Dennis Weaver Memorial Park ~ Ridgway, Colorado

The Dennis Weaver Memorial Park is located on Highway 550 between the town of Ridgway, Colorado and Ridgway State Park. The signage for the access road is fairly easy to spot and this road offers some nice views of the Uncompahgre River. The setting of this memorial park is as peaceful as can be. There are shade trees by the river, where picnic tables and a nature trail can be found. Towering mountain peaks that are well over two miles high border upon the river basin, which actually is a high desert environment in this area. The skies are crystal clear and the panoramic views stretch out to the horizon. This is a place where eagles fly free and this is the reason why the Dennis Weaver Memorial Park can be found in this majestic place! 

Dennis Weaver was a college educated military veteran who gained fame as a lead actor in the old Gunsmoke western TV series in the 1960s. This Hollywood actor also was famous for the role he played in the horseback riding New York City cowboy cop in the old McCloud television show.  All of Dennis Weaver's acting roles portrayed characters that had honest good natured qualities. All of the acting roles actually were a reflection of Dennis Weaver's own humbleness and wisdom, which are the qualities that still command respect and remembrance to this day.

Hollywood acting is not all that this star was famous for. Ridgway, Colorado was the home of Dennis Weaver and this man was a true conservationist. Dennis Weaver was an avowed vegetarian that cherished the great outdoors and preserving the natural environment was always one of his concerns. This famous actor played an important role in lobbying for the development of alternative fuels and energy sources long before this movement solidified during the last decade. A man of peaceful motives and environmental preservation he was and the Dennis Weaver Memorial Park certainly is a fitting tribute.

All it takes is a few steps into this beautiful memorial park to see how much Dennis Weaver was loved by the local folk and visitors from abroad. This park is an interactive dedication and many visitors make prayer stone stacks in his honor. Examples of Dennis Weaver poetry are also on display, which deliver a heartfelt message. The bronze eagle soaring free in the blue sky says it all about the Dennis Weaver Memorial in this peaceful setting where the life giving river water sounds like music to the ears. This is a great place to find some harmony, so this peaceful memorial park is well worth checking out when cruising down Highway 550 near historic Ridgway!