SAND CREEK ART WALK
NEW Mural Coming in September!
Following a thoughtful and exciting community-led selection process, we are thrilled to present the 2025 Sand Creek Art Walk mural design by Catie Michel!
In celebration of the Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership’s dedication to environmental education and inspiring curiosity and environmental awareness, this mural concept features a series of large, trompe l’oeil-style nature journal spreads, each themed around a different ecological focus of the Sand Creek Regional Greenway: plants and pollinators, aquatic life, reptiles and amphibians, mammals, and birds. Accompanying each open notebook are tools of observation—binoculars, loupes, and species checklists—emphasizing human interaction, curiosity, and care. Illustrations spill beyond the pages in varying degrees of detail, combining fully rendered species with loose sketches and handwritten notes. the spreads form a dynamic portrait of connection between people and place—an evolving visual archive of the Greenway as both ecosystem and community space.
The notebook spreads feature field notes in both English and Spanish, thanks to translation by Polyglot Global.
About Catie
I am an artist, muralist, and scientific illustrator guided by collaborative storytelling and our connection to the natural world. My background in field research and science communication grounds my creative work in attention, observation, and inquiry. As a devoted naturalist, my process begins the moment I catch a rare glimpse into a vernal pool or hear the competing calls of owls at night. Finding great community in shared curiosity, I examine themes of connection (human/more-than-human), access, advocacy, and the intersection of science and art. Cultivating safe spaces in which others can explore their own connections to the natural world, to the themselves, and to each other is endlessly fueling. I explore what, in nature, is capturing our attention and what, in us, is looking back.
Find more information on Catie at www.catiemichel.com.
Help paint the mural at the Sand Creek Mural Festival!
Saturday, September 13, 2025
The Sand Creek Art Walk
The Sand Creek Art Walk, located near the Smith Road trailhead in Denver’s Central Park neighborhood, features murals along 1,250 linear feet of concrete walls from the former Stapleton Airport’s runway tunnel system. This public art project celebrates the history and natural beauty of the Sand Creek Regional Greenway.
The project began with strong community support, including donations, matching funds from the Sand Creek Regional Greenway Partnership (SCRGP) and the Trust for Public Land, and backing from Councilman Chris Herndon.
In May 2022, Denver Parks and Recreation completed a 3.1-mile trail extension, creating a continuous paved path from Peoria Street to I-70 and Quebec. Preserving the older lower trail inspired the Art Walk’s vision: to honor the past while fostering an engaging, creative environment. With funding from Denver’s Urban Arts Fund, a second mural was completed in June 2022.
SCRGP’s first-ever Mural Festival in September 2023 engaged over 280 community members in painting the mural’s base layer. This event helps the community foster a sense of ownership and pride in this creative endeavor.
The Sand Creek Art Walk is a testament to the power of collaboration, community support, and artistic expression, as it weaves history, nature, and culture into the fabric of the Sand Creek Regional Greenway, offering a unique and memorable experience for all who explore it.
All Sand Creek Art Walk murals are made possible through funding and coordination by SCRGP. Help bring more public art to our community—make a gift to SCRGP today!
Looking for Mural Festival info?
Visit the Murals
You can find the Sand Creek Art Walk from the Smith Road Trailhead in Central Park (9450 Smith Road, Denver, CO 80238). From the trailhead, take the lower (southern) trail towards the creek. Keep heading west and enjoy!
2020 mural
Completed in 2020 by Yulia Avgustinovich
Learn more about Yulia and her art here: Story of the Denver muralist Yulia Avgustinovich (yulia-art.com)
Follow Yulia on Instagram: Yulia Avgustinovich (@yuliaart.murals) • Instagram photos and videos
2022 mural
Completed in 2022 by Juls Mendoza
Learn more about Juls and his art here: Juls Mendoza
Follow Juls on Instagram: Juls • Cultural Surrealism (@jwlc_art) • Instagram photos and videos
2023 mural
Mural by Brian Ray Simmonds. Follow Brian on Instagram: Pharaoh One (@pher01) • Instagram photos and videos.
We created a scavenger hunt and crossword puzzle to explore the 3,500 square foot mural and find the cool details and critters hidden within it! Good luck!
2024 Mural
Mural Created by Patrick Maxcy. Follow Patrick at Patrick Maxcy (@patrickmaxcy) • Instagram photos and videos and view his website HERE.
