How to Visit the John Denver Sanctuary

John Denver was a popular singer who often sold out concerts. He wrote many songs covering life, love and environmental awareness. Some of his well-known songs include "Annie's Song," "Rocky Mountain High," and "Sunshine on my Shoulders." On October 12, 1997, John's Long-Ez plane crashed into the California coastline. A sanctuary was erected as a memorial site.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Locate the John Denver Sanctuary on a map. The Santuary can be found near Rio Grande Park in Aspen, Colorado. It is located near the Roaring Fork river. The address of the Sanctuary is 130 S. Galena Street, Aspen, CO 81611; the phone number is [phone].

2. View the Memorial Stone. It's inscribed "I am a song, I live to be sung, I sing with all my heart." Underneath it says: "John Denver, Composer, Musician, Father, Son, Brother, Friend. December 31, 1943-October 12, 1997."

3. Note the stones in the Sanctuary that reflect John Denver's songs. The lyrics are carved into each stone. Some of the songs include "Poems, Prayers and Promises," "Annie's Song," and "Perhaps Love."

4. View the boulder garden, with boulders set in a circle to represent the circle of life and a pattern of John Denver's music.

5. Record the beauty of the John Denver Sanctuary by taking pictures or recording video. The Maroon Bells mountains in the background make a beautiful picture as well as the Roaring Fork river. Many people also take pictures of the boulders with the lyrics.

6. Visit the Sanctuary on the anniversary week of John Denver's death. The week is filled with concerts, memorials and other events.

Resources

• John Denver website
• World Family of John Denver
• Windstar
• Friends of John Denver