So convenient to Denver and one of the nicest trail heads I've been to...clean bathrooms with running water? Yes please! There are a lot of different trails to choose from and the park does a good job trying to control hiking v mountain biking traffic with a even/odd day system. read more

Apex Trail - Parks Near Me - Golden, Colorado

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Well maintained trail with some nice variety. Was pretty crowded but overall it didn't seem like too many people and also the parking lot is huge. One of the main trails has an alternating schedule between bikes and no bike days. On the bike days you can't hike on that one so check the schedule before going. The other trail allows both bikers and hikers all the time. read more

Apex Trail - Parks Near Me - Golden, Colorado

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Amazing trail! I can't wait to be back maybe next summer and do the tube river trail. The water looks so refreshing and there was so many people enjoying the trails by waking or going down the river. They do have rattlesnakes in this park so there's several signs warning people but it definitely looked a fun place for a nice pick nick by the water. read more

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So Far this is my fav hike near Denver. Apex is 20-25 mins from Denver. It is an incredibly well maintained trail with ample parking....and bathrooms. Plenty of shade once you get to the Enchanted Forest. Dogs allowed and alternate days for bikers and hikers ( although there were some Dbags biking when they should not have been there. Place fills up on weekends so get there early read more

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Nice local trail. Good views at the top and a decent incline. A little muddy so would recommend on a dry day

Great trails for beginners to more moderate. Very close to Denver also which makes for a nice afternoon!

I recently came here on a Saturday morning for a hike with a friend, and I had a pleasant experience. The parking lot is HUGE, so don't worry about not finding a space to park when you arrive. I can't remember the name of the trail that we went on, but it was really fun and exhilarating. It took about 2 hours to complete the loop, so it was just the right amount of time. Out of all the trails I've hiked on in and around Denver, this is by far one of my favorites. read more

Apex Trail - View of Denver from the top of the trail - Parks Near Me - Golden, Colorado

I expected more from this trail. AllTrails never failed me until this point. It's rated as hard on their app. Well it's not. To make it more challenging take the trail counter clockwise and look up every so often to make sure you're doing exactly that. It's a total of 12.2 miles loop and you gain 2,614 feet in elevation incrementally. If you hike a lot this is an easy trail. It's very pretty. The day I went I'd say 75% of the trail was covered in snow around 8:30. By 10 am the trail was all muddy. You will be walking next to a creek about 2 miles in. No signage to give you the mileage but this is not unusual. Easy to follow signs will guide you to your target destination. Dogs are allowed but must be leashed. Big parking lot and one of the cleanest toilet! This and a few others are super close! We are lucky to live in a state where hiking trails are everywhere! read more

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A lot of hikes in this are. We did the Apex and Pick N Sledge trail, easy to moderate and doable in 2-3ish hrs. Very close to Downtown Golden and Colorado Mills Mall. read more

Wow wow wow! This was a highlight of our trip to Colorado. We had a 4.7 mile hike with over 1000 feet in elevation increase without killing ourselves. Pay attention to the day of the week as the bikes on the trails require a lot of stepping of the trails etc. The high point though is that everyone is so courteous and works together to make it seemless. There are beautiful views and well marked trails. We say creeks, wildlife, mountain views, city views, birds, and more. It was amazing!!! I think even days is the best for runners and odd is the best for bike riders but check before you go! read more

Apex Trail - Broke glasses? No.problem. run it off. - Parks Near Me - Golden, Colorado

Love this trail for a quick trip into the foothills with relatively low traffic...lots of cyclists if anything...the full loop at dusk may find you walking amongst herds of deer or elk. The trail has some nice burn and a great view from all vista points... This is a great trail to bring visitors that is close to the city. read more

Apex Trail - Parks Near Me - Golden, Colorado

Challenging run for sure. Wow! Loved the rocky climb, definitely a good practice for a backcountry camping expedition, next time I'll pack up and practice. Had a great time, quick 20 mins from home. Running down the hill was super fun. Will definitely be back! read more

Apex Trail - Parks Near Me - Golden, Colorado

Who knew this gem was a mere 20 minutes from Denver?! Gave the Apex a try this weekend and will definitely be lacing up my hiking boots here more often. This trail has all the things you need as a novice, not particularly outdoorsy gal--a giant parking lot, clean and modern bathrooms, and well marked trail signs to keep you from getting lost for hours on end. Apex has a good variety of loops for a sort of "choose your own adventure," moderately difficult hike. Trails are slightly narrow and we were walking at a slower pace, so we stopped every so often to let other hikers (and the occasional mountain biker) by. Views are pretty pretty, although not as breathtaking (IMHO) as some of the hikes in Boulder and other parts of Colorado. There's not much shade on this trail and I can imagine it gets pretty hot in the summer months. Despite trudging through a good amount of snow and mud, we were pretty warm on the 60ish degree day. Definitely bring water, sunscreen, and a hat if you're planning on being out there for a while! I didn't see any rattlesnake signs here like I have at other nearby trails, which either means snakes don't like hangin' out here or they aren't great about warning hikes (hopefully the former). Can't wait to get back out to Apex sooooon! read more

Unfortunately, the Enchanted Forest trail was closed when we arrived at Apex Park. I had looked up the trail prior to coming here and we were really looking forward to it. Nonetheless, we were there to go hiking so we found a different trail. The park had flooded a few months back and really destroyed a lot of the natural habitat. There is a bulletin board with lots of information and what trails are open. They are working hard to restore the area, but these things take time. They have one nice and clean bathroom which is nice. We decided to do the pick n' sledge trail which is a steep hill climb. This was definitely more difficult than the trail we had planned on doing, but we like a challenge. One thing I would be aware of about this trail is that there is no shade, so wear sunscreen and a hat if its sunny! We are going to wait awhile to come back to this park in hope that they will have fully recovered the area. Hopefully the Enchanted Forest trail is open when we return! read more

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Apex is a great hiking trail and so close to Denver! It is a quick easy hike. Most of the trail get nice southern light. It does get crowded on weekends and you must be aware of mountain bikers. read more

Apex Trail - Parks Near Me - Golden, Colorado

Apex Park provides a vast trail system just minutes away from the city. With restaurants, bars and shopping within miles of the trail head, it's an ideal spot to bring beginning hikers and out-of-towners who want to get in some quick views before enjoying some good brews. The various trails allow for hikers of all levels to find an enjoyable and challenging hike, from quick 30 minute trail run to an all day 15 mile excursion. Apex Park is particularly popular with bikers and runners. As a runner with weak knees, I appreciate the gently undulating hills and wide switchbacks that are a little easier on the body than your typical trail. Hiking during the winter months offers far more opportunities to spot wildlife. Using the Pick 'N' Sledge/Argos Trails to climb to the top of the mountain, you might find areas of matted down grass and shrubs where elk herds sleep and scan the scenery below. The animals here are used to seeing humans, but it's always a good idea to keep your distance and keep your dog on a leash. During the spring/early summer months, I particularly like hiking the main Apex trail along the stream into the "enchanted forest". The lush backdrop will make you forget you're in the drought prone SW for at least a few minutes. All in all, a great trail system, especially for beginners. read more

Woot! Everyone knows i love the great outdoors! The place is right at the gps location, so that's wonderful! There are plenty of routes to make it as long or as short as you can! There are a number of cyclists and they go really really fast, so take care and be aware! Nature is amazing, there alot of elk and deer at twighlight, and even if it's windy you go down into a gully to escape that. read more

After all the flood damage of last year, gradually they are repairing this challenging trail system. Phase 1 is open, which means Argos; Pick N Sledge, Grubstake and Bonanza trails are all open. During the Flood Recovery work, the usual odd/even directional flow is not in effect, which makes the trails quite busy on weekends. If you're a mountain biker, be prepared to have slight trail variations to some of your favorite rides, like Enchanted Forrest and Pick N Sledge. When this trail system is open, you can ride/hike from the Heritage Square parking lot all the way up to look out Mountain Road. If your not in great shape, take two cars...park one at Heritage Square and the other at Lookout Mountain and take the flowing arduous journey down through Enchanted Forrest into Apex and down to the parking lot. The scenery is incredible; wildlife is abundant and you'll be ecstatic knowing this trail is so close to the foothills. Keep checking back at: http://jeffco.us/parks/parks-and-trails/apex-park/ To see which phases are open, enjoy! read more

Located next to Heritage Square in Golden, Apex Park is a nice, relatively uncrowded hiking/biking spot just a short drive from Denver. It's pretty obscure, I had driven down Heritage Rd many times before I ever noticed it. I finally got a chance to hike here this weekend and will definitely return. There is an ample amount of parking-- we parked in the lower lot but you can also use Heritage Square's parking lot to be right by the trail head. For mid afternoon on a weekend, we hardly encountered any people on our hike. We passed a handful of hikers and a few mountain bikers, but I couldn't get over how peaceful it was! There are many different paths to hike on, although a portion of the Apex trail is still closed for flood restoration. Back in the 1800s, the Apex trail was one of the 3 main routes into the mountains. Eventually, the trail that is now I-70 gained the most popularity and it became a major highway and Apex trail became a nice park. You can't follow the original route very far (Apex trail is only 2.8 miles round trip), nor can you tell that it was ever a major thoroughfare of the old West. But it's still cool to think about. The trails weren't terribly challenging but they are definitely a good workout. The Enchanted Forest trail is beautiful and it provides a lot of shade, which is always welcome in the summer. A nice place to check out! read more

My favorite mtb riding spot in the central CO area. Tons of parking, trails in this network provide excellent challenges and balance of challenge/fun. It can get crowded of course, so if you can go at off peak times you'll get more out of it when riding. Good spot for a hike as well, but why hike when you can ride! :) read more

Close to Denver and you don't have to get on I70 westbound. New bathroom structure at the lower parking lot. Can get busy, but great for a this time of year. In the summer it's brutal with the heat and most of the trails are exposed. read more

I went with my dogs and had a great time! Very cool place to hike. Close to town and well marked. You can mountain bike as well as hike. read more

Apex Trail - Parks Near Me - Golden, Colorado

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This was a nice trail...it has many different routes you can take to make it as long or short as you'd like. The only thing you should be aware of is that there are TONS of people on mountain bikes and they come out of nowhere. If you don't mind jumping out of the way quickly, this trail will be ok for you. They were all very polite. read more

On Saturday flew in from Texas so this was my very first hiking experience in Colorado. It was great. About knee deep snow off the trail and hard packed snow on the trail. Traction footwear would have been a great idea. I must have slipped and fell 20 times. It was absolutely beautiful with a snow flurry or two adding to the scene. read more

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Great Park, fun trails. If you are into trail running this is your ticket. There are two paths one that goes up the mountain and its not paved but bikes are welcome to the trails as well so its a bit rougher for feet. The paved way is a great path for a nice run. read more

The trail was pretty busy when we went today. There were tons of cyclers, runners, and hikers! We decided to just hike 1.5 miles and then turn around for another 1.5 miles. We were probably there for about 2 hours or so. There's a lot of hills and definitely lots of rocks! There were some cute little creeks and lots of huge trees. If there is a nice scenic view, we didn't make it that far. Maybe next time we will go further! read more

Brutal climb to a very big reward on the techy downhill sections kept a smile on my face the entire way down.

This used to be one of my favorite front range hiking trails. The bikers have taken over this trail. Some bikers go so fast they nearly run you over. read more

As a recovering first time mom, this trail was perfect for my fitness level. The hus and I hiked Apex and Enchanted Forrest yesterday around 10am (Sunday). We had our 11 month old in a hiking carrier and went on our way. It was pretty crowded with mtn bikers and we weren't ever secluded or alone with people in front of us and behind us. Not ideal but it didn't really bother me too much since I needed frequent breaks while hiking up the mtn. I was hoping for more of a clearing to take a break before we turned back towards the parking lot but overall we were able to find a good spot to rest and feed our son before packing him back up and heading down. We will definitely be back to check out the other trails this summer. read more

This is a great park to hike! I live really close so I usually walk over to the Apex trail system about once a week to take my dog for a walk. The trails are well kept and there is a great views of Denver from different high points along the trails. There is a stream on part of the trail that my dog loves to stop at and cool down. It gets very busy on the weekends though and walkers need to keep a good lookout for fast downhill bikers. read more

Came to Denver for a few days and wanted to do some hiking while in town. Found this trail & decided to do it since it was near the city. It is a nice trail once you aren't along side of the road...I tend to go hiking so I can get away from the city noise so being so close to the road wasn't so fun for me. I enjoyed the scenery once I continued on the trail. It is a busy trail with quite a bit of mountain bikers. If you have a couple hours to kill and decide to stretch your legs check this trail out. Plus you can always head down to the Coors Brewery for a drink afterwards since it's right in town. read more

I was really frustrated by my experience at Apex Trail. There is a map, which appears to designate that mountain bikes are allowed on a specific route, west-bound only, on odd numbered days. Today was the 15th. We attempted to hike on a trail that is not part of the "west only, bicycle one-way" trail. Our grouping was 2 dogs, 2 kids ages 4 and 6, and 3 adults. We encountered NUMEROUS mountain bikers east-bound (on the narrow, rocky trail that the map had indicated wasn't for mountain bikes on that day). It completely ruined the experience for us, as we spent the entire hike dodging people on mountain bikes and trying not to let our kids or dogs get run over with the limited sight lines and rocky terrain. Our kids tripped and stumbled multiple times trying to jump to the side of the trail for the bikes and we finally gave up, turned around and went home. I will be seeking out hiker-only, dog-friendly trails from here forward. Having a multi-use trail with such limited sight lines and mountain bikers flying down these narrow rocky trails that are supposedly also for other uses, just wasn't safe or fun. From what I could tell from our very brief hike, it should have been a beautiful, relaxing, enjoyable day-- the park was great except for the experience I've outlined above. I won't bring my kids or dogs here again. read more

Great hiking trails close to Denver. The park is very well maintained. They also provide brochures with the trail maps for all to take. I'm used to going on hikes where you are lucky if there is a map somewhere at the trailhead for you to take a quick picture before you start. There is also a bathroom by the parking lot. Good trails but best come early to avoid the crowds and also to get started before the temperature gets too hot as most of the trail is not shaded. read more

Love this trail! Close to my house and easy to get too. Last time I went I saw two rattlesnakes so stay aware of your surroundings!