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Chair Rocks Mountain Bike Trail
Conifer, Colorado
MTB TRAIL STATS
Avg Rating:    |
4 trail reviews |
|
Status: updated 7/23/07 by arnolda14 |
Difficulty:  Beginner |
| Length: 12 miles | Global Rank: 872 |
| Tread: Singletrack | Configuration: Out & Back |
| Ridden: 13 | Wishlist: 29 |
| Avg. Speed: 5.05 mph | Avg. Time: 2hr 23min |
Directions:
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Description: The first five and a half miles of this route follow the Colorado Trail. Find the signs that show you to the trail and head north for about a mile where the trail crosses the road (it’s now called Deckers Road – either way, it’s CR126). Cross the road and go about 4.5 miles until you get to road 538. Pay Close Attention here. The Colorado Trail continues across the road, but don’t follow it. Turn left on the forest road and go just under a tenth of a mile and look for the trail on your right. The trail, being seldom used, is a little hard to see. Look for a sign that says “No Motor Vehicles” and a little gap in the gate. This is the trail. Go up about ¾ of a mile and reach the rocks. Chair Rocks has got to be one of the great unsung heros of Front Range mountain biking. The tread is mostly smooth, if not a little loose in spots, the hills are gentle and the singletrack is seemingly endless as it winds its way in and out of the Buffalo Creek burn area, around, near and right up into some really groovy rock formations. There’s great wildlife watching, flowers, expansive vistas, breathtaking valleys and hardly another human soul on the trail. If you bring a camera, plan on adding at least an additional hour to your ride time and bring lots of film/card space. Also, bring a pair of walking shoes. You will want to walk around the rocks where your cleats can do a lot of damage. Awesome views of Raleigh Peak to the east, Long Scraggy Peak to the south and once you get up to the Chair Rocks, Banner Peak and the Cathedral Spires to the north.
Description: The first five and a half miles of this route follow the Colorado Trail. Find the signs that show you to the trail and head north for about a mile where the trail crosses the road (it’s now called Deckers Road – either way, it’s CR126). Cross the road and go about 4.5 miles until you get to road 538. Pay Close Attention here. The Colorado Trail continues across the road, but don’t follow it. Turn left on the forest road and go just under a tenth of a mile and look for the trail on your right. The trail, being seldom used, is a little hard to see. Look for a sign that says “No Motor Vehicles” and a little gap in the gate. This is the trail. Go up about ¾ of a mile and reach the rocks. Chair Rocks has got to be one of the great unsung heros of Front Range mountain biking. The tread is mostly smooth, if not a little loose in spots, the hills are gentle and the singletrack is seemingly endless as it winds its way in and out of the Buffalo Creek burn area, around, near and right up into some really groovy rock formations. There’s great wildlife watching, flowers, expansive vistas, breathtaking valleys and hardly another human soul on the trail. If you bring a camera, plan on adding at least an additional hour to your ride time and bring lots of film/card space. Also, bring a pair of walking shoes. You will want to walk around the rocks where your cleats can do a lot of damage. Awesome views of Raleigh Peak to the east, Long Scraggy Peak to the south and once you get up to the Chair Rocks, Banner Peak and the Cathedral Spires to the north.
added on July 23, 2007 by 
NEARBY TRAILS
- Colorado Trail / Morrison Creek (Lunar Loop) in Deckers (0 miles away)
- Colorado Trail / Green Mountain in Deckers (0 miles away)
- Buffalo Creek in Pine (3.2 miles away)
- Colorado Trail / South Platte To Buffalo Creek in Deckers (6.2 miles away)
- Buck Gulch in Pine (6.4 miles away)
TRAIL REVIEWS review this trail
reviewed by rsmarg on September 27, 2009
This trail is USDA certified pure cross-country. It has great flow, long sight lines, and great views of Mt. Evans & Bierstadt on the way out and Pikes Peak on the way back, yet no major climbs or descents, and no major technical sections. With the exception of the scenery this is the exact type of trail you’d find in the Vegas/Phoenix/Albuquerque desert areas. As such its great for beginners, yet more advanced riders can push it hard to get a great workout and even get a couple scares. That’s because the tread – like all trails in the Buff Creek area – is sandy and pebbley. At speed this stuff can act like ball bearings. In addition, while the trail generally follows the contour there are enough sharp turns lurking in the runouts of the woops to keep you on your toes. The trail is perfect for hardtails, rigids, singlespeeds, fixies, and night riding. In fact, I’d say its actually better on a hardtail since you’re pedaling and pumping most of the time, even on descents, so no need to deal with the bounce of a full springer. My only problem with this trail is the distance it takes to get there. Its a solid 50 minutes from Evergreen and 20 minutes from Pine Junction. If you're an advanced or fit rider its probably a good idea to plan on hitting some other trails in the area to make it worth the drive time. If you're a beginner its worth it if you plan to check out some of the eateries or bars in the Buff Creek, Pine, Conifer areas. Probably not worth a trip just to ride this trail by itself. Couple of suggestions for directions. 1) I don’t recommend parking at the National Forest Service’s Pine Trailhead unless you intend to ride the other trails out of there, too. Not only do you have to pay to park there but the ride to the main Chair Rocks trail is on service road and downhill, which means you’re climbing to get back to your car. Instead there’s a turnout off Deckers just before the NFS parking area. It’s on the west side of Deckers Rd. exactly 2.9 miles from the ranger station. (If you’re coming from the south its just past the lefthand turnoff for the NFS area on your left. Cross the road from there for the trail. 2) On the trail at the 4.5 mile mark, when you get to the junction of Raleigh Pk. Rd and Lion Cave you want to go hard left on Raleigh Pk., not Lion Cave. (Both are to the left of the Colorado Trail). Then proceed as noted 1/10th mile to the trail to Chair Rocks on the right. I give this a 4-star because its a "Classic". Better than a 3-star "Good" but not a 5-star "Epic."
Similar Trail: Anything in the Buff Creek area, Alderfer-3 Sisters, Lower Elk Meadow
reviewed by inferno12 on May 20, 2009
I just rode this trial and it was a great single track. It is definitely a beginner when it comes to the technical aspect but it is not so much a beginner trail when it comes to the physical aspect. It is a steady climb to chair rocks and it kicked my butt!!! Loved the trail and can’t wait to do it again. When you come from the south take Hwy 67 North and stay left at Deckers. After you pass the Kelsey campground, you have about another mile or so and then make a left at the 550 road (its marked well). The parking lot will then be on your right. Also there is a $5 parking fee for the parking lot which I don’t think was mentioned in previous information.
reviewed by travboss on November 24, 2008
Good beginner trail in the Buffalo Creek neighborhood. If you start from the parking lot it starts downhill then it is a series of mellow ups and downs. So the finish is kind of a burner but overall a great beginner trail with nice scenery. We rode it at the end of November and only saw traces of snow. Thus making it a good late season ride at somewhat higher elevation.
* Review edited 11/24/2008
reviewed by teamfreak16 on July 28, 2007
This is a fun, underappreciated trail, I've had several great days of riding here. It's a nice, steady climb up to the Chair Rocks, and then a fun downhill coming back. Plus, you can take a newbie to ride it without getting them discouraged. Overall, a blast to ride, too bad more people don't know about it.
Similar Trail: The Chutes, Columbine
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