five dollars. Ralston's companions named the stream Ralston's Creek in his honor, but the party left the next morning, drawn by the lure of California gold.

In 1859, Ralston returned with another group of prospectors to the site of his first discovery. The placer gold in the area soon played out, but hard rock deposits of gold were found in the mountains to the west. Some of the miners abandoned their search for gold and returned to farm the rich bottom land along Ralston Creek and Clear Creek. They found an eager market for their crops among other gold seekers.

In the summer of 1870, the Colorado Central Railroad laid tracks through the area, and on December 1, 1870, the town of Ralston Point was platted, soon renamed Arvada. Arvada thrived as a farming community, and in the mid-twentieth century, evolved into a residential suburb of the state capital of Denver.

Arvada is a part of the Denver Metropolitan Area (2020 population 3,623,560) and the more extensive Front Range Urban Corridor (2020 population 5,055,344). Residents of Arvada have included Clive Cussler, Roy Halladay, Joe King, Karl Rove, Isaac Slade, and Babe Didrikson Zaharias.

Climate

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See also: Climate of Denver

The climate of Arvada is very similar to nearby Denver. The most comfortable months are generally May through October, although outdoor events continue through the cooler months.

Get in

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See this Colorado travel map. Colorado is on Mountain Standard Time (UTC-07) in the winter and on Mountain Daylight Time (UTC-06) in the summer.

By air

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By highway

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Arvada can be reached via two Interstate Highways and four state highways:
Arvada is the western terminus of Interstate Highway 76. Rental cars are available at Denver International Airport and Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport.

By rail

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The Amtrak California Zephyr and Winter Park Express pass through Arvada but only stop at Denver Union Station. You can use the RTD commuter rail G line for the 20-minute ride from Denver Union Station to Arvada.

By bus

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Get around

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Addresses in Arvada are numbered on a grid from south to north and from east to west. Numbered avenues in Arvada run east and west and are numbered from West 48th Avenue north to West 96th Avenue. Named streets in Arvada run north and south and are named alphabetically from east to west in five groups from 4100 West to 20000 West.

See this detailed map of the City of Arvada.

By rail

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Arvada is served by the RTD commuter rail G line which connects to Wheat Ridge and Denver.

At Denver Union Station, the RTD G line connects to the RTD A line to Denver International Airport and to the Amtrak California Zephyr and Winter Park Express.

By bus

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Arvada is served by RTD bus routes 28, 32, 51, 52, 72, 76, and 100.

By car

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Rental cars are also available at Denver International Airport and Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport.

Visit Arvada

  • 1 Cussler Museum, 14959 West 69th Avenue (two blocks west of C-72 on West 69th Avenue). A rotating display of rare and historically significant automobiles from the extensive collection of the late author Clive Cussler, a former Arvada resident. Open May through September. Admission $12, seniors $10, children $8. 
  • 2 Majestic View Nature Center, 7030 Garrison Street (take West 68th Avenue 1.0 mile (1.6 km) west from C-121 to Garrison Street, then right 0.3 miles (0.5 km) to nature center). 10AM-3PM. Exhibits and trails explore this home to Bat, Black Bear (rare), Black bullhead catfish, Bluegill fish, Bobcat, Bullfrog, Bullsnake, Carp fish, Cottontail Rabbit, Coyote, Dagger moth caterpillar, Deer, Elk (rare), Fox Squirrel, Ground squirrel, Mink, Monarch butterfly, Mountain Lion (rare), Muskrat, Ornate Box Turtle (rare), Porcupine (rare), Raccoon, Red fox, Red-Eared Slider turtle, Skunk, Snapping Turtle (rare), Vole, Western & Plains Garter snake, Western Painted Turtle, Woodhouse toad, and over 130 bird species. free. 
  • 3 Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge, West 95th Lane (take West Candelas Parkway 1.6 miles (2.6 km) west from Indiana Street to Salvia Street, then right 0.4 miles (0.6 km) to the south entrance). Open sunrise to sunset. Site of a decommissioned nuclear weapons facility, this high prairie refuge is home to elk, deer, raptors, songbirds, waterfowl, prairie dogs, coyotes, and more. free. 
  • 4 Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge, 9210 West 80th Avenue (take West 80th Avenue 1.0 mile (1.6 km) west from C-121 to east entrance). Open sunrise to sunset. Created through the efforts of Arvada students and citizens, this suburban refuge is home to more than 120 species of birds, coyotes, red fox, beaver, turtles, deer, and more. free. 
  • 1 Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd. A celebrated regional arts venue, this performance compound hosts many different plays, musicals, and orchestral and choral recitations. It comprises two indoor theaters, an outdoor amphitheater, a convention complex, art galleries, dance studios, and the Arvada Historical Museum. 

Events

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Arvada Chamber of Commerce

  • 1 Olde Town Arvada, Olde Wadsworth Blvd from Grandview Avenue to Ralston Road. The historic heart of Arvada encompasses a diverse array of shops, boutiques, galleries, events, restaurants, breweries, and a winery. 

Drink

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Sleep

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Connect

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Go next

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Routes through Arvada
Grand Junction ← Golden ←  W  E  → Denver → Kansas City
Ends at ←  W  E  → Commerce City → → Omaha
Ends at ← Nederland ←  W  E  → Wheat Ridge → Ends at
Ends at ← Boulder ← ←   N  S  → Golden → Ends at
Ends at ← Westminster ←   N  S  → Denver → Ends at
Ends at ← Westminster ←   N  S  → Wheat Ridge → Ends at Waterton


This city travel guide to Arvada is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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