Denver Broncos Stadium Tours at Empower Field at Mile High

Most Denver fans planning a trip to Empower Field at Mile High focus on tickets, parking, and where to tailgate before considering what happens inside the building outside game windows. Stadium tours run year-round through the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, and they are the cleanest way to see parts of Empower Field most fans never reach. Walking the route once before a game changes how visitors approach seating, gate selection, and how the building moves on Sunday. The Broncos sell out every home game, so seat selection matters, and seeing the bowl from ground level shifts ticket decisions the next time a game is on the calendar.

Empower Field at Mile High opened in August 2001 and replaced the original Mile High Stadium on the same site. It carries the same elevation, the same fan base, and the same team identity, but the architecture is completely different from the bowl it replaced. Five seating levels, a steel and glass facade, 76,125 seats including 8,200 club seats and 144 luxury suites, and 1.8 million square feet of interior space. None of that is obvious from a seating chart. Tours are how Denver visitors understand the scale.

The route covers roughly half a mile and lasts 75 to 90 minutes, starting at the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum at Gate 1 on the west side. Stops include the playing area, the Visiting Team Locker Room, an executive suite, the United Club Level, the Keg Room, Thunder's Stall, an end zone, the Press Center, and the Television Truck Production Area. Tours do not run on game days or other event days, which makes scheduling part of how Denver fans plan a Broncos trip.

Denver is a destination city for football travelers, and a trip built around Empower Field tends to span LoDo, the riverfront, and the Sports Castle area as much as the stadium itself. The difference between a well-planned Denver weekend and a rushed one comes down to understanding the building before kickoff. That is the lens this guide uses, since the right Denver Broncos trip usually folds in a tour, a hotel near downtown Denver, and tickets booked together rather than spread across three platforms.

What You Experience on Denver Broncos Stadium Tours at Empower Field at Mile High

The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame operates a single behind-the-scenes route at Empower Field. There is no Classic, Premium, or VIP tier system the way some NFL clubs structure their tours. The visit runs 75 to 90 minutes across multiple stadium levels, led by CSHoF guides. Tickets are booked through the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, not the Broncos box office, and tours run Thursday through Saturday with seasonal hour shifts. Reservations are required, and groups of 25 or more must schedule two weeks ahead.

The route opens inside the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum at Gate 1 on the west side of Empower Field. The museum traces Colorado sports history across disciplines, not just Broncos history, with biography panels, sports timelines, and the Nuggets center-court display. Early arrivals can spend extra time in the museum at no extra charge before tours begin. The CSHoF museum is free on its own; the tour is the paid component.

Field access is the most-requested part of the route, and Empower Field delivers a perspective most stadium tours cannot match. Standing in the south end zone and looking up across five levels of seating gives travelers a sense of how the bowl plays at ground level. Tour guides reference the Broncos' three Super Bowl wins (XXXII, XXXIII, and 50), the franchise's eight AFC Championship runs, and the home-field advantage created by the elevation and the Denver fans. Ground access ties directly to ticket decisions, since standing on the sideline changes how seat purchases get evaluated when fans return for a game.

The Visiting Team Locker Room is the locker-room stop, not the Broncos' own room. Tours do not access the home locker room because it stays in active use by the football operations group year-round. The visiting room is what NFL opponents use during the season; the tour walks visitors through the prep area, training tables, and layout. The mural marking the mile-high elevation sits just outside the visiting room as a reminder of the altitude advantage Denver fans take for granted.

Premium and broadcast access make up the middle of the route. The United Club Level is the main premium product at Empower Field, and the tour walks visitors through one of the lounges, showing the food and beverage layout and how access works on game day. An executive suite is included as well, giving travelers a real-world look at the suite product before deciding to upgrade. The Press Center on the upper level offers elevation no general ticket reaches, and the Television Truck Production Area shows how broadcast feeds get assembled.

Thunder's Stall and the Keg Room are the team-identity stops. Thunder is the Broncos' live Arabian horse mascot that runs around the stadium after every touchdown, and the stall is part of the route. The Keg Room is a private space inside Empower used for events tied to the Broncos organization. Both stops are unusual on the NFL tour circuit. Tours wrap by passing the Ring of Fame area on the way back to the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum.

Unique Features of Empower Field at Mile High

The structure of Empower Field shapes the entire Broncos experience, and walking through tours makes that clear in a way no seating chart can. The building sits at 5,280 feet above sea level, less than 50 feet from the original Mile High Stadium site, and the elevation is the most-discussed feature of the Denver venue. Tours reference the altitude at multiple stops, including the mural outside the Visiting Team Locker Room. Kickers benefit from the extra distance the ball travels in Denver, and 76,125 Denver fans at full volume create one of the strongest home advantages in the NFL.

The Ring of Fame circles Level 5 of the bowl and is one of the venue's signature visual elements. Pat Bowlen created the Ring in 1984 to honor former players, coaches, and administrators who shaped the Broncos. Names sit on the Level 5 facade where visitors at every level of the stadium can see them. John Elway's name was moved to the center of the ring, between the goalposts of the north end zone, when the Ring was carried over from the original Mile High Stadium. Thirty-eight individuals are currently honored, including Elway, Floyd Little, Shannon Sharpe, Terrell Davis, Champ Bailey, Steve Atwater, Peyton Manning, John Lynch, Randy Gradishar, Gary Zimmerman, and the late Pat Bowlen.

The Ring of Fame Plaza on the south side is the outdoor companion to the Ring inside. Twenty-four corten-steel pillars (with more added since the 2013 unveiling) carry bronze likenesses sculpted by Brian Hanlon. Each pillar carries the player's name, jersey number, and a plaque detailing accomplishments. The pillars use the same corten steel from the original Mile High Stadium, a deliberate design link between the two buildings. The Pat Bowlen statue sits adjacent to the plaza.

The bowl distributes premium across multiple levels rather than concentrating it on one side. United Club Level seating, executive suites, Ring of Fame suites, and party suites are spread across the 200 and 400 levels, all with access to the United Club lounges. The 8,200 club seats and 144 luxury suites integrate into the bowl rather than wall off from it. The undulating upper profile and the steel-glass-aluminum skin function structurally and visually.

Empower Field is more than a Broncos venue. The building hosted Barack Obama's acceptance of the Democratic presidential nomination at the 2008 Democratic National Convention. It opened in August 2001 with an Eagles concert and has hosted U2, Taylor Swift, Metallica, and major NFL playoff games. The Mile High Monument on the south side is open to the public on non-event days as part of the CSHoF tour route; on game days it converts into the Broncos VIP Tailgate, a ticketed pre-game experience that opens three hours before kickoff. The venue has been renamed four times since 2001: Invesco at Mile High, Sports Authority at Mile High (2011), Broncos Stadium at Mile High (2016), and Empower Field at Mile High (September 2019).

Why Denver Broncos Stadium Tours Are Worth It

The strongest reason to book a Broncos tour is what it does to ticket decisions for the next Denver game. Comparing the United Club Level lounge, the executive-suite layout, and lower-level perspective in person before booking is the kind of decision most Denver fans never get to make. After walking the route, fans know whether the club-level upgrade is worth it, whether the lower bowl reads differently east versus west, and how the upper-level Ring of Fame seating angles into the ground. Those decisions are worth $200 to $1,000 per seat across a full Broncos season.

Behind-the-scenes access is the second reason. The Visiting Team Locker Room, Press Center, Television Truck Production Area, and Thunder's Stall are spaces no game-day ticket reaches. For Denver visitors who already have tickets, walking the route during the same trip turns one venue into two visits. The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum included with the ticket adds Colorado sports context that goes beyond the Broncos.

For first-time Denver visitors, the tour is the best orientation to a building that confuses out-of-towners. Empower has five levels, three premium tiers, and Gate numbering that is not intuitive without walking it once. Tour the day before a game and arrive knowing where Gate 9 sits relative to Gate 1 and which concourses circulate the bowl. That alone removes 20 to 30 minutes of game-day confusion.

The emotional connection is the under-discussed value. The Ring of Fame stops, the Bowlen statue, and the Mile High Monument tie the tour to Denver football history in a way the broadcast version cannot. Walking past Elway's name centered between the north end zone goalposts, standing at Demaryius Thomas's pillar, or hearing how Floyd Little became "The Franchise" in 1967 locks the trip into the Denver trip itself. Tours give visitors the Broncos history built into the stadium, not the version on a highlight reel.

The tradeoff worth naming is timing. Tours do not run on game days, and the Thursday through Saturday 10am to 2pm window does not match every schedule. Travelers flying into Denver on Saturday afternoon for a Sunday game miss the morning window unless their flight lands by 10am Mountain. The fix is to arrive Friday and book the route Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. Pricing varies by date; confirm through the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame before booking.

Planning Denver Broncos Tours with Flights, Hotel and Tickets in One Package

Tours are one piece of a Denver Broncos trip, and coordinating them with tickets, a hotel, and flights is the bigger planning challenge. Demand for Denver home games is consistent, since the stadium has sold out every game since opening in 2001, extending a sold-out streak that began at the original Mile High Stadium in 1970. That demand makes booking each piece on a different platform slower and more expensive than a structured package.

Elite Sports Tours bundles Broncos tickets, downtown Denver hotels, and optional flights into one structured booking. The single-source approach matters more for Denver than for some NFL cities because the venue sits on the west side of downtown and hotel selection drives transportation choice. A LoDo hotel walks to Union Station and connects by rail to the stop near Empower; a Tech Center hotel adds 25 minutes each way.

Bundling tickets, hotel, and flights tends to land at a better total than booking each separately, especially during AFC West weekends when Chiefs, Raiders, and Chargers fans flood downtown Denver. Travelers who plan three or four months ahead land better Denver hotel rates and tour flexibility than late-bookers competing for the same dates.

Tour scheduling is easier when the trip is aligned. Knowing flight times and game kickoff turns the 75 to 90 minute tour into a Friday afternoon or Saturday morning slot rather than a coordination problem. For repeat Denver visitors, the tour becomes a standalone Friday activity that does not require a separate travel weekend.

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Denver Broncos Stadium Tours FAQ

How do you book Denver Broncos tours at Empower Field at Mile High?

Tours are booked through the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, not the Broncos ticket office. Online booking is available through coloradosports.org. Group reservations of 25 or more must be scheduled two weeks ahead by phone. Tours are not available on Broncos game days or other major event days at the stadium.

What do Denver Broncos tours include at Empower Field at Mile High?

The route includes the playing surface, an executive suite, the United Club Level, the Visiting Team Locker Room, the Keg Room, Thunder's Stall, an end zone, the Television Truck Production Area, and the Press Center. Admission to the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum is included with the tour ticket. Specific stops are subject to change based on stadium operations.

Can you go on the field during an Empower Field tour?

Yes. Field access is one of the standard stops on Denver Broncos tours, and the route includes time in the south end zone area. The exact field access depends on what events or maintenance are happening on the day. The Broncos do not allow tours onto the playing surface during periods of field repair or event setup.

How long are Denver Broncos tours?

Tours run approximately 75 to 90 minutes and cover about half a mile of walking. The route is fully ADA-accessible. Comfortable shoes are recommended, since portions of the route move quickly between levels and brief sections are outdoors.

Are Denver Broncos tours available on game days?

No. The Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum and the stadium tours do not operate on Broncos home game days or other major event days at Empower Field. Travelers should book the tour for the day before or the day after a game, or align the visit with a non-game weekend.

Are Denver Broncos tours worth it?

For first-time Denver visitors and for fans planning to upgrade their seating in future seasons, the tour is worth booking. Field access, the Visiting Team Locker Room, the Press Center, and the United Club Level walk-through are spaces no game ticket reaches. Travelers who already attended games at Empower Field but never saw the building from the inside out get the most value from booking the tour as a standalone activity.

When is the best time to take a Denver Broncos tour?

The Thursday through Saturday tour schedule pairs well with a Sunday Broncos game. Booking the tour on the Friday or Saturday before kickoff is the most common pattern for Denver visitors. The offseason between February and August has more available dates without competing with home games. Hours vary seasonally, and the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame is the source of truth for current scheduling.

Where do Denver Broncos tours start at Empower Field at Mile High?

Tours start inside the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Museum at Gate 1 on the west side of Empower Field. The museum address is 1701 Bryant Street, Denver, CO 80204. Visitors are encouraged to arrive 15 minutes early to check in and explore the museum before the tour begins.

Can you plan Denver Broncos tours as part of a travel package?

Yes. Elite Sports Tours can coordinate Broncos game tickets, downtown Denver hotels, and optional flights into a single structured package, with the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame tour fitting into the schedule on Friday or Saturday. Travelers who want field access, premium-level walk-throughs, and a game ticket on the same trip should book the tour through the CSHoF directly and use the package for tickets, hotel, and travel.

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Editorial Note & Travel Expertise

This guide was written from the perspective of planning real Denver Broncos trips, not summarizing Empower Field in the abstract. Tours intersect with ticket choices, hotel decisions, and how visitors structure a Broncos weekend, so this page treats them as part of trip planning, not a side activity.

Tours sit in the planning conversation because they affect ticket decisions for future games, hotel timing, and how visitors structure their Denver day around Empower Field. Walking the route once gives travelers building knowledge that changes seat selection on the next visit and removes game-day confusion.

Elite Sports Tours solves the trip-coordination problem for Denver fans. Bundling tickets, hotel, and flights into one booking removes the back-and-forth of building a Denver weekend across multiple platforms during sold-out divisional games.

Travel Information Disclaimer

Tour availability, hours, pricing, and stops on the route are subject to change based on stadium operations, weather, and scheduling decisions by the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame and Empower Field staff. Information accurate at publication may shift during the Denver Broncos season.

Hotel availability and pricing in downtown Denver varies by date, opponent, and city-wide event load. Divisional weekends, concerts at Empower Field, and major Denver events affect what is available and at what price. Book early for high-demand windows and confirm details with the booking platform.

Always confirm current Denver Broncos tour availability, Empower Field policies, and tour routes before finalizing trip plans, since hours and stops change with the event calendar.

Updated April 2026