Get out of the House! Red Rocks Park

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Daniel Gage
  • 90th Missile Wing Public Affairs
F. E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  Red Rocks Park, located outside of Morrison, Colo., offers many options for those looking to get out of the house for a day or a whole weekend.

Once listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Red Rocks Park and amphitheater is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

While many people familiar with the park first think of outdoor concerts held at the amphitheater, the 640 acres surrounding the 9,450 person capacity concert venue is a popular recreational destination.

Situated at 6,450 feet elevation, Red Rocks offers views of Denver from nearly 1,000 feet above, from both the concert seating area and the trail system surrounding the area.

The two main trails around Red Rocks, Trading Post trail and Red Rocks trail offer nearly 10 miles of hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, though Trading Post trail is designated hiking only.

Trading Post trail takes hikers through many of the famous rock formations in the park on a 1.4 mile loop. While taking hikers through meadows and valleys, much of the trail travels along steep grades and exposure, and a majority of the trail is less than three feet wide. Those taking children on a hike in this area should take extra precautions.

The Red Rocks trail is a six-mile loop connecting in Matthews and Winter Park where visitors may ride horses, mountain bikes or embark on a longer hike.

Those looking for an even more intense workout may want to join those running up and down the 69 rows of seating in the amphitheater area. This area is open to the public for free along with the rest of the park, including the surrounding trail, visitor center and museum on site whenever there isn't a concert taking place.

For visitors who want to enjoy the incredible scenery of the area without a cardiovascular strain may enjoy a drive through the park. Red Rocks was originally designed as a driving park, meaning the roads throughout the area offer numerous views of the rock structures and the Denver skyline below.

Please be on the lookout for cyclists while driving along the scenic roads of Red Rocks Park as they are also a very popular destination for those on two wheels as well.

For those bringing their pets along on a hike please be sure to keep dogs on leashes at all times.

Rock climbing at Red Rocks is also strictly forbidden and can lead to arrest, fines and jail time.

Red Rocks Park and Visitor Center is open year round, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. May through Sept. and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. through April. The park is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas day and after lunch on days when a concert is scheduled.

For more information on Red Rocks Park and Visitor Center, other attractions in the area or a schedule of concert dates, please visit www.redrocksonline.com.