Dakota Ridge operates as a closed campus for freshmen and an open campus for sophomores, Juniors, and seniors. It sits atop a hill on Coal Mine Avenue, overlooking Foothills Golf Course to the south. A new wing was added roughly ten years after its original opening.
Attendance zone
Areas within the school's attendance zone include: Ken Caryl CDP
Extracurricular activities
Student groups and activities at Dakota Ridge include BASIC, choir, DECA, Eagle Productions, Eagleaires, FBLA, FCCLA, Gay Straight Alliance, International Thespian Troupe 5837, Key Club, math club, mock trial, National Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, newspaper, robotics, science club, snow riders club, student government, and yearbook. The school's athletic teams, known as the Dakota Ridge Eagles, compete in CHSAA class 5A in the Jefferson County League. Teams are fielded in baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, ice hockey, lacrosse, poms, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, volleyball, and wrestling. In 2007, the men's cross country team won the State Championship. The women took their turn in 2008, setting a state record for dominance with the fewest team points scored in 5A state history leading them to the State Championship. The 2012-13 cheerleading squad also brought home the League Championship for both Varsity & JV and won the CHSAA 4A/5A Coed State Championship in December 2012. The cheer squad went on to the USA Nationals Cheerleading & Dance Competition in Anaheim, California placing third in the nation. The next season the Co-Ed Cheer squad took the state title for the second time in a row.
Instrumental music and performance
Marching band The Dakota Ridge "Screamin' Eagles" Marching Band and Colorguard had its inaugural competitive season in 1998 and has since competed in the Colorado Bandmasters Association unit in class 4A. The band is historically notorious for being understaffed in their hornline, while maintains a large but high performing color guard. Winter Guard The Dakota Ridge Winter Guard has competed in the Rocky Mountain Color Guard Association as well as Winter Guard International,and has received two state championship titles as well as other medalist finishes in the RMCGA unit. Percussion Ensemble The Dakota Ridge Percussion Ensemble has had several finalist finishes since its inception in 2004, including RMPA State Champions in PSCO class in 2014, 2015, and 2016, as well as RMPA State Champions in PSCA class in 2015. In the 2016 season, the Percussion Ensemble attended the WGI 2016 world championships in Dayton Ohio, finishing as World Champions in PSCO class.
