Now a suburb of Denver, Highlands Ranch was first settled around 1860, most notably by Rufus Clark, the so-called Potato King. One of the area's earliest philanthropists, he donated money and land to what became some of the area's finest parks.

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Highlands Ranch boasts 26 parks, several of which include off-leash areas for dogs. More than 70 miles of trails allow for running, biking or simply a short stroll. In addition to the trail and park system, Highlands Ranch has set aside more than 2,500 acres of undeveloped land within the community for exploring in addition to 8,200 acres of conservation space in the Backcountry Wilderness Area. Many other activities including pickleball, disc golf, fishing ponds and slacklining await visitors here. For the younger traveler, two public skate parks and a myriad of sporting opportunities abound at the parks scattered around the community