Superior, CO

Nearly five years after the Marshall Fire, recovery remains part of Superior's municipal work. The December 2021 fire destroyed 398 structures in town, including 393 homes. By July 2026, Superior's recovery dashboard showed 336 building permits issued and 323 certificates of occupancy, while a regional support program continued to accept applications from affected households. The town began with coal rather than suburban development: it was founded in 1896, incorporated in 1904, and remained tied to the Industrial Mine until that operation closed in 1945. Parks and open space occupy a substantial share of the town's roughly four square miles. Superior reports about 630 acres of parks, green space, and open space connected by 35 miles of trails. The 182-acre Coyote Ridge Open Space gained a new trailhead in March 2026, including an access road, parking area, and a spur trail connecting to the existing St. Francis Trail.

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Historic Grasso Park preserves the 1895 Hake Homestead House, a barn, root cellar, and 1904 bungalow; the buildings survived the Marshall Fire even as nearby parts of Original Town burned. Indoor programs center on the Superior Community Center and the newer Civic Space downtown. The 2026 summer guide scheduled swim lessons, tennis, outdoor sports, camps, senior activities, story times, and drop-in groups. Structural and drainage repairs will close the Community Center from August through October 2026, so selected programs and room reservations are moving temporarily to the Civic Space. Long-term fire recovery and ordinary recreation therefore share the same current municipal network rather than existing as separate parts of local life.