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Description
Steep prolonged climbs. Steep, prolonged (if you are lucky) descents. That

pretty well summarizes most mountain biking in the Rockies.



If you want a break from that, but still want some interesting and scenic

single track, This “Best of Brockover” loop may be just what you are looking

for.



The trail head is only a few miles outside Pagosa Springs. Starting elevation

of 7550 feet, this fairly flat, meandering trail only climbs 600 feet – to a high

point of 8150 feet – over the first seven miles. It then drops into a long,

winding, shallow descent with plenty of tight, smooth corners to keep you

paying attention.



Plan to make this a leisurely ride so you have time to look around. It is a

very scenic trail with views of open Ponderosa forest glades, lush swale

bottoms, rocky canyon rims, and long views of the continental divide.



If your schedule doesn’t allow for the full 15 ½ mile ride, this figure-eight

loop pieces together a network of shorter loops. See other routes in the

Turkey Springs area. Explore and create your own route to fit your

schedule and mood.



Mileage



0.0 Start at Gate 5. (See Google map at right) Within first

100 yards (50 yards? … Don’t overshoot it) take one of two trails crossing

the drainage/wash on your left. (Hint: The second trail is an easier

ascent.) Don’t be intimidated by this tricky start: this is the most technical

part of the whole ride. Walk at the start and ride pain free the rest of the

day. Follow the “Boy Scout Trail” along the Martinez Canyon rim heading

south.



2.45 Arrive at “tee” intersection with the “Martinez Spur

Trail.” Turn left. Follow the trail .7 mile down the hill to the edge of a rocky

stream bed.



2.52 Don’t cross the rocky stream bed, but continue straight

ahead (right turn?) onto the “Creek Trail” single track. This will follow the

right side of the creek bed going west.



3.0 Arrive at “tee” intersection with the “Silk Thread Trail.”

Turn hard left. Follow trail .14 mile across rocky stream bed and up the hill

to the edge of a large meadow.



3.14 Take a hard right onto “Round Park Trail” at the top of the

hill before entering the meadow. Follow this trail up to a wire fence gate.



3.25 Arrive at fence with wire gate. Go through the gate

(CLOSING IT BEHIND YOU!) and continue on the trail angling left.



3.75 Arrive at Round Park (marshy pond with cattails). The trail

continues west with Round Park on your left and intersects and joins an old

logging road heading northwest.



4.49 Arrive at a rock cairn in old logging road. Turn onto

single track.



4.60 Arrive at wire gate in fence. Go through the gate (CLOSING

IT BEHIND YOU!) and continue on the trail angling left.



4.74 Arrive at “Clinton’s Climb,” a short, steep uphill that most

will choose to push their bikes up. (Mike nailed it on his first trip; so it’s

rideable if you want a challenge.)



5.46 Arrive at “tee” intersection with “Elk Run Crossover Trail.”

Turn left.



6.43 Arrive at “tee” intersection with Brockover Road (FR 919).

Turn right.



6.53 After one tenth of a mile, turn left onto an old road bed /

single track marked with Forest Service carsonite post.



7.09 Arrive at wire gate in fence. Go through the gate (CLOSING

IT BEHIND YOU!) and continue on the trail straight ahead.



7.97 Arrive at a “wye” fork in the trail. Follow the left fork and

continue down “Upper Gopher Pond Trail.”



8.87 Arrive at a “tee” intersection with an ATV trail. Continue

straight ahead across the ATV trail onto single track (“Lower Gopher Pond

Trail”). Continue down the Peterson Gulch valley until trail climbs a hill and

angles left over the shoulder of a hill. Follow single track up the draw

coming down from the left.



10.53 Arrive at the top of the ridge and a “tee” intersection with

an old road bed. (Note: This road bed is hard to see and is only mentioned

here because a left turn on this old logging road will quickly take you out to

Brockover Road if you need to bail for some reason.) Continue straight

ahead on the single track down the back side of the ridge and into “The

Maze.”



11.55 Arrive at wire gate in fence. Go through the gate (CLOSING

IT BEHIND YOU!) and continue on the trail straight ahead.



11.81 Arrive at a “tee” intersection with “MBT.” Turn right and

follow single track to and along the rim overlooking Martinez Creek.



13.13 Arrive at a “tee” intersection with the “Power Line Road.”

Turn left. You will see the power line in a big meadow on your right.



13.37 Arrive at a trail junction with the “Silk Thread Trail” going to

your right. Turn right and follow the “Silk Thread Trail.”



14.84 Arrive at a junction (where the trail is taking a sweeping

turn to your left) with a faint single track turning off to your right. Take this

single track (Silk Thread Cut-off) to the right.



15.10 Arrive at a “tee” intersection with “Lower Newt Jack Road

(FR 923). Turn right.



15.80 Arrive back at Gate Five.

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