By Patte Smith

The water bucket at Cook Creek Pool in Lone Tree.

Ready to break out and enjoy hot summer days jumping in a pool or lounging beside it reading a good book? Good news – pools are opening for the summer and there are many great public pool options to check out.

Butterfield Crossing Pool has been renovated and has numerous amenities. Located at 3952 West Butterfield in Butterfield Crossing Park in Castle Rock, the pool is open to the public. The pool ranges from 3½ to 5 feet in depth. There is a zero-depth (easy entry) wading pool for toddlers and smaller children and a playground for kids. Locker rooms are available. For more information, visit https://www.crgov.com/Facilities/.

Float around in the lazy river at Burgess Memorial Pool in Castle Rock, located at 22 North Gilbert Street in Centennial Park. The lazy river is a great place to play tag. The main pool is easily accessible from zero-depth through 5 feet deep, and a pool for toddlers features slides and water play structures. There are also large slides for older kids. Locker rooms are available. For more information, visit https://www.crgov.com/Facilities/.

Cook Creek Pool located at 8711 Lone Tree Parkway in Lone Tree is a South Suburban Parks and Recreation pool but does accept families and individuals who are not in the South Suburban district. Fees are a little higher, but many argue it is well worth it. There are two pools at Cook Creek, one for swimming and diving, the other a leisure pool with zero-depth entry. There are also basketball hoops, a play structure and a long waterslide. There are bath houses, concessions, shade structures and picnic tables. For more information, visit https://www.ssprd.org/Cook-Creek-Pool.

Zero-depth entry pools like this one allow for younger kids to enjoy the water safely.

Deer Creek Pool located at 8637 South Garrison Street in Littleton is a public pool that features a body flume slide –a great draw for daredevils who drop from a slide that empties into the pool. There is a zero-depth entry pool for little ones that gradually gets deeper and includes leisure and splash structures. For more information, visit https://www.ifoothills.org/.

H2O’Brien Pool located at 10795 Victorian Drive in Parker will open Memorial Day weekend. Newly renovated, visitors can enjoy the new amenities and the latest in play structures. There are various zones throughout the pool area, an interactive one for toddlers with spray features and slides. In the main pool, there are two basketball hoops for older kids to dunk the ball, and at the other end, a zero-depth entrance for smaller children. There is an expanded area for seating and shade with new lounge chairs and a concession area. Check it out. For more information, visit http://parkerrec.com/234/H2OBrien-Pool.

A must mention is Pirates Cove Water Park in Englewood. Located at 1225 W. Belleview Avenue, the park features a zero-depth entry leisure lagoon with large play structures and a dump bucket. A 35-foot slide tower has three water slides that are different lengths, and a lazy river skirts the base of the water slides. Be aware there is a swirling vortex. A diving and drop slide are in the bay pool and little ones can play at the sandy beach play area. At the end of the day, cool off with the showers and squirts at the spray garden. For more information, visit http://www.piratescovecolorado.com.