Your VX will honestly do fine on trails stock. As for some trails to just play around on that are close by there are some right behind Black Hawk / Central City casino area on Yankee Hill. It is only about 45min from Denver, a little farther from where you live. I take 6 right into the mountains. It will take a little longer to get back because some of the trails will take you father out. These trails are fairly easy to do and very scenic too. There are a lot of off shoots. Great for beginners to moderate. Anything harder you will have to go farther out.

Also Keith is right about taking a day trip, because you do really want to take a whole day off because once you are in the mountains you really don't want to leave! If you what to find some other great trails there are books that you can buy from almost any bookstore. I recomend "Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails Vol.1 & Vol.2" These books have great directions and levels of difficulty from easy to hard. The easy ones are a little too easy. Shoot for the moderate. Both books are by Charles A. Wells.

You should also make time for the Colorado Zu coming this year. I had a good time last year and Keith and the rest of the group in Trailseekers are all awesome people. I hope to have a lift this year so i can run with the big boys. Some of their trucks are insane! Very cool. I really need to win the lottery. I have only seen the ice races from a far once a long time ago from the highway. I don't know how darning i would be to do that seeing that my VX is nowhere near paid for. I am fine just watching. I wanted to see some this last year but couldn't because of my schedule.

If you ever what to do some random wheeling Randy just drop an e-mail. Once school is out i see myself being up in the mountains every weekend.