Denver Area

The Denver Metropolitan Area is a region in the western U.S. state of Colorado. The region is centered on the City and County of Denver, Colorado's capital and most populous city, but includes many suburbs as well.

Cities

• 1 Denver

Denver Area suburbs

• 1 Arvada
• 2 Aurora
• 3 Brighton
• 4 Broomfield
• 5 Castle Pines
• 6 Castle Rock
• 7 Centennial
• 8 Commerce City
• 9 Englewood
• 10 Evergreen
• 11 Golden
• 12 Greenwood Village
• 13 Highlands Ranch
• 14 Lakewood
• 15 Littleton
• 16 Lone Tree
• 17 Morrison
• 18 Parker
• 19 Thornton
• 20 Westminster
• 21 Wheat Ridge

See also the Front Range and South Central Colorado regions for other cities on the fringe of the Denver metropolitan area.

Understand

Roughly speaking, this region is comprised of Jefferson and Douglas Counties, the western halves of Adams and Arapahoe Counties, and the combined city–counties of Denver and Broomfield. It is bounded on the:

• South, by South Central Colorado.
• West, by South Central Colorado and the Front Range.
• North, by Boulder and Weld Counties.
• East, by the Eastern Plains.

Region boundaries in Colorado are indistinct, and sometimes contentious. If you're looking for a destination/attraction that you think should be in this region, but can't find it, check the pages for South Central Colorado, Eastern Plains, and Front Range.

Get in

By air

Denver International Airport.

• 1 Denver International Airport (DEN ^IATA), 8500 Peña Blvd, ☏ +1 303-342-2000, info@flydenver.com. Locally known as "DIA", the airport is located 18 miles (29 km) east-northeast of the Colorado State Capitol and is one of the ten busiest airports in the world. The RTD commuter rail A line connects the airport to Denver Union Station in about 37 minutes.  

By rail

• 2 Denver Union Station, 1701 Wynkoop St, ☏ +1 833-391-0338.  
  The Amtrak California Zephyr and Winter Park Express serve Denver.

By highway

• The Denver Metropolitan Area is served by five Interstate Highway routes, seven U.S. Highway routes, a state freeway, and two toll roads:
  NWP

Get around

By public transport

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) provides commuter rail, light rail, and bus service throughout the region.

Go next

• The Pearl Street Mall in Boulder lies 29 miles (47 km) and 40 minutes by car northwest of the Colorado State Capitol.
• The historic mining towns and casinos of Blackhawk and Central City lie 38 miles (61 km) and 50 minutes by car west of the Colorado State Capitol.
• The United States Air Force Academy lies 61 miles (98 km) and 65 minutes by car south of the Colorado State Capitol.
• The 11,992-foot (3,655 m) Loveland Pass on the Continental Divide of the Americas lies 60 miles (97 km) and 70 minutes by car west of the Colorado State Capitol.
• Colorado Springs lies 80 miles (130 km) and 80 minutes by car south of the Colorado State Capitol.
• Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park lie 65 miles (105 km) and 90 minutes by car north of the Colorado State Capitol.
• The 14,271-foot (4,350 m) summit of Mount Blue Sky lies 60 miles (97 km) and 1:45 by car southwest of the Colorado State Capitol.
• The 14,115-foot (4,302.31 m) summit of Pikes Peak lies 100 miles (160 km) and 2:10 by car south of the Colorado State Capitol.

Routes through Denver Area

Salt Lake City ← Winter Park ←	W  E	→ Fort Morgan → Omaha
Cheyenne ← Dacono ←	N  S	→ Monument → Colorado Springs
Grand Junction ← Idaho Springs ←	W  E	→ Limon → Kansas City
Ends in Arvada ←	W  E	→ Fort Morgan → → Omaha
Grand Junction ← Idaho Springs ←	W  E	→ Fort Morgan → Omaha
Estes Park ← Boulder ←	W  E	→ Last Chance → St. Joseph
Salt Lake City ← Idaho Springs ←	W  E	→ Limon → Kansas City
Cheyenne ← Greeley ←	N  S	→ Monument → Colorado Springs
Ends in Denver ←	N  S	→ Fairplay → Santa Fe
Fort Collins ← Longmont ←	N  S	→ Limon → Amarillo