Walnut Hills

Walnut Hills is a suburb southwest of Denver in the City of Centennial. At less than a square mile, it’s small but has everything one might want for suburban living. Walnut Hills is bordered on the east by a commercial district, which serves as a buffer against Interstate 25. The neighborhood is bordered by East Arapahoe Road on the north, a major thoroughfare in the Greater Denver Area and two smaller streets to the west and the south. It also has coveted access to Denver’s Rail System. There are two parks, one pool and a greenway that connects to an ambitious system of bike paths throughout the City of Centennial.

For under $650,000, you can find midcentury ranch-style homes made of brick and siding with three bedrooms, large picture windows looking out on shaded yards and a working fireplace for that Colorado winter. At the top of the market, you can find remodeled late-century bungalows with an addition, four bedrooms, the creek in front and fir trees in back. There are several low-rise condominium buildings near the commercial district, designed in a western mountain style that blends in with the attractive homes in the vicinity. A one-bedroom on the second – and top–floor will run you around $300,000 in a desirable subdivision such as Saddle Ranch. Homeowners association fees are low, also, at under $250 per month.

In the commercial district of Walnut Hills, you’ll find restaurants fast and slow in a mélange of styles, from Mexican to barbecue. A branch of the popular breakfast chain First Watch is on the east side, as well as several small businesses, an Albertsons Supermarket and an office park. On E Arapahoe Rd, you’ll find a Safeway and a Sprouts Organic Market. In adjacent neighborhoods, residents of Walnut Hills will find an Ikea, a Walmart and two hospitals within three miles. There’s also a Regal Cinemas and the largest amphitheater in the Denver area, Fiddler’s Green, which is just over a mile away.

A quintessentially suburban feature of Walnut Hills Park is that it connects to the grounds of Walnut Hills Elementary School. Not only can you walk your kids to school, but you can walk your kids to school through a park. And, since the Little Dr Creek Trail runs through the park, kids can also bike the short distance to school. Hunters Hill Park has a playground, a man-made lake and a large open field great for picnics or playing catch with your dog. Hunters Hill Pool is next door and open only to residents, which makes it a popular place for neighbors and kids. Just three miles northeast of Walnut Hills, Cherry Creek State Park is a vast cultivated wilderness of 4,2000 acres right in the middle of the Greater Denver Area where visitors can camp, fish and much else.

One of the most exciting things about Walnut Hills is its proximity to the Denver Light Rail. The Dry Creek station is on the southeastern border of the community and offers commuters an enjoyable ride free of traffic that reaches Downtown Denver in under 50 minutes. Driving the 15 miles to downtown up I-25 may be quicker but less pleasurable. Walnut Hills is also spanned by Centennial’s 28 miles of bike lanes, and the city has another 108 planned. Walnut Hills is in the Cherry Creek School District, which was founded in 1874 and is now ranked one of the top three districts in the state by Niche. Walnut Hills Elementary received an A from the school rankings site, as did West Middle School. Cherry Creek High School received an A-plus and is ranked as one of the top three high schools in Colorado. The school has a renowned college preparatory program and offers six language programs, including Chinese-Mandarin, German and American Sign Language.

With great schools, public transportation, access to a state park and a range of home prices available to most buyers, Walnut Hills is a 21st-century suburb for the 21st-century home buyer.

Written By

Abbot Street

Photography Contributed By

Alex Dickerson

Video By

GL Moses