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Avg Rating:	49 trail reviews
Status: Wet / Sketchy updated 1/9/12 by mathicks	Difficulty: Intermediate
Length: 7 miles	Global Rank: #1340
Tread: Singletrack	Configuration: Loop
Ridden: 353	Wishlist: 88
Avg. Speed: 5.49 mph	Avg. Time: 1hr 29min
Elevation Gain/Loss: +2,713/-2,523 ft
2 trail check-ins

 

Colorado Trail / Green Mountain in Deckers

 

Bergen Peak in Evergreen

 

Centennial Cone Park in Idaho Springs

 

Golden Gate Canyon State Park in Golden

 

  
reviewed by Ceeski on November 14, 2011

Pretty boring, honestly. It's a good cardio workout, but the downhill isn't challenging, and there's nothing technical at all on this trail. I ride it if snowed recently and nothing else will work, and even then the north side stays pretty muddy.

  
reviewed by Boyrcr420 on September 6, 2011

Somewhat of a newbie MTN Biker (I'm generally a roadie) but this trail is a fantastic workout! It'll get you huffing and puffing that's for sure. Expect a lot of slow climbs. I did the Green Mountain Trail to the tower and then the summit trail around and back. Had a blast! I would say that this would be a difficult mid summer trail since it is very exposed but would be great on cooler days in the early Spring and Fall. You may fry up there mid July! For a local trail and great work out I give it a thumbs up for sure.

  
reviewed by delphinide on June 12, 2011

There seem to be a lot of debate about this trail, and for good reason. Personally, I love it. Why? It is a lot of great climbing (i.e. workout) with some great fast downhills...IF you can stand avoiding the runners/walkers/pets and other riders going up and downhill. I would ride this trail any day, especially after work, with the expectation that it is a popular place, and if you go when everyone else does, there will be traffic. If Slickrock was 10 miles from Denver, it would be even more crowded than it already is. I do recommend this trail, and it is even better if you link it to Dakota/Red Rocks and some of the other trails for an all day ride. Just sayin'....

Similar Trail: any trail with long climbs

  
reviewed by MtnBikeMike on March 31, 2011

This is my least favorite trail of anything near the area, had 0 fun, scenary sucks, all uphill, no cool downhills, i got up to speed one time and spent most of the ride just climing and wishing I was on my way home. The technical section of rocks by the parking area was fun, but only for about 10 minutes. Go to Bear Creek or a little further to Mathews Winters, this place sucked.

  
reviewed by epurcell on March 29, 2011

This trail IS a good after work ride, assuming you live in/near Denver. There are a few trail choices to climb, descend, and circumnavigate the area. Mix and match as you please. It can get a bit crowded, just the same as other front range trails.

  
reviewed by silver4u on March 27, 2011

This trail is not a great after work workout. This trail is a ball buster. If your not in tip top shape then do not do this trail. I thought I would have some rewarding downhills. NEGATIVE. It was climb after climb. Everytime you think its going to be downhill. HA!! Jokes on you. So unless you are Lance Armstrong on a mountain bike. Do not do this course. It will beat you down. Gave it a 2 due to the lack of fun. It was all work

  
reviewed by maddslacker on March 14, 2011

This is a great after work ride, or late season ride due to it clearing of snow quickly and being open until 11:00pm for night riding. There are a couple moderately sketchy sections, but nothing too technical. Any intermediate rider will eat it up, and pure beginners will feel challenged but will enjoy it.

  
reviewed by DanRan88 on March 13, 2011

This place gets slammed a lot because of the lack or elaborate trail design and variety. The truth is this is a great little ride, provided you take the right route, and is all around fun. It has some grueling climbs with some moderate technical sections and has some sweet downhills that are definitely earned. This ride might not be epic, but it provides rewarding views and a really entertaining ride.

  
reviewed by bstat on September 29, 2010

Here's a good loop - from C-470/Rooney lot, head *straight* on Green Mtn Trail (not up the fire road). At 4 way intersection, left onto Rooney Valley Trail. Another left (still Rooney Valley) and you begin a decent but not overly steep nor technical climb. Take to the top - total climb from C-470 lot is 2 1/3 miles - then branch either direction to Green Mtn Trail. Right on Green Mtn Trail, enjoy the quick downhill towards the radio tower, then make a right and go down Hayden Trail (which is rocky and a bit steeper, but a good downhill). At bottom of Hayden Trail - right on Green Mtn Trail and enjoy the easy single track back to C-470. About 7 3/4 mi total - you get your climb and downhill in w/o using the fire road, and it's a loop.

Similar Trail: Apex, Mathews/Winters, Deer Creek Canyon, although all 3 of these parks have much tougher rides.

  
reviewed by mwalsh23 on September 23, 2010

Great after work ride. Decent singletrack, good condition. There will be hikers on the weekend.

  
reviewed by go_big_red_ on August 13, 2010

Very nice trail, the folks from Lakewood were out working on the trail, much appreciated! I wanted to get up to the top but the jeep road on the west side is a killer climb so I ventured to the northwest side and discovered "Box o Rox" trail...very loose and hard to climb, but would be enjoyable to go down! Also, there is a nice new addition going in over on that side, check it out!

  
reviewed by Slyifix on August 10, 2010

I live very close to green mountain so i get to ride it a lot. pretty good when you can't go further out, not a lot of technical spots with a few good climbs. I wouldn't recommend riding the jeep road in ether direction unless you like grinding uphill or having to watch your speed downhill. for the most enjoyable singletrack I'd say start from the west parking lot onto green mountain trail till you hit Jon O. Hayden trail, follow that up till you hit the service road and take that heading west until to reach the 2nd "Rooney Vally" trail sign and take that all the way back down. pretty decent downhill if you go at it right.

Similar Trail: Elk meadow

  
reviewed by JohnsXCbike on June 3, 2010

Trail was hard packed, not technical at all but had some steep long climbing so it was good for that. Very narrow in some spots, no room to pass without stopping practically. Coming down on the dirt road was hectic with how steep it was, the road had very loose gravel so I had to ride the brakes hard for a long time to maintain safe speed. I imagine the trail is pretty crowded in weekends being right on the edge of town. Had great 360 views from the top. Only took me 55 minutes so it's a good after work ride.

  
reviewed by sspragu3 on September 29, 2009

Decent trail. Good choice for when you don't have time but want a quick ride.

  
reviewed by JonnyP47 on June 19, 2009

My second time riding this trail was slightly more enjoyable due to riding it COUNTER-CLOCKWISE. If you ride it clockwise like I did my first time around, you will be hike-a-bike up the 20degree incline up FireRoad. Counter-clockwise, technical rocky/loose rock climb up to the radio tower about .53 miles with some breaks in the incline to catch your breath. A nice view of DT Denver to the east. Go further on the summit and you can see RedRocks to the West. Watch out for the descent down fire road...loose gravel and rocks! Definetly had to keep my speed in check. Wish I would have lowered my tire pressure. The NE side of the mountain is favorable as there are smooth single track and 2 moderate climbs back up and around back to the parking lot. I would ride this trail again for a quick fix.

Similar Trail: Bear Creek Park, Lakewood, CO

  
reviewed by Viper45 on May 23, 2009

Nothing fancy here, just a good burn uphill and a fun ride downhill. This is a nice trail for the bikers that need a weekday fix and don't want to leave the city. I didn't encounter too many people, so it was nice that I could keep up a good pace.

  
reviewed by BarDev on January 31, 2009

It was 60 degrees today Saturday, Jan 31, 2009. There are very few trails that are ride-able in January, but since the snow has been light in the Denver area this winter and most of Green Mountain faces south, I thought it should be ride-able. My expectations were confirmed. The trail had very few wet places and none of them seemed to last longer than a few yard. At Green Mountain there are multiple routes one can choose from. I decided to the longer route of 6.75 miles, which is a loop. I started at the trail head that is located off of Alameda at the South East side of the mountain and rode clockwise. The first 3 miles were not difficult. But, at the 3 mile mark, at the pedestrian bridge, I started up jeep road. The climb is about 1.25 miles long. There many parts that have an incline of 15 percent, and one part that is over 20 percent. At the top I’m over half way through the ride at 4.31 miles. The rest of the trail is mostly down hill. I ride the jeep road for another mile or so and then ride single track for the last mile until I get to back to the parking lot. There many different routes one can take, but for the most part, you must ride to the top. From the top there are probably 4-5 different routes back to the bottom. This is a good trail for winter riding. It is also very close to Denver and is a good after work ride. There nothing too technical, but there are a couple of decent climbs.

* Review edited 1/31/2009

Similar Trail: Spruce Meadow

  
reviewed by gotdirt33 on December 24, 2008

I don't get all the bad reviews of this trail, i really enjoy it, for a nice ride thats not too hard, just a nice relaxing fun ride. i think its a fun place to ride and enjoy, i have other trails for "hell" like training days.

Similar Trail: White ranch

  
reviewed by BFD on August 25, 2008

Ugh. Beware the Box-O-Rocks. Should have taken the trail counter-clockwise, it probably would have been more fun. Although, I should have started the ride earlier in the day and not ended it in the dark, as well. All things considered, a fun ride!

  
reviewed by mspain9089 on July 16, 2008

Tough uphill, with a long switch-back downhill. Great workout.

  
reviewed by taiguy on June 24, 2008

OK. I did it counter clockwise instead of clockwise like recommended by others here (had no idea where I was going). It probably would have been a lot more enjoyable going the other direction. The jeep road that goes up the west side is pretty damn steep and stays like that the entire way. Not much fun going up, but also not much fun coming down. I definitely had to focus on keeping my speed in check. Going clockwise would have netted me some sweet downhill action after the radio tower. Anyhow great aerobic exercise. Not much of a view anywhere. You can see Denver once you get to the radio tower, and if you look behind you, you can see Mt. Falcon. My first experience trying to climb with loose rocks below me.

  
reviewed by steve32300 on November 1, 2007

no theres not much ride here unless you are training to xc race or just out for exercise.even the climb up the fire road,which is a real good leg burner,is like a drive through kansas.its not a bad to place to go to start the riding season off and get your legs and lungs jump started,although after that i never find myself there again all summer.its alot like fruita or moab during the hot spells,theres just no shade and out in the wide open.if you have a stationary spinner bike at home,then you've ridden this place.haha.great for cardio exercise.

Similar Trail: ummm........????let me know if you find one.haha.

  
reviewed by schwaggy3 on September 28, 2007

I'm sorry, but unless there's snow in the foothills and nothing else is ridable or you're in a huge hurry and couldn't make it across C470 to dakota ridge, I'm not sure why I would ride Green Mountain. I vote for "boring." Just my $0.02

Similar Trail: dakota ridge/MW/RR, 3 sisters, deer creek, white ranch

  
reviewed by MarkZahn on August 19, 2007

I agree with Jurassic, it's got a little bit of everything and the scenery is boring, but if you're an overall rider, with XC focus, this trail can offer you anything you're looking for. There is some wicked downhill on this and it's on the northeast corner, it's a bombers descent and you have to be highly skilled. I wouldn't do it, I'd end up pancaked at the bottom. I am a scenery man so I did get bored being up there seeing everything green, but the network of trails is wide variety, and beginner geared.

Similar Trail: Lair O'bear

  
reviewed by raleighman91 on June 28, 2007

BORING

  
reviewed by Jurassic on June 15, 2007

I don't know why people complain about Green Mountain, because it has a little bit of everything. Some fun singletrack on the frontside, long arduous climb (nearing 800ft in just over 3/4 mile) up the Fireroad towards the Radio Tower, and so many unmarked trails that circle around and through the park, you could spend an entire day trying to ride them all. There's a bomber downhill after reaching the top of the road, head North (left) down an unmarked trail, enjoy the easy cruise, and then get ready for one Sphincter Skrinkin'-Rotator Cuff Tearin'-Bad Ass downhill!

Similar Trail: I don't think there is anything similar to GM in the Front Range.

  
reviewed by phillip.stricker on June 11, 2007

I checked it out today and really enjoyed it. Nice casual ride that is pretty accessible. Worth making the trip.

  
reviewed by teamfreak16 on May 29, 2007

I wouldn't quite say that this is the #2 trail in the world...but, it is good fun to ride. Tough climb up to the radio tower, and the singletrack is hard packed and fast. Watchout for snakes!

  
reviewed by sonikkittin on May 18, 2007

oh my, please ignore the rating on this one, seriously, it is not #2 in the world.... what a shame and disappointment many people will have....

  
reviewed by angi on March 7, 2007

So I checked out this trail today, march 7th. There is still some snow on the north side of the mountain which I had to walk through. But the south side has perfect hills and valleys to have fun with. I think there is a big loop to ride, but there are also little side trails which lead to confusion..... the park is not big, so you won't get lost. There are rocks on the trail, but that's about it. No trees or roots. At the top is a very beautiful view of the city and the front range. I imagine at sunset or night, with all the lights, would be a sight to see:)

  
reviewed by nrolfs on January 8, 2007

This trail was not very good... Number one there is a really long climb to the top and once you are there its not really that much a fun downhill run... if you want a really good xc ride go talk to the guy at the Yeti cycles factoy and have them give you directions to Apex trail. I would say thats one of the best XC loops around Golden

Similar Trail: Apex Trail or Hall Ranch in Boulder

  
reviewed by Jeepmb on December 17, 2006

Got trail for riding at anytime. Easy to access. Overrated, not the best trails i have been on. Has a good balance of everything, climbs, downhills, ect. Huge network of multiple trails. A little to many cactus, but that is the weather here. Explore and have fun in this, going all the way man.

* Review edited 4/13/2007

Similar Trail: Buffalo creek/Colorado Trail

  
reviewed by Lancefan on December 1, 2006

The climbs on this trail are great and it is fun to search for new single track trails to go up and down on. But it is way overrated, This trail would probaly not even make a top 25 official list of trails in Colorado. This trail cannot be rated because of its number of riders because it is so easy to get to and you can take kids on some of it. A good trail can be easy to get to but little kids should not be able to ride some of it. Good trails are good trails because they challenge you, in return making you a better rider.

* Review edited 12/18/2006

  
reviewed by brian_edwards on November 26, 2006

I rode it on Thanksgiving day. Mid 60's little wind, absolutely perfect day, other than bike trouble which is par for the course, being over 400 miles from home. I rode it clockwise and they are'nt kidding about the fire road being a booger. Rode some of the singletrack on the back side, that made the climb worth it. It was real crowded by my standards but probably not too bad by Denver standards. Folks were not "Texas" friendly but all were polite. In all a fun ride, will probably ride it again next time in Denver if I don't have time to try another one.

  
reviewed by jbersch on January 10, 2006

Nice network of trails for a sunny day in January. Went clockwise from the Rooney lot. I like this trail especially because of the great views. Also, it does not seem to be very crowded. Fair amount of double-track with some shorter sections of steeper singletrack. Prone to wind. Easy to get around with some decent variety. Saw some nice 6-7 point mule deer.

Similar Trail: Red Rocks

  
reviewed by c3667 on September 27, 2005

I have been riding this trail for years, I grew up a mile away from the trailhead. I think it makes a great after-work ride. and deffinately has good training attributes. The trail is deffinatley crowded. I ususally use GM as a jumping off point for an epic ride from area to area .

  
reviewed by Rebus on September 13, 2005

This trail is a victim of its good press. It's extremely crowded now. The only time I rode it, I wondered how it could be rated higher than some of the mountain trails on the Front Range. I still don't get it. Maybe I need to ride it again. I must have missed something.

  
reviewed by zkosky on August 1, 2005

If you go clockwise, you circle around the mountain on a fairly level track with just a few ups and downs. Until you come to the fire road which is a looooong leg burner to the top after which it is a quick downhill to the parking lot. + Close to Denver, easy access + Quick ride - No trees - Hot because it is lower than most trails

  
reviewed by fergy16 on June 8, 2005

road this today its a good uphill ride and good for conditioning not to technical either wish there was more trees around though

  
reviewed by fergy16 on June 8, 2005

take the first trail up at the begining of the parking lot follow it till you hit a 4 corner go right and follow for 25 min up then when you hit the jeep path you can either go left or right right goes back down the mountain when you take that couple min up the road take a right back on greenwood mntn loop and its a winding single trial back down to the car the whole thing took me about 58 min

  
reviewed by roadrash on April 11, 2005

Nothing very technical and the climbs are not too difficult. This is a good early season ride when other trails have too much snow or too wet.

  
reviewed by mtberman on January 16, 2005

This trail is unusual for Denver because it's basically a big bump out of the plains, not a mountain at all. No trees and no where to hide or get lost. It's a good quick and simple workout ride if you go straight up from the Rooney Road lot. And, yes, it's an entire network so exploring might be rewarded. It's a good place to take friends from out of town if they aren't super skilled and you just want to have fun without a long drive out. It's got the steep climb straight up from Rooney Road, or you can go right after crossing the Hwy, ride your way across simple cross-country terrain around the bottom and climb the south side, which is rockier but I think easier. I agree with the other reviewer that it's best to ride the north side area downward because it's pretty steep and technical and is muddy all spring long. Lot's of rocks at Green Mountain, but it hardly qualifies as a "mountain" because there's more antennas than there are trees.

  
reviewed by Siberian on January 6, 2005

It is worth mentioning that after riding GM for a couple years, I finally figured out that there is an entire side of the mountain that most people don't get to ride. If you park on the big lot on Alameda, you will see a sign for the "Green Mountain" trail heading eastward (not the one that goes straight up from the parking lot). You can follow that trail for miles and see stuff that is really quite different than what you see on the west side of the mountain. Try to always hug the houses, there are a few climbs that are too steep to ride (one on the east side, and two on the very north of the mountain). If you are good at route finding you can ride around the ENTIRE mountain in one huge loop. Some of the trails are just bunny trails really, but in doing this I really felt like I was on a different trail system than the "normal" route of going to the radio tower, then taking the fire road back down. One downside to this part of the mountain is that it probably stays muddy and snowy longer than the rest of the trails... I gave this a high aerobic rating because there were several decent hill climbs, as well as carrying a bike up some insanely steep sections. On the northeast side you will encounter a different fire road near the houses, but only follow that for about 1/4 mile and then look for a singletrack that shoots almost straight up a hill to the right. That will lead you to the north side where the trails are more flat, and fast. :) Anyway, not the Holy Grail of biking, but I enjoyed the change of scenery.

Similar Trail: Bear Creek Lake Park (easy and flat)

  
reviewed by Ak77451 on August 18, 2004

Make sure you ride this in a counter clockwise manner! The jeep trail on the north side is rather steep, and requires some rather large lungs and strong legs....

  
reviewed by Pain_Is_Relative on August 17, 2004

I road this trail with MarlinD/H and agree with him that this ride is a great ride close to the City. The trailhead is extremely easy to drive to and wasn't to crowded for 9:30 on an August, Sunday morning. We started up the Trail on the South edge of the parking lot and turn right at the first trail intersection taking us on a counterclockwise route. Compared to White Ranch and Walker Ranch this trail is very do-able for beginners. For a more experienced rider they might find this a good time trial trail. The ascents are average and not technically challenging. However, I need to explore some other routes up before I can make a generalization. Down hillers stay away; you would be better served at White Ranch. Overall, I like this ride because it provides a platform to challenge your cardiovascular strength up the trail by ride at a high cadence in larger chainery. The back loose gravel road which MarlinD/H explained is a fun fast downhill but is banked the wrong way. Be careful but enjoy!

  
reviewed by Marlin_D/H on August 16, 2004

I really enjoyed this trail and am looking forward to future rides here! I started acending up the trail to the jeep path which provieded a really good work out to the top. Once i reached the top, then i was time for the nut shriviling experience down the loose gravel rode on the back west side of the trail towards C470. I loved flying down this part. It made the climb up to this point even more worth the trip! Once reaching the bottom of this part, i proceeded on the more level part of the trail which complemented the first portion of the trail by provieding a few rollers and some nice banks to hug around. On my next trip i plan to push my self a little harder (especially on the loose gravel rode on the back side) and really get the most out of this trail!!!

  
reviewed by dalmasp on June 15, 2004

The Green Mountain Trails have almost no trees. Being from western North Carolina this was a refreshing change. The trails I ride in the Appalachian Mountains are mostly craved through forest of mountain laurel and rhododendron with the only views of the valleys and peaks found at the occasional overlooks. The trails on this mountain have continuous views of the surrounding valleys and mountain peaks. The flora of cactus, scrub brush and grasses was a pleasant change. The trails are in great condition but not highly technical. I was in Denver on business and this trail system provides a convenient location to get a good workout and have some fun on a mountain bike. I rented a bike at the Green Mountain Sports bike shop. They did a good job of sizing the bike for me and even changed the pedals to a clipless set. The only down side is the trails are crowded with hikers, joggers, dog walkers and other bikers. Everyone shared nicely, but it did mean having to stop a couple of times during a hard climb to wait for the trail to clear. I didn't see any snakes but lots of snake food in the shape of small rabbits and prairie dogs.

  
reviewed by magoorider on June 4, 2004

This is a great short ride. I park at the Robney Rd Parking Lot (West side of C-470). Go over the freeway and start going north clockwise up the road for a short distance. You will see a signletrack on your left take that up and down some short hills then into this nice size bowl. This section is not too step but lots of lose rocks. Once you are on the top go south and you will connect back to the road. I climb up to the top of Green Mnt. and down toward the towers (east). Just before the towers there is a singletrack that goes off to the right, take that. This is a fun down hill but watch out for hikers and bikers lots of blind corners. Follow this trail down to the bottom and turn right (west) back around the base of the mountain back to Rodney Road Parking Lot. I have it at 7.8 miles. Have FUN.

  
reviewed by trek7k on July 28, 2003

I rode the loop counter-clockwise as recommended by the Falcon Guide Denver/Boulder bike book. Anyway, the climb was doable in this direction but it seems like it would be insane up the gravel road in the opposite direction. There's one main loop but there seem to be several good singletrack trails that cut off the loop in the middle. Because this place is so open I wouldn't recommend riding it on a hot day.

Similar Trail: Ute Valley in Colorado Springs or Chutes and Ladders in Fruita, CO.

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