Apex Park
| Park Map |
Difficulty Rating (1-5 scale, 5 being the most difficult)
Physical: 3
Technical: 4
Navigational: 3.5
Apex is one of the three most popular parks in the Jeffco Open Space System. The challenging terrain makes it a haven for local mountain bikers. Being close to town, the trails can be quite crowded on warm weeknights. For longer runs, you can connect to the top of Chimney Gulch, connecting at the bottom via paved bike paths.
The lower 2/3 of Apex, most of Pick N Sledge, and Sluicebox are fairly rocky, and Enchanted Forest. has some big roots, leading to it's high technical difficulty. However, Bonanza, Grubstake, and the upper part of Apex are more moderate, and the newer Hardscrabble and Argos trails are fairly smooth.
To reduce conflicts, Enchanted Forest and Argos trails or one-way uphill for bikes on odd numbered days.
Weather and Seasons
Apex is mostly a warm and dry season park. It's a good location on windy days because it's fairly well protected, once you're in the canyon. The canyon doesn't get much sun in the winter, so many of the trails can be icy in the winter. However, it can be a fun place to run when there's several inches of snow, and even snowshoe with a deeper pack.
Driving Directions
Meet at the large lot below Heritage Square, by the kiosk and large trail map. From Golden, take Heritage Rd 1mi N from hwy 6, and turn into the lot just before Colfax/US40. From I70, take the Red Rocks exit, #259. Go N down US 40 towards Golden ~1mi. Turn left towards Heritage Square, an immediate right to the lower lot, and continue to the NW corner of the lot.
http://goo.gl/maps/5pdN
Running Routes
We run longer in the lighter seasons, and shorter in the darker seasons.
On Thursday nights, DTR has different routes at each run. The different routes are designed so that we can accommodate runners of different speeds and still start/finish at about the same time. See more info on choosing the appropriate route for you.
Physical: 3
Technical: 4
Navigational: 3.5
Apex is one of the three most popular parks in the Jeffco Open Space System. The challenging terrain makes it a haven for local mountain bikers. Being close to town, the trails can be quite crowded on warm weeknights. For longer runs, you can connect to the top of Chimney Gulch, connecting at the bottom via paved bike paths.
The lower 2/3 of Apex, most of Pick N Sledge, and Sluicebox are fairly rocky, and Enchanted Forest. has some big roots, leading to it's high technical difficulty. However, Bonanza, Grubstake, and the upper part of Apex are more moderate, and the newer Hardscrabble and Argos trails are fairly smooth.
To reduce conflicts, Enchanted Forest and Argos trails or one-way uphill for bikes on odd numbered days.
Weather and Seasons
Apex is mostly a warm and dry season park. It's a good location on windy days because it's fairly well protected, once you're in the canyon. The canyon doesn't get much sun in the winter, so many of the trails can be icy in the winter. However, it can be a fun place to run when there's several inches of snow, and even snowshoe with a deeper pack.
Driving Directions
Meet at the large lot below Heritage Square, by the kiosk and large trail map. From Golden, take Heritage Rd 1mi N from hwy 6, and turn into the lot just before Colfax/US40. From I70, take the Red Rocks exit, #259. Go N down US 40 towards Golden ~1mi. Turn left towards Heritage Square, an immediate right to the lower lot, and continue to the NW corner of the lot.
http://goo.gl/maps/5pdN
Running Routes
We run longer in the lighter seasons, and shorter in the darker seasons.
On Thursday nights, DTR has different routes at each run. The different routes are designed so that we can accommodate runners of different speeds and still start/finish at about the same time. See more info on choosing the appropriate route for you.