Take your bow and arrow on the trail at Cheyenne Mountain or Barr Lake this summer. Both Colorado state parks offer walking 3D archery ranges as well as standing ranges. On a 3D range, archers move from station to station in a wilderness setting, shooting 3D animal targets at various distances.
“You walk the trail and shoot at 3D targets,” explained Michelle Seubert, Barr Lake Park manager. Barr Lake’s 3D range has 10 target stations, ranging from elk to a stegosaurus, and is open sunrise to sunset.
“The targets vary for yardage: each shot has different marked yardage on it,” said Jeanette Lara, administrative assistant and archery instructor at Cheyenne Mountain.
Cheyenne Mountain’s 3D range boasts 28 targets and opened in 2014. “The shooting conditions change, too, to give the archer a real hunting experience. We have hillsides, creeks, trees, shrub cover.”
Both parks also offer standing ranges, and use is included as part of the regular park pass fee. You can find additional options
on the CPW website for archery ranges at state parks, such as Lathrop State Park’s variable distance, two-target standing range in southeast Colorado.
Cheyenne Mountain’s 3D range requires a separate permit for visitors older than 17. The day permit is $3 or the annual permit is $30. Annual permits are valid starting April 1.
Many parks offer regular archery lessons for beginners. At these classes, typically offered on weekends, equipment is provided. Check the
Parks Calendar for details.
CPW instructors also participate in the Colorado Archery in the Schools Program, which trains educators to incorporate Olympic-style target archery into their school’s physical education curriculum.
