Flying J Ranch 

☑️ Check another Jefferson County Open Space Park off my list.

This week I completed a morning trail run at Flying J Ranch Park in Conifer. 

Pretty setting. Pleasant morning temperatures. Peaceful. Blue skies. Not too crowded on a Monday morning. (This trail is shared with mountain bikers and lots of dog walkers)

This was an ideal park for a trail run for me because:

1. Great shade among the pines, pondarosas, and fir trees made the summer heat (even in the morning) more bearable. 

2. Perfect length loop run. I followed the three mile long Shadow Pine Loop. Trails are well marked and easily defined. Of course, like most Jeffco Parks, printed maps are available at the trailhead.

3.  The trail itself is fairly flat with gentle hills here and there to boost the workout. The trail is mostly loose dirt with very few large rocks or tree roots to maneuver around.  

And last, here’s a sweaty trail selfie because there really aren’t any scenic viewpoints at this park. I always look for the “camera” icon on trailmaps whenever I go anywhere because that is usually where I set out to explore. Very scenic none the less and I will return for many more runs. 

BIG NEWS THIS WEEK!

Why will I be back for more trail runs you ask? Well, this week I committed to running a Ragnar Trail Relay Run in Tampa with my brother Matthew and friends this December! Thrilled and ready to train hard for success! It’s probably going to feel pretty darn good running at sea level.