The Buckley SFB guide

• Fly into Denver International (DEN), about 12 miles and 20 minutes north of the base via E-470 or Peña Blvd to I-70. DEN is a major hub with nonstop flights from nearly everywhere; rental cars are at a consolidated facility a shuttle ride from the terminal, so budget an extra 30 minutes. A car is essential — there is no practical transit to the gates.
• The Mississippi Gate (E. Mississippi Ave at Aspen St) is the only 24/7 gate. The 6th Ave Gate runs limited weekday hours (sources list a 5 or 6 a.m. opening and 6 p.m. close, with shorter weekend hours), and the Telluride Gate has been closed until further notice. Confirm on the official Buckley gate-hours fact sheet before a late arrival.
• The Visitor Control Center is open 7 a.m.–3 p.m. Monday–Friday, walk-in only, at 720-847-9381. Sources differ on whether it sits at the Mississippi Gate or the 6th Ave Gate (372 N. Aspen St, Bldg 41), so call ahead. Bring a REAL ID-compliant license or passport; visitors without a CAC need a sponsor.
• Traffic on I-225 and I-70 backs up hard from 7–9 a.m. and 4–6 p.m., and E-470 is a cashless toll road that bills the rental-car company (and you) by plate. Winter storms can close 6th Ave and Mississippi Ave for hours — leave early and check base social media for delayed-reporting calls.

• No DoDEA schools on base. Base housing is zoned to Aurora Public Schools: Edna and John W. Mosley P-8, Murphy Creek P-8, Vista PEAK P-20 Campus, and Gateway High School. APS maintains a dedicated Buckley families page with Interstate Compact enrollment help.
• Most off-base families choose among Aurora Public Schools, Cherry Creek Schools (south Aurora and Centennial), Denver Public Schools (Central Park, Lowry, Green Valley Ranch), and Douglas County (Parker). Colorado is an Interstate Compact state; ask the district about Purple Star-designated campuses.
• School Liaison Program: 720-847-6694 (duty cell 720-661-7411), Youth Center Bldg 350, 460FSS.FSY.SchoolLiaison@us.af.mil, Monday–Friday 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Contact them before you pick a neighborhood — they know which schools have room.
• Childcare runs through the A-Basin Child Development Center (Bldg 351) and Family Child Care homes. Waitlists are long in the Denver metro, so request care on MilitaryChildCare.com as soon as you have orders.

• 460th Medical Group is an outpatient clinic, not a hospital: Bldg 600 (MDG North, 275 S. Aspen St) and Bldg 392 (MDG South, 18230 E. Silvercreek St). Appointment line 720-847-9355; hours 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Wednesday. No emergency room or urgent care.
• For emergencies call 911 or go to UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital or Children's Hospital Colorado on the Anschutz Medical Campus (about 15 minutes west on Colfax), or The Medical Center of Aurora (about 15 minutes southwest). Urgent-care clinics line E. Colfax and S. Parker Rd.
• TRICARE West Region, administered by TriWest Healthcare Alliance since January 1, 2025. Update DEERS and your PCM on arrival; TDY travelers use the TRICARE Nurse Advice Line or a network urgent care.

Commissary

Open 362 days a year with a full bakery, deli, sushi bar, and Click2Go curbside pickup

Exchange

AAFES BX with a food court, barber, optical, and Military Clothing

Fitness

Buckley Fitness Center: 4,600 sq ft weight room, indoor track, basketball and racquetball courts, cardio and aerobics rooms, sauna

Dining

Panther Café for coffee and light bites, Rickenbacker's Coffee Shop (Starbucks) in the Rocky Mountain Lodge lobby on weekday mornings, and the BX food court

MWR

Panther Den lounge (evenings Wed–Fri), Outdoor Recreation gear rental, ITT for ski and Denver attraction tickets

History

Opened in 1938 as a Lowry Field bombing range, became Naval Air Station Denver in 1947, Buckley AFB in 2000, and Buckley SFB on June 4, 2021

1. 01Altitude is real at 5,663 feet: drink twice the water you think you need for the first two days, go easy on alcohol, and pack lip balm and lotion — the dry air will get you.
2. 02The Mississippi Gate is your only 24/7 option. If you land at DEN after 6 p.m., set your GPS for E. Mississippi Ave and Aspen St, not 6th Ave.
3. 03Call the Rocky Mountain Lodge (720-847-5899) as soon as you have orders and get the non-availability number in writing before you book off base — Guard drill weekends and exercise cycles fill it fast.
4. 04Denver per diem jumps from $165 to $215 on April 1; if your TDY straddles the change, your DTS voucher should reflect both rates.
5. 05E-470 is cashless tolling by license plate. Rental companies add a daily convenience fee on top of the toll, so take I-70 and I-225 if you have the time.
6. 06Afternoon summer thunderstorms bring hail with no warning — park under cover when you can and don't leave the car on the flightline apron side of the lot.
7. 07Snow days are handled by base social media and the delayed-reporting hotline; a 6-inch storm can make the 15-minute drive an hour. Keep an ice scraper and a blanket in the car November through April.
8. 08PCS families: put your name on the Hunt housing waitlist and the CDC waitlist the day you get orders; both run months long, and the MHO must clear you before you sign any off-base lease.

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