Penrose Commons Trails is located just outside Penrose, CO, not far from Pueblo or Colorado Springs or Canon City.
Penrose itself has a couple ammenities. A 24 Hour gas station mostly. It's nowhere to be after dark though, the sidewalks get rolled up early. If you need something after that, you'll be driving to a bigger town.

It can be confusing to find, as roads marked on online maps do not reflect the local road name. All you need to know is 3 St in Penrose is the road you need. Coming off Highway 115, take the second right, County Road 127. The sign is right there so you know you're on the right road. Stay on that road for a couple miles and you'll hit the gate.

This area is southern Colorado and is hot, dusty, and prone to severe flash flooding. So there is a gate at the entrance. Although unless it's actually raining, I doubt you'll find a locked gate. www.staythetrail.org shows the governing DOW station and it's number, so call ahead. However, Colorado is VERY dry, like Arizona dry......so chances are you won't find a locked gate.

The terrain is rocks. Mostly broken shale with very sharp edged rocks about the size of your fist. None of these are planted, and will roll around and get kicked up. Anything buried in the dirt is a BIG rock. This makes ground clearance a very handy thing to have. Sport quads and other solid rear axles may hit the rocks, but I see lots of them out, so obviously it's not so bad as to be unridable.

Trails run for miles and are well marked. Some open up a little and allow blasts of speed, but these are short runs before finding slow going rocky areas. None of the trails except one are remotely difficult. Only that one trail is a serious 4x4 trail. However, all trails include some techincal areas and a couple boast pretty vicious hills in them, but are otherwise fairly easy.

Beyond those small bits of technical climbing/descent, the entire system is easy to ride. My daughter on her 90 has little trouble out there. Probably better for family riding than those out for a hardcore experience.

The area is home to Independance Trail, most likely the hardest 4x4 trail in the state. Home to custom built truggies and such. It's only a half mile, but you are all but assured of damage in that time. You won't find quads on it though- the 6 foot shelf just to get into Indy separates real trucks from toys.

Being where it is, the area is also home to rattlesnakes. I haven't seen any yet, but I hunt the area and know they are there. Just a thought if you step off trail to take a whiz.........

Certainly not the best trail system in CO. You can't really keep up high speed, but the slow stuff is mostly small rocks and not difficult, just slow. There are some challenges to be found, especially for utility type machines, but largely the area is very easy to ride and worth a day of your time if you're not looking for 5th gear rips and jumping triples.

Worth a trip, but unless you live locally, probably won't be your 'go to' place to ride.

Once again- it's very hot and dry there. Bringing water is more important than bringing extra gasoline. You'll be looking at 100+ temps there during the summer, every day. It's also pretty dusty.

As with all ATV Parks, you must have a CO OHV sticker on your machine. It is enforced too.....I see DOW guys out every trip anywhere in this state.

Also, if you're a visitor, don't forget that near Canon City is the Royal Gorge Bridge and the Arkansas River with whitewater rafting, kayaking etc. The Springs is a town of almost a half million, home to the AFA, Olympic Committee, etc. Lots to do. It's also possible to ride Penrose in the morning, then load up and try another park (like Texas Creek) in the same day. Although anything down there is hot and dusty and full of rocks.

Hope to see you there!