Entry No. 66 — the Fort Collins file — filed under: after-dark
Garden of Lights at the Gardens on Spring Creek
Each December the city's botanic garden is rewired into a glowing half-mile loop, with illuminated grapevines, oversized flowerbeds, and light displays threaded through the plant collections after dark. It's a short, walkable nighttime stroll rather than a drive-through, so you move slowly through the glow on foot. The 2025-2026 run was December 12-28 (closed Dec 24 and 25), with timed evening entry, returning a similar window each holiday season.
The story
The Gardens on Spring Creek opened as an 18-acre city botanic site back in 2004, but for a few weeks every December, the standard plant beds undergo a total electrical rewrite. Instead of relying on generic holiday inflatables, the garden's horticulture team strings hundreds of thousands of lights directly into the winter-dormant flora, turning the grounds into a half-mile glowing circuit off Centre Avenue.
What makes the walk distinctly odd is how the displays mimic actual botany. Glowing grapevines creep along trellises, and giant illuminated flowerbeds sprout alongside dormant perennial collections. It's an entirely foot-propelled stroll after dark—no exhaust fumes or drive-thru bumper-to-bumper traffic—where the plants themselves are the light sources.
What it's like
You'll park at the Centre Avenue entrance, bundle up tightly against the Front Range chill, and step onto a quiet, half-mile outdoor walking loop. The flow is steady thanks to timed-entry ticketing, letting you move at a slow stroll past giant LED flora and illuminated vines. Grab a hot drink at the entrance before heading out, dress in serious winter layers, and aim for a weeknight entry if you want to dodge the heaviest family rush.
The move: Bundle up and wander the half-mile lighted loop together, stopping to take in the glowing flowerbeds and grabbing a hot drink along the way.
📍 Before you go Strictly seasonal: late-December nights only (roughly Dec 12-28). Dress warm and check dated tickets.
- 📍 Fort Collins (Spring Creek / Edora area)
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 2145 Centre Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80526
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Speak Cheesy Lounge — After freezing your toes along the outdoor botanical loop, thaw out in a hidden basement lounge down on Mason Street with grilled cheese.
- The Haunted Game Cafe — Head less than a mile and a half up South College after your walk to warm up over hot drinks and tabletop board games.
- Pinball Jones — Trade the quiet botanical glow for the neon lights and basement noise of 38 pinball machines off Old Town Square.
Good to know
Is Garden of Lights a drive-through or a walk-through display?
It's strictly a walk-through experience along a half-mile outdoor trail, so plan to move on foot.
When is Garden of Lights open?
It operates strictly as a seasonal December event, usually opening in early-to-mid December and running through late December (and typically closing on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day).
Do I need tickets in advance?
Yes, tickets are dated and assigned to specific evening entry times, so you should secure them online before arriving.
How long does it take to walk the trail?
The illuminated loop is about a half-mile long, taking most visitors around 30 to 45 minutes to wander through.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: gardens.fortcollins.gov · northfortynews.com · YouTube
last checked: 2026-06-23