Ten Things to Do in Hale, Hilltop and Montclair

The tree-lined blocks east of Colorado Boulevard and south of Colfax Avenue can tend to kind of run together — (Wait, am I in Hilltop or Hale?) — but the largely residential neighborhoods have plenty of appeal, and perennially top the city’s “best of” lists for places to raise a family.

The Montclair neighborhood was platted in 1885 by Baron Walter von Richthofen, uncle of World War I German flying ace and Snoopy nemesis the Red Baron, while neighboring Hale is named for local son and Brigadier General Irving Hale (of Camp Hale fame). And Hilltop? Well, this tony enclave once boasted the city’s highest elevation, putting it literally at the top overlooking its neighbors. (The city of Denver now says the highest spot is on South Johnson Street.)

The neighborhoods were once a hospital hot spot, as well, with Rose, the Rocky Mountain VA and the old University Hospital making it a medical mecca. The university’s biomedical research building was blown up in a pretty spectacular implosion in 2015 (which this reporter watched from her rooftop), making way for a 12-block redevelopment that has dramatically increased retail and residential offerings.

Here are ten ways to entertain yourself in the tri-neighborhood area.

Get High in Cranmer Park
4501 East 1st Avenue
Or, you know, just enjoy the views from what was once the city’s highest point. Cranmer Park opened in 1919 as Mountain View Park but was renamed for George Cranmer, a former manager of Denver’s Department of Parks and Improvements. It was Cranmer who donated a six-foot quartzite sundial — quarried just up the road in Lyons — which was dynamited by vandals in 1965. (Way to harsh our mellow, vandals.) The community rallied for a replacement, and in 2018, the sundial, plaza and terrazzo mosaic panorama of the Front Range were renovated following a $2 million fundraising effort.

Sneak a Peek of the Richthofen Castle
7020 East 12th Avenue
The Baron didn't do too badly for himself in Denver, and spent (quite a bit of) his money building himself a good old-fashioned Prussian castle. The modest little structure sat on an acre of land and stretches over almost 15,000 square feet and 35 rooms (including a WWI-themed "Red Baron" pub). The almost certainly haunted mansion is privately owned, but peasants like us can still catch a glimpse of the grandeur from the street, or make friends with the owners and score an invitation to one of their legendary Halloween parties.
Get Something Made For Walking at Ghost Rider Custom Cowboy Boots
890 Grape Street (by appointment only)
Speaking of ghosts, fans of fancy footwear with a budget to match the Baron's may want to make an appointment and mosey on over to Ghost Rider Custom Cowboy Boots. Denver native Mickey Mussett got his start in advertising — and dreamed up Pizza Hut's Personal Pan Pizza — before kicking off the corporate ladder and apprenticing himself to an Arvada bootmaker. Now politicians, brides and bigwigs step out in his one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted creations, which will set you back a pretty penny but have you walking tall.
Check Out the Mizel Arts & Culture Center
350 South Dahlia Street
Many neighborhoods in Denver once had "covenants" that restricted residency to Christians. Hilltop did not, and quickly became a magnet for Jewish families. The Staenberg-Loup Jewish Community Center offers a plethora of programming that is open to all, including those who aren't of the Jewish faith. Learn how to bake the perfect babka, take in a comedy show, boogie at a klezmer music festival, or get fit with an Aquatics, Fitness & Tennis membership.
Call Your Mother
217 South Holly
You don't need to be a nice Jewish boy to enjoy a nice nosh at the third Denver outpost of this beloved D.C. bagel empire. Bagels — which you can get toasted — latkes, sandwiches and schmears are all here. And, this being Colorado, we're told you can satisfy your cravings for a taco, too.
Get Thee To a Greenhouse (Not That Kind) at City Floral
1440 Kearney Street
Every green thumb in Denver knows that 2024 Readers' Choice Best Garden Supply Store City Floral Garden Center is the place for plants, whether it's a pot of pansies or a palm tree to enhance your tropical interior. The oldest remaining greenhouse in Denver, City Floral was founded in 1911 to keep the Brown Palace in cut flowers, and has expanded into a full-service garden center with plants, tools, fountains and all manner of horticultural supplies. (It does a brisk business in Christmas trees, too.) Whether you need a single succulent for your studio or are landscaping your lavish estate, City Floral has got you covered. (And it's pet-friendly, too.)
Bag a Baguette at La Fillette
6217 East 14th Avenue
Opened in 2014 in Hilltop, La Fillette Bakery quickly became a go-to for quiche, croissants and crusty, crispy baguettes and breakfast sandwiches. The goodies relocated to a larger space a little farther north to Montclair last year, earning it Westword's 2024 Best Location Change and while the setting is less crowded, the sweet and savory offerings are just as delicious as always and enhanced by new additions like omelets, egg bennies and a smash burger served on a flaky croissant bun.
Knock Around at 9+CO
9th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard
The former site of the University of Colorado’s Health Sciences Center is now 9+CO, a 26-acre mixed-use site offering a little bit of everything, from apartments to day spas to doggy daycare.  Restaurants? Most definitely. Check out Senagalese French (Le French) and fancy toast (Toastique), and for dinner and a show, choose a flick from the AMC multiplex or make your own adventure at Immersive Gamebox.
Make It To Marczyk's
5100 East Colfax Avenue
The arrival of Denver's first Trader Joe's caused a hell of a lot of excitement in Hale (especially because "Trader Booze" is in the same building) but oof, that parking lot. Fortunately, Montclair also has its own homegrown gourmet grocery and wine shop, and Marczyk's has been a neighborhood favorite since 2011. Neighbors in the know also keep a sharp eye out for the Friday dates of summer burger nights, when the grocery brings out the grills and throws a beefy, flame-grilled block party.
Get Your Art On at Art Gym
1460 Leyden Street
You don't have to be a Monet — or even a member — to get in touch with your creative side at the Art Gym in Montclair. This shared workspace environment offers communal studios where artists of all levels can make art in a variety of disciplines including Printmaking, Metalsmithing and Lapidary, Performance Arts and more. A rotating calendar of programming for members and non-members helps to foster a thriving arts community, and the galleries are a great place to contemplate the work of local artists.