Prologue: Palmer Park
presented by The Warner Group
11.5 Miles + 927 Feet of climbing
Yes, back by popular demand is our time trial in Palmer Park - one of Colorado Springs’ most popular in-town parks.
With over 20 miles 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 technical rock drops that will push the top riders (yes, there are ride-around options).
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.
Again this year, the city has agreed to shut down the park to the public. Participants will enjoy having these trails to themselves for the day. The APEX is one of very few events for which this is done.
The course for 2022 will be very similar to the 2021 course. Look for us to post it later this summer.
Course Video
2021 Recap of Stage 1 at Palmer Park
2021 Preview of Stage 1
Course Overview
Location & Parking Details
Palmer Park
3650 Maizeland Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80909 