About this Location

Facility Overview

Mines Parking Garage II (also known as Colorado School of Mines Parking Garage 2) is a modern, multi-level covered parking structure located at 1701 Arapahoe Street in Golden, Colorado. Constructed between 17th and 18th Streets on the eastern edge of the Colorado School of Mines campus, this state-of-the-art facility provides over 900 parking spaces designed to serve students, faculty, university staff, event attendees, and visitors to the historic city of Golden. Built in conjunction with integrated university academic facilities, the deck combines structural durability with contemporary architectural fins designed to blend with the campus aesthetic and reduce headlight glare into neighboring residential streets.

The garage accommodates standard passenger vehicles, compact cars, light crossovers, minivans, and full-size SUVs and pickup trucks across its well-marked interior driving aisles and ramp systems. Overhead clearance follows standard modern garage design guidelines (typically 8 feet 2 inches on the ground entry levels and roughly 7 feet 0 inches to 7 feet 2 inches on upper elevated decks). Drivers of oversized vehicles, such as raised overland rigs with rooftop luggage boxes, commercial high-roof cargo vans, and campers, should heed posted clearance signage at the Arapahoe Street entrance or use open-air surface perimeter lots.

Prime Location & Nearby Attractions

Situated on the southeast perimeter of the Colorado School of Mines campus, Mines Parking Garage II provides convenient access to both higher-education venues and downtown Golden attractions:

Campus Academic & Event Hubs: Just steps from the Green Center, Cecil H. and Ida Green Graduate Hall, Arthur Lakes Library, the Student Center, and the renowned Mines Museum of Earth Science (5 to 8 minutes on foot).
Athletics & Recreation: A comfortable 8- to 10-minute walk brings visitors to the Clear Creek Athletics Complex, Marv Kay Stadium at Campbell Field (home to Oredigger football), and the Student Recreation Center.
Downtown Golden & Washington Avenue: Located merely 4 blocks (a scenic 6- to 8-minute walk) south of Golden's main historic dining, retail, and shopping district along Washington Avenue.
Scenic Parks & Clear Creek: Golden History Park, the Clear Creek Walking Trail, and Lions Park are within a 10- to 12-minute stroll, offering access to kayaking, river tubing, and trail walks.
Coors Brewery: The Coors Brewery Tour visitor staging areas are situated approximately 10 to 15 minutes away on foot or a short 3-minute drive.

Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity

Drivers can access the garage entrance directly from Arapahoe Street between 17th and 18th Streets. Arapahoe Street connects smoothly to 19th Street to the south and 14th Street/10th Street corridors to the north, offering reliable flow into central Golden and avoiding heavier university pedestrian crossings on Illinois Street. Post-event egress is straightforward, dispersing vehicles quickly onto 19th Street toward US-6 or north toward Highway 58 and Interstate 70.

The facility is well-integrated with local public transit. Passengers can board the complimentary Golden Ore Cart campus shuttle, which stops adjacent to campus facilities and loops frequently between campus, Downtown Golden, and the RTD W Line Light Rail terminal at the Jefferson County Government Center - Golden Station. Regional RTD bus lines along 19th Street and Washington Avenue provide additional multimodal connections across the Denver metro area.

Facility Amenities & Key Features

Covered Multi-Deck Stalls: Shields vehicles from Colorado's winter snow, summer hail, and harsh sun.
Smart Space Indicators: Outfitted with an automated capacity-sensing and electronic signage system that highlights open bays for swift navigation.
Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging: Features multiple dedicated ChargePoint Level 2 EV charging stations.
ADA Accessibility: Equipped with designated accessible parking spaces situated near passenger elevators and compliant ramps.
Modern Safety & Lighting: Bright LED illumination, emergency call boxes, security cameras, and routine campus safety patrols.
Convenient Digital Payment: Integrates with ParkMobile for rapid mobile pay-by-cell transactions, alongside automated on-site kiosk pay stations.

Ideal For

Campus Visitors & Prospective Students: Perfect for campus tours, departmental meetings, conferences, and prospective family visits.
Orediggers Sports Fans & Event Attendees: Convenient covered game-day parking for football, basketball, and athletic competitions at Marv Kay Stadium and Lockridge Arena.
Commuters & Downtown Golden Patrons: A dependable staging area for diners, shoppers, and professionals looking to avoid congested downtown Golden street parking.
Weekend Hikers & River Tubers: An easily accessible jumping-off point to explore Clear Creek, North Table Mountain trails, and local open spaces.

Visitor & Driver Tips

Colorado School of Mines operates as a permit-and-pay campus Monday through Friday between 7:00 AM and 5:00 PM. If visiting during these weekday enforcement windows, remember to pay via the ParkMobile app (entering the zone number posted on the garage signage) or use the walk-up automated pay station before walking away from your car. Rates are structured affordably with daily and hourly options. Outside of regular business enforcement hours and on standard weekends, parking rules may relax, but drivers must observe all reserved, maintenance, and ADA stall restrictions 24/7. Set your navigation device directly to 1701 Arapahoe Street and turn into the primary garage entrance mid-block for immediate covered parking.