Ruby Hill Rail Yard, a Free Urban Terrain Park, Now Open for Eleventh Season

That dusting of snow came just in time to christen Ruby Hill Rail Yard, the country's first free urban terrain park, which opened on January 12 for its eleventh season of skiing and snowboarding. A joint effort of Winter Park Resort (which is owned by Denver) and Denver Parks & Recreation, the park features eight to ten rails and boxes of varying configurations and skill level. Weather permitting, it will stay open until the end of February.

Weather is always the key to the Ruby Hill Rail Yard operation; volunteers from Denver Parks and Winter Park Resort began making snow on December 28, and recent storms accelerated the process.

“This is a very unique and creative program that gives our residents and visitors, especially kids, an opportunity to enjoy skiing and snowboarding at an urban terrain park in their back yard,” says Parks & Rec director Happy Haynes.

Christy Sports is back on board, too: The on-site facility will be open from 3 to 8 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays, loaning snowboards and skis; volunteers will help with fit and adjustments. (Those eight to seventeen will need a parent present to sign a release form.)

Ruby Hill Park is located off South Platte River Drive and West Florida Avenue, and is open daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.; the Ruby Hill Rail Yard is lit until 9 p.m. Find out more on the Ruby Hill Facebook page.