Kyle Wagner

The eggs Benedict and the green chile are worthy choices at the Pegasus Restaurant in Castle Rock.

With its comfy wood furniture and house-like décor, the inviting atmosphere at Pegasus Restaurant (313 Jerry St., 303-688-6746) makes it easy to settle in for a while over a good cup of joe while you plan your day, but the best reason to stop by this welcoming eatery – which serves three meals daily – is to get breakfast before 2 p.m., especially for the real-hollandaise eggs Benedict and the peppery, medium-hot, green chile.

Kyle Wagner

Half the fun is in the search at The Barn, a co-op of more than two dozen antiques and specialty shops in Castle Rock.

The Barn (400 Third St., 303-814-0066) is a co-op of more than two dozen antiques and specialty shops delightfully crammed into one enormous former lumber company building – and it’s easy to spend an entire afternoon (or more) exploring every exquisitely decorated nook and cranny. Each proprietor has a unique style and collection – one might feature French linens and china, while another vintage jewelry or clothing, and yet another furniture or art – and half the fun is the sense of discovery. The Barn Too next door holds more antiques.

If you need to walk off, say, some eggs Benedict, the Mitchell Creek Canyon Trail is a nice, moderate 1.5-mile loop through ponderosa forest and open grassland. Part of the trail follows Mitchell Gulch Creek, and because only pedestrians and their dogs are allowed, it’s a quiet area, with plenty of birds and other wildlife. To get there, take exit 184 from Interstate 25 and follow Founders Parkway for 4.4 miles. Go left on Colorado 86 for 2 miles; turn right on dirt driveway to park at trailhead.

Kyle Wagner

Go simple or elaborate with the burgers and shakes at Crave in Castle Rock.

It may feel as though Crave (3982 Limelight
Ave., 303-814-2829) is a bit out of the way, but the set-up with a movie theater across the parking lot and a smattering of shops in the surrounding developments is kind of ideal. Not to mention that the well-conceived and well-executed burgers at this casual spot make it enough of a destination on its own. Some of the combinations are so over the top, they have to be eaten to be believed – the 3 Little Pigs, with pulled pork, ham bacon and cheese, or Dim Sum Daffy, with roasted duck, hoisin sauce and onions – but this place doesn’t sacrifice taste for catchy names. Pair it with an equally flavorful milkshake (adult versions available, too).

Ridgline Open Space offers up to 11 miles of open, prairie singletrack for mountain bikers, easy enough for beginners to get through it, but with enough switchbacks and steeps to keep more skilled riders interested. It’s a great conditioning season-starter, dries out early and provides several options for continuous loops, and it’s pretty much impossible to get lost, because they all connect and eventually drop you back into the main Coachline trail. To get there, take exit 182 from Interstate 25 and head west for 1.5 miles. Turn right on Coachline Road and go 1 mile. Turn left on Foothills Dr and go .4 miles. Turn left on Clear Sky Way and go .25 miles, park at Bison Park on the left and access the trail from any of several trailheads within a block or two of here.

Kyle Wagner: 303-954-1599, outwest@denverpost.com, twitter.com/kylewagnerworld