Stage 1

presented by The Warner Group

Day 1: Thursday, September 23, 2021

Palmer Park

Approximately 10+ miles + 1,000 feet of elevation

Palmer Park is one of Colorado Springs’ most popular in-town parks. With over 20 miles Stage 1 Palmer Park of trails and amazing views of downtown and the front range, this is a popular destination for locals to hike and bike. From the two western lookouts on top of the mesa, you can see the front range all the way from Palmer Lake and the Air Force Academy down to the tips of the Spanish Peaks south of Pueblo. The trails are a wide mix of different terrain—all the way from wide open crushed gravel walking paths to super-technical rock drops where you better have your big girl/big boy pants on. The course will avoid the double black diamond sections but will include a great mix of slickrock sandstone riding, rocky singletrack, purpose-built flow trail and several wide open sections for passing.

Expect the course to be around 10-12 miles with about 1,000 feet of climbing. Like last year, the city has agreed to shut down the park and give it to us for the day. The APEX is one of very few events for which this is done. Maybe it will be the same course as last year, and maybe not. We will say this much: The City of Colorado Springs, Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates, and the Rocky Mountain Field Institute have ALL been working on these trails since last September, so wherever the course goes you are in for a good time at one of our favorite places to ride!

PLEASE NOTE: All 2021 course info is TENTATIVE until all permits are in place with agencies including El Paso County, USFS, and Colorado Springs Parks. We are in the application process now and everything should be finalized in the coming months.