Trail Use Changes at Apex Park - Effective March 15, 2010
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 "In minutes one can escape the urban life."

-- Liza Shepard, Golden

Apex Park area once provided a climatic relief from the heat for lowland dwellers.  Although secluded, the park is accessible from the foothills above Golden.  Parking and trail access are achieved through cooperation with Heritage Square.  Park visitors are encouraged to be good neighbors, please do not trespass on private property.

Apex Park offers a wide range of scenic and historic features. Its location in the foothills above Golden provides a secluded mountain retreat that is readily accessible to the urbanized area of Jefferson County. The Apex Trail follows Apex Gulch, where a pleasant little stream flows for most of the year.

Natural Resources
Upon entering the Gulch one totally loses the sense that thousands of people live nearby. Side trails lead to vantage points in the higher parts of the park. From here, one gains magnificent vistas of the metropolitan area stretching across the plains. Other trails yield unusual views of special geologic features, such as the Hogback Formation, Green Mountain and the Table Mountains. An interesting variety of plant life is found within the park. These range from the moisture seeking plants of the stream bed to the drought tolerant cacti, which hang on the steep, exposed, upper slopes.

History
The park also offers points of interest for the history buff. Apex Gulch was the path of the "Apex and Gregory Wagon Road". This toll road was one of the early routes to the gold fields of Central City (then known as the Gregory Diggings). At the lower end of the road lay Apex City. This frontier settlement was sited at the present location of the Heritage Square Shopping Center. It was here that the tolls were collected from miners and suppliers who were headed for the gold fields. Tired horses could rest and extra teams might be hooked up for the steep uphill haul. Weary travelers could refresh themselves as well.

Justice in this frontier town was administered swiftly and informally. The Rocky Mountain News of July 24, 1861 published the following account. "A gentleman just down from Apex informs us that he saw a man hanging to a tree this morning a short distance from the road ... We understand from another source that the man upon whom this summary execution was inflicted, confessed to several horse thefts. He was arrested yesterday and preparations were made to bring him to Denver to trial; but last night he was taken in charge by a body of men who preferred that his trial should cost nothing".

The town was built upon an ancient Indian campground. At this strategic location, the Indians could venture forth to hunt buffalo on the plains or into the mountains to hunt deer or elk, the location also offered protection from enemies, as lookouts on the Hogback and upper Apex could guard all approaches to the site. As one of the most direct routes to the gold diggings, the Apex and Gregory Wagon Road operated profitably during the 1860's and 70's, but fell into disuse by the mid-1880's. Now only traces of the old road bed may be seen along the trails of Apex Park to remind us of that time.

Getting There
West access is via the Apex Trail from the parking area at the Lookout Mountain Nature Center. East access is on the northeast corner of the Heritage Square parking lot (US Highway 40 at County Road 93).  Heritage Square Shopping Center has been very cooperative in allowing the construction of an access trail across their property. Please help preserve this spirit of cooperation by respecting all trail signs, and observing not only the posted rules and regulations, but also the dictates of common courtesy. Please use the lower parking area for access to the trail, and leave the upper parking lot free for patrons of the shopping center.

It is your responsibility to know and obey Open Space rules and regulations.  Users assume liability for all risks associated with visiting this Open Space area.  Responsible use protects this resource for all citizens of Jefferson County.

Last Modified: Feb 4, 2010 10:27 AM