Colorado summers are made for early-morning races, evening bike rides, and weekends spent outside.

In this guide, you’ll find:

• Community 5Ks, 10ks, summer races, and more happening around the Ranch
• Bike rides and mountain biking events across Highlands Ranch
• Youth triathlon happening this summer

From casual fun runs to Backcountry trail rides, these are the active summer traditions worth planning around across South Denver.

Use the table of contents below to explore run, bike, and wellness events around the Ranch.

📅 June 5, July 3, Aug. 7
👟5K
📍 Festival Park
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Castle Rock’s First Fridays combine free community 5Ks, live music, food trucks, cocktails, and downtown summer-night atmosphere throughout the season with unofficial fun runs beginning at 5:30 p.m. before the concerts kick off.

📅 June 19
👟Half-K
📍 Civic Green Park
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One of the Ranch’s more lighthearted summer wellness events returns with a family-friendly half-K “race,” live music, drinks, and community atmosphere benefiting the HRCA Therapeutic Recreation Program.

📅 June 20
👟5K
📍 Rueter-Hess Reservoir
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Celebrate Father’s Day weekend with a family-friendly 5K at Rueter-Hess Reservoir featuring scenic reservoir views, pancake breakfast, commemorative swag, and post-run drinks as part of the Parker Parks and Recreation Run Series.

📅 June 27
👟5K
📍 Clement Park
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The Before The Fourth 5K returns to Clement Park with a community-focused summer race through one of Littleton’s most popular outdoor spaces just ahead of Fourth of July celebrations.

📅 July 4
👟5K
📍 Dorchester St.
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Kick off the Fourth of July with one of Highlands Ranch’s signature holiday traditions featuring a family-friendly community 5K welcoming runners, walkers, strollers, kids, and patriotic community spirit.

📅 July 18
👟Half, 10K, 5K
📍 Castle Rock
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Part of the Prairie Dog race series, the Summer Splash Prairie Dog race returns to Castle Rock with summer running along the East Plum Creek Trail featuring community race atmosphere, scenic routes, and post-race swag and celebrations.

📅 August 1
👟5K
📍 Highlands Ranch
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A playful late-summer 5K featuring costumes, cotton candy, unicorn medals, and a family-friendly vibe. Walk, run, or trot your way through this fun community race with a shorter ¾-mile option available too.

📅 Sept. 26
👟5K
📍 Highlands Ranch Town Center at 9 a.m.
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HRCA’s Oktoberfest 5K returns with a family-friendly fall race through Town Center featuring community atmosphere, festive costumes, and a hidden blue kettlebell somewhere along the course worth $100 to whoever finds it first.

📅 Sept. 26 (8 a.m.)
👟5K & 10K
📍 Salisbury Park
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Parker’s So Long to Summer 5K/10K returns with community race atmosphere, pancake breakfast, post-run drinks, and family-friendly end-of-summer energy along the Salisbury Park trail system.

📅 Wednesday, June 24 from 6:30—9a.m
📍 High Line Canal Trail & Centennial Trail
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HRCA, Highlands Ranch Metro District, and Highlands Ranch Water team up for the Highlands Ranch Super Stop with burritos, coffee, snacks, music, giveaways, and community cycling energy along the trail system.

📅🚴May 20 • High Point Circuit • 10 miles
📅🚴July 8 • Rocky Gulch Circuit • 10 miles
📅🚴July 29 • Badlands Circuit • 11 miles
📅🚴Aug 19 • Wildcat Circuit • 11 miles
📍 Backcountry Wilderness Area
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The Highlands Ranch Mountain Bike Series returns with four weeknight races through the Backcountry Wilderness Area featuring rotating trail routes across Highlands Point and Wildcat trail systems for riders of all ability levels.

📅 June 25
📍 Eastridge Recreation Center & Falcon Park
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The Splash Mash Dash Kids Triathlon returns to Highlands Ranch with a family-friendly swim-bike-run event designed for young athletes looking to try triathlon in a fun and supportive community environment complete with finisher medals and post-race donuts.

Did we miss one? Send us an email at [email protected]. We’d love to let South Denver know.

The Ranch Scoop curates the simplified guides for runs, rides, races, and all summer traditions around South Denver. We find the information, so you don’t have to dig deep.

Join hundreds of locals exploring what summer around the Ranch looks like.

—Grace
Editor, The Ranch Scoop