Type: Road/Trail, Loop
Difficulty: 6 / 10
Altitude: 6,125 ft
Dog Friendly: Yes, with leash
Jog-Stroller Friendly: Unknown
Filed Under: Running
Nestled in the Rocky Mountain Foothills fifteen miles west of Denver, there stands a symbol of nature\'s unparalleled majesty. Red Rocks is a geologically formed, open-air Amphitheatre that is not duplicated anywhere in the world. With Mother Nature as the architect, the design of the Amphitheatre consists of two, three hundred-foot monoliths (Ship Rock and Creation Rock) that provide acoustic perfection for any performance.
Red Rocks Park is in a unique transitional zone where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains. The area of Red Rocks, originally known as the Garden of Angels, has attracted the attention of musical performers since before the turn of the century. The majestic setting of the Amphitheatre, along with the panoramic view of Denver, makes for a breathtaking scene.
The dramatic sandstone monoliths serve as a history book of animal and plantlife in the area for the past 250 million years. Some of the rock formations in Red Rocks slope as much as 90 degrees, while others tilt backwards. The southern monolith, that bears resemblance to a ship, is named \"Ship Rock.\" On the opposite side of the Amphitheatre stands \"Creation Rock.\" Both of the monoliths are taller than Niagara Falls, and the Red Rocks Amphitheatre was once listed as among the Seven Wonders of the World.
Plan to start your run(s) at the Red Rocks Trading Post, just below the ampitheatre at Red Rocks. There is ample parking so long as there isn\'t a concert going on. The park is open from 5AM to 11PM, daily free of charge. On event days, tourists (and runners) are permitted to visit the park until 5:00 PM.
Route: There are both road and trail options. The road is a good hill workout, has almost no traffic, and can be run without lights.
Road Run: Follow the yellow line. Starting at the Trading Post (TP), head down the hill. At the first junction (L), take a left and follow the road ~?mi to the Will Call booth. Take the next left on the dirt road (D1). Go left up the dirt road to the next paved road (D2). Go left up the paved road. At the 3-way junction (3-WAY), go left and head back towards the TP. Go right just before TP. This road winds down hill for about 3/4 mi. At the road junction (B), make a sharp left and head up the road to the next junction (L). You've gone ~3.7mi. From here, you can repeat the loop, staying straight at L the first time, then going left and returning to TP the next lap, for 7.4mi. You can repeat just the lower loop (TP-B-L-TP) for 6.1mi. Repeating just the upper loop (D1-D2-3WAY-TP) is 5.3mi.
There are several ways to add more. From 3WAY, run up-and-back either to the observation point (OBS), 0.7mi; through the tunnel to the upper lot (UL), 0.9mi; or both, 1.5mi.
The dirt road from D1 to D2 may be muddy, so be prepared to improvise.
Trail Run: Follow the purple line. Starting at the Trading Post (TP), head up the hill past the ampitheatre. Just before 3WAY, faster runners should look for a trail on the right. Take the trail down the hill, then parallel the dirt road up to D2. Slower runners should go right on the road to D2. At D2, take the Red Rocks trail up into Matthews Winters park. At RR, ~0.7mi up, stay right at the trail junction and follow the trail around the plateau. To avoid any major climbs, continue to MS or beyond; and return the same way. If you\'re looking for more hills, continue around to MS. The trail comes in from behind. Take a sharp left, climb up the switchbacks (this trail can be icy), across the plateau, then down the other side. Stay right at RR and down the trail to D2. For a shorter way back, at D2, go right to 3WAY, then left to TP. For a little longer return, follow the dirt road from D2 to D1; go right on the paved road; about a 1/3-mi up, take the trail back up to TP (red on the map).
Red Rocks Amphitheatre is located near Morrison, 15 miles west of Denver. Coming from Downtown, travel on I-70 west to the Morrison exit, #259. At the bottom of the exit ramp turn south (left) onto Colorado Highway 93 and continue to the entrances. Westbound 6th Avenue may also be used to connect with I-70 West. Coming from south Denver, travel on C-470 west to the Morrison Road exit. Turn to the west into Morrison and follow the signs to the Trading Post.
Posted by: tradkelly and last modified on Feb 02, 2006 by thoos
Comments
Be the first to leave a comment, advice, or personal anecdote.
Leave a Comment