Willow Run

Waving neighbors and rolling grassy hills give Willow Run a nostalgic feel, and an influx of people moving to the community give this small suburb in Broomfield a modern twist.

“Willow Run is a farm-like neighborhood with a lot of great views. It feels like you’re in the country, but you’re also right outside of downtown Boulder,” says RE/MAX of Boulder Realtor Janet Leap. Conveniently burrowed between Boulder twenty minutes northwest and Denver thirty minutes south, Willow Run locals enjoy fresh open spaces and quiet, rural-adjacent life.

In the residential pockets, there are mostly 1,500-square-foot single family ranches and 1,700-square-foot two-story Craftsman homes with exposed brick facades in the $585,000 to $610,000 price range. Most of these houses are equipped with attached garages, multiple-car driveways, about ten-square-feet of front lawns and slightly larger fenced-in back yards. Residents take advantage of well-maintained sidewalks, most of which lead to the Willow Run Open Space—a grassy field with paved trails providing fresh air and motivation to get outside.

The trail right in Willow Run locals’ backyards winds through fields of green, runs alongside a small creek and crosses over a 15-foot bridge, eventually leading to the Willow Run Playground. There, children can climb and swing under the watchful eye of their parents as they jog around the paved path around them. To the west of the Willow Run neighborhood is Columbine Meadows Park, where athletes go to practice their sports on the baseball diamond basketball court and soccer fields. “Teller Farm Trail is a popular hiking trail, even though it’s mostly flat, where you’ll see lots of people walking their dogs and kids riding their bikes,” Leap adds. “I wouldn’t be surprised if you see someone riding a horse, too.” The parks in Willow Run provide wide open spaces, staying true to the community’s farmland feel.

Students living in Willow Run can attend Mountain View Elementary School, which receives a B grade and is ranked among the Best Public Elementary Schools in Colorado, according to Niche. Middle school residents can go to Westlake Middle School, graded a B+ on Niche and ranked among the Best Public Middle Schools in the state. Legacy High School can serve the area’s oldest school-aged children, a public STEM school that not only receives an A- grade on Niche but is also ranked in the top for Best College Prep Public High Schools in Colorado.

Willow Run locals are walking distance to the Willow Run Shopping Center, where there’s a 7-Eleven gas station, nail salon, dance and exercise studios and fast-food restaurants. Frolic Brewing Company is a quick 5-minute drive to the north, where patrons can partner their drinks with pizza and nachos under the shade of the spacious outdoor patio. “Most residents go to Lafayette, only 15 minutes away, for grocery shopping and more dining options,” says Leap. Also in Lafayette are the WOW Children’s Museum for little learners and Waneka Lake for anyone hoping to join a game of pickleball or basketball before cooling off in the water. For more family fun, Water World amusement park is only 10 minutes to the south of Willow Run.

Cozied up in the middle of three major roads: East Midway Boulevard above, North Federal Parkway to the east and Willow Run Parkway below, Willow Run residents benefit from convenient access to more major thoroughfare. Take Route 36 to land in the heart of downtown Boulder or hop on Interstate 25 to get to the state’s capital of Denver.

"Willow Run is a great community with a lot of newcomers moving to the area, so it's a mixed bag of people here,” says local Frolic Brewing bartender. Although there aren’t too many “real” locals anymore, according to Frolic Brewing bartender, this Broomfield suburb maintains a traditional friendly atmosphere due in part to its countryside environment.

Written By

Mary Beth Greene

Photography Contributed By

David Rieck

Video By

Ellie Brown