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Jones Downhill Mountain Bike Trail
Colorado Springs, Colorado
MTB TRAIL STATS
Avg Rating:   |
20 trail reviews |
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Status: updated 10/15/11 by GHOSTWOLF |
Difficulty:  Advanced |
| Length: 22 miles | Global Rank: #725 |
| Tread: Singletrack | Configuration: Loop |
| Ridden: 86 | Wishlist: 75 |
| Avg. Speed: 5.93 mph | Avg. Time: 3hr 18min |
| Elevation Gain/Loss: +3,264/-3,109 ft |
Directions:
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Description: You can easily make this awesome singletrack a shuttle ride, but it is even more rewarding starting from the Gold Camp Rd parking lot. Start at the rear of the parking lot and climb up Gold Camp Rd. Continue to ride up the gravel road then turn right onto Old Stage Rd where the climb flattens out slightly. After about 12 miles of total riding, look for forest road 379 on the right hand side. This is a fairly short steep section with some rocky technical areas. There's no shame using the granny gears here since you just climbed 2000 feet! Trail 701 will be on the right, and is the beginning of Jones Downhill. For the first few miles there are several whoop-te-doos and ridge riding. The singletrack is tight and fast most of the way down. The trail eventually turns into a twisting chute with banked curves with Cheyenne Creek on the right side. Watch for an old mine entrance on the left, but keep your eyes on the trail as it is somewhat rocky close to the creek. At the intersection of 666 and 667, cross the creek to the right and take Jones Park Trail 667. Stay on 667 until you reach the High Drive parking lot. Descend on the gravel road back to the parking lot. From 701 to the parking lot is a little over 10 miles.
Description: You can easily make this awesome singletrack a shuttle ride, but it is even more rewarding starting from the Gold Camp Rd parking lot. Start at the rear of the parking lot and climb up Gold Camp Rd. Continue to ride up the gravel road then turn right onto Old Stage Rd where the climb flattens out slightly. After about 12 miles of total riding, look for forest road 379 on the right hand side. This is a fairly short steep section with some rocky technical areas. There's no shame using the granny gears here since you just climbed 2000 feet! Trail 701 will be on the right, and is the beginning of Jones Downhill. For the first few miles there are several whoop-te-doos and ridge riding. The singletrack is tight and fast most of the way down. The trail eventually turns into a twisting chute with banked curves with Cheyenne Creek on the right side. Watch for an old mine entrance on the left, but keep your eyes on the trail as it is somewhat rocky close to the creek. At the intersection of 666 and 667, cross the creek to the right and take Jones Park Trail 667. Stay on 667 until you reach the High Drive parking lot. Descend on the gravel road back to the parking lot. From 701 to the parking lot is a little over 10 miles.
added in 2003 by 
SIMILAR TRAILS
Riders who liked this mountain bike trail also liked:Pipeline Trail in Colorado Springs
South Saint Vrain in Ward
Colorado Trail / Kenosha To Breckenridge in Breckenridge
Sourdough Trail in Nederland
TRAIL REVIEWS review this trail
reviewed by BUDDAH on December 11, 2011
Rode this trail 2 Sundays ago, it definetly had snow but if you are determined to ride its all worth it at the end.. it had tree across the trail then too but some are from people and some are from wind bcus i have been riding Williams cyn a lot also and their has been a lot of down trees there too. just look at the break point and it gives you a tell tell sign of how it broke or if it was cut.. anyway jones is off the hook kinda ride connect that with cpt. jacks or bear creek to section 16 or the chutes..
Similar Trail: Williams Canyon (williams long)
reviewed by GHOSTWOLF on October 15, 2011
Went up starting at Trail head off of Gold Camp Road this morning. A lot of mx bikes have torn up the rocks gardens and trail leading down. Some snow in spots but not really a big concern. But like I said before motorcycle riders have really done a number on this trail. But other than that me and my friends had a BLAST today. Also found a lot of areas where people had taken trees and laid across the trail, not sure to deter motorcycles or mountain bikers but removed ALL that someone had placed across the trails.
* Review edited 10/15/2011
Similar Trail: Pipeline
reviewed by khcaver on July 12, 2011
I am a flatlander from Ohio that was blown away by this trail. I'm used to a hardtail bike on relatively flat singletrack in the midwest. I have been riding for about 2 years. My buddy from CS lent me his spare VP Free 8" travel downhill beast and guided me down this trail. I had the ride of my life blasting over rock gardens, through aspen groves and over loose granite gravel. We met a group of hikers and maybe 5 or 6 motos with no issues. The trail was very loose due to the decomposing granite. There were several places where the motos had created fairly deep ruts, but it wasn't all that bad. I would recommend this trail to anyone with decent riding skills. There are many different trails in the area that have more challenging sections so there's no excuse for not having fun. Our trip was on June 30, 2011. The temps were in the 90's but being from the midwest it really didn't feel that hot. (Very low humidity) This was my very first experience with this style of trail and this type of bike. I am hooked on downhilling and can't wait to do it again.
Similar Trail: I don't know. There aint nuthin' like this where I normally ride!
reviewed by pcoady on May 27, 2011
Once you get to the singletrack, it's a really nice trail. Cool sections that blast through aspen groves. I didn't see a single person. I rode it after several days of moisture, so the loose granite scree (sp?) was packed down. Mid-summer, I could see this scree being really loose and deep. The long grind up gold camp and old stage definitely detract from the overall fun factor. Lots of people shooting their guns on old stage and the forest road and 4WD vehicles blasting down road at incredible speed. For the time invested - driving to Buffalo Creek is a better option. It is nice that this can be done from your front door in Colorado Springs and no driving.
reviewed by skibum on August 3, 2010
I have to agree with Brian J below--this trail has issues as a MTB trail. As of August 2010, it is so tore up by the motos and the daily heavy rains that what was technical fun has mostly become technical annoyance. There are moto-tire-width grooves 6" deep (just wide enough to suck you in, but not wide enough to ride, especially if you want to pedal) that go for hundreds of yards at a time. The bottomless sand will suck the life out of your legs. There are still some great technical bits, but they are not worthy of either the climb up from gold camp or the time/gas required to shuttle. While it has it's moments, I'll probably leave this one to the motos and hit all the other awesome local singletrack instead.
Similar Trail: Captain Jacks, Buckhorn, Pipeline, Section 16, Cheyenne Mtn St Park, Waldo Canyon, etc.
reviewed by Brian_J on July 18, 2010
This is a good trail if you are riding a motorcycle, not fun for mt. bikers. This singletrack is so chewed up from dirt bikes, its not even remotely fun. I have 22 years riding experience, hundreds of rides, thousands of miles, and this ranks up there with the worst of the worst. I recommend that you ride anything other than this. I did get my work in, almost 2 hrs. of climbing, my tank was just about empty when I was done. However, the fun factor on a scale of 1-10....2. Not worth the drive down from Denver. Everything in the front range of Denver blows this ride out of the water, hands down.
reviewed by mtnspectre on June 21, 2009
I don't see this as a expert trail. It is wicked fun but not expert worthy! I started in the meadows and rode chutes, gold camp to get to jones' downhill. I was pretty tired by then but still had a great time coming back down.
reviewed by vbeckman74 on March 13, 2009
Awesome downhill! I have a permanent scar and my buddy tore his shoulder. Ride up Gold Camp and down Jones's. Check your brakes before proceeding.
reviewed by glennboro on August 8, 2007
I lived and rode in CS for 11 years, moved to Chicago 2+ years ago and am taking 2 weeks vacation to ride the CS area trails (& visit friends), especially Jones'. That should say something about the trail. True, the first part of 701 is up and down, but once you're over the last climb (3rd) it is 98% downhill except for right after the 666/667 junction, and one small climb on Cpt Jacks. This isn't just any downhill either- it's the perfect pitch where you can still pedal a taller gear to go faster if you want while you sing through the berms and dance across the rocks of crankcase alley. I'm usually hysterical by the time I reach the 666/667 junction. If you haven't ridden this trail, wtf are you waiting for? Take a day off! (9 rating is due to need for shuttle)
Similar Trail: Barr Trail, Pipeline
reviewed by SkiBum2004 on July 3, 2007
I havent Ridden this trail yet but i was wondering how to get to the top of the trail to doa shuttle. I would also like to know where the trail ends eventually. I Usually ride captain jacks down to the chutes so i know the area decently. Any tips are greatly appreciated
reviewed by hooker_47 on June 10, 2007
Took this trail today after a tortuous climb up St. Mary's and over the ridge north of Mount Rosa. I just checked the guidebook and realized we should have went south of Mount Rosa, which would have made the climb much easier. I spent more time carrying the bike than riding it after I passed the falls. It is rocky and very, extremely technical. Jone's Downhill was good, but some sections of the trail are being washed out by the snowmelt coming off the top of the mountain. If you ride a hardtail, be prepared to take a beating.
* Review edited 6/10/2007
reviewed by shane_anthony77 on June 8, 2007
Awesome ride! The trail starts off pretty technical, but thats one.of the things that make it great. When I get to the 666, 667 trail break I usually take 666 it is some fast downhill. It comes out on High Drive and you can also link in with Section 16.
reviewed by RideorDie on June 6, 2007
This trail really does offer a lot. I highly recommend it. I also recommend taking trail 666 instead of taking the right onto 667 if you shuttle. Either is good, but if you shuttle anyway, then you can finish off the trail on a smokin DH section that is fairly easy and end up at your vehicle staged at the Bear Creek parking lot.
reviewed by bonkedagain on August 2, 2005
This trail is best done early in the year before the motorcycles have chewed it up and it has gotten dry and loose, especially if you take the Pipeline trail down. I rarely ride it past June. I rode Gold Camp road up one time, but by the time I got to the top I had spent so much time in the saddle I wondered if I would ever be able to have sex again. (OK, so I had a lousy saddle -- it has been replaced since then.) I usually take the St. Mary's Falls trail up. It has a torturous push up past the waterfall, but past that it is a nice ride. Just continue on up and behind Mt. Rosa. There are a few ways down. Pipeline is the first. It has some steep sections that can be a challenge, especially after snow is gone and the motorcycles start ripping it up. A couple miles past the Pipeline turn is another trail that is fast and fun (before it is shredded). Or, you can just follow the Jones Park trail all the way around. It usually is in good shape and has some awesome fast swoopy turns in the lower section.
Similar Trail: Monarch Crest
reviewed by warrubi on July 15, 2005
This is a great ride. We started at goldcamp road and rode to 371 and took the pipeline down. Pipeline s***s. Dirt bikes have chewed it up and its a rough ride.
reviewed by JohnsXCbike on June 16, 2005
Wow, I just did that 22 mile loop for the first time! Longest ride I'v done mountain biking. This was deffinatly a good ride, the climb was VERY tough. I did take 701, but I turned right onto Ring The Peak Trail, which there is a small sign pointing to it. I just followed the signs for that trail, very fun downhill.
* Review edited 11/14/2008
reviewed by JohnsXCbike on April 12, 2005
Best downhill Iv done near Colorado Springs! I havnt done the loop yet, just shuttled up to the top. Never done Jones either but Pipeline is very much worth doing, as said in the other review Pipeline is the right fork.
reviewed by SEANO on July 12, 2004
I prefer the traditional jp descent to pipeline. The extra climbing after the upper trail head is rewarded with smoother stretches of long downhill. link upper bearcreek with high drive to section 16 for a variation of your ride back into colo spgs,
Similar Trail: Hermosa creek trail in durango
reviewed by etodd on June 11, 2004
For my money, Pipeline is 10x better. Instead of taking #701 (Jones) go to your right at the trailhead onto #668 which is Pipeline, so named because the trail follows on old water pipeline. You'll still hook up with #667 after about 3 miles of some sweet downhill.
Similar Trail: Pipeline, Captain Jacks
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