The next Master Plan meeting for Red Rocks Open Space, Section 16 and White Acres is tonight at 6:30. It is being held at the Westside Community Center, 1628 W. Bijou St. The focus of tonight’s meeting is trails.
Info on trails in the areas and other information on the Master Plan process is posted on the Colorado Springs website. The schedule of future meetings for those open spaces is also posted there.
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We only had a little bit of snow at my house yesterday but 15 miles to the north there was over a foot of snow. Tomorrow is supposed to be cold again with snow showers. Today was an gorgeous mid 60 degree day.
Julie and I went for a hike in Red Rock Canyon Open Space. Our 4 year old was in the pack on my back. The hike put her to sleep.
I looked out at Red Rocks Canyon from my parent’s kitchen every day growing up. It’s such a beautiful place! It looks better now than it did then since the landfill is closed. It would be a shame if houses get built on White Acres along the upper part.
After the hike, I rode my bike over to pick up my kindergartener from school. After we rode back home, I rode some more. I felt good most of the ride. At the end, I was on empty but it was a good feeling.
Sunday we had another beautiful, warm day. I didn’t get out until mid afternoon but I still started in shorts and short sleeves. We had lunch at my parents and then I headed over to Red Rock Canyon Open Space which is only a few blocks away. I played around a little at the freeride area but I really wanted to get in my favorite loop and then ride the 6 miles home before it got dark.
My favorite loop includes quite a bit outside Red Rock Open Space. I go up by the pond on the Red Rock Canyon trail and then past the old landfill. When I was a growing up, that was where we’d take loads of trash. Now if you get too close to the vent pipes, it smells like 20 year old trash.
From the old landfill, I take a cool singletrack that connects near the beginning of Section 16. Then I take Section 16 and Intemann trail over almost to Crystal Hills and catch the Sand Canyon trail. I’ve always like descending down it. Most of the hikers don’t wander over there so it’s generally clear.
After riding the loop, I hit the Midland and Greenway bike paths to get home. I got to my house just as it was getting dark.
Related Link: Red Rocks Canyon Open Space trail map
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Red Rocks Open Space is one of our newer open spaces right at the edge of town. There’s some great stuff there for hikers, mountain bikers and rock climbers.
With the Intemann Connector, it’s easy to make some great loops. My favorite trail for descending is the Sand Canyon Trail. The lower trails especially around the ponds and the quarry are pretty busy with hikers. I don’t see many hikers around the old landfill or on the Sand Canyon Trail. Red Rocks seems to have gotten pretty popular with rock climbers too. Of course there’s also the free ride area near the parking lots off Highway 24.
Saturday I rode over to Red Rocks Open Space. I let the kids play in the pond for a while and then rode up to the quarry. The kids got out and climbed up the stairs cut into the rock and I dragged the trailer up into the quarry. The kids played around in the rocks there.
Danielle wanted me to ride around more but Cassidy hates bumps when she’s in the trailer. Just going back down the Greenlee trail had her screaming. It made it worse since she was really tired. Both her and Danielle fell asleep soon after we left the open space and slept the 7 miles home.
It was windy and had been during the night. The Burley really catches the wind but it was manageable. A big cottonwood tree had fallen down in Monument Valley Park right by the trail. It missed most of the trail with the way it fell but I still wouldn’t wanted to have been close when it came down.
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