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outdoor gear flagship in a 1901 powerhouse · $$$ · since 2000

REI Denver Flagship

Ninety thousand square feet of gear in the old tramway powerhouse on the river

REI's Denver flagship opened in 2000 inside the 1901 Denver Tramway Company powerhouse at the foot of Platte Street, the brick building with the smokestack that anchors the west bank of Confluence Park. Inside is roughly 90,000 square feet on two levels under the original steel trusses, a climbing pinnacle, a bike shop, a rental counter for skis, camping gear and paddleboards, and a Starbucks with the best window seat on the river. Even people who never buy anything walk through it, and it functions as the unofficial trailhead for the Platte and Cherry Creek trails: bathrooms, water, maps, and paid parking (validated with a purchase). The Denver Trolley departs from the tracks behind it in summer.

Why go. Rent a bike or a board, use the bathroom, and step out onto Confluence Park.

Park in the REI garage and get it validated with any purchase; the rental desk closes earlier than the store, so call ahead for a same-day paddleboard.

A short walk from REI Denver Flagship