MTB TRAIL STATS

Avg Rating:	22 trail reviews
Status: Open updated 4/19/08 by mikebn Closed Open Wet / Sketchy	Difficulty: Advanced
Length: 9 miles	Global Rank: 337
Tread: Singletrack	Configuration: Lollipop
Ridden: 193	Wishlist: 74
Avg. Speed: 5.33 mph	Avg. Time: 1hr 48min

 

Vail Mountain in Vail

 

Zippety Do Dah in Fruita

 

Indian Creek Loop in Denver

 

Keystone Resort in Dillon

 

  
reviewed by Goo on November 12, 2009

This was a fun ride, but sections of it are very wide and not interesting. A couple of awesome views of the Denver metro area though!

  
reviewed by mooniakrides on October 8, 2009

This trail is like most Colorado trails, you start off with a steep uphill that gets your heart pumping. The first several miles of the trail is exposed to the sun and can get very hot during the summer. It's steep, rocky and somewhat technical but doable for intermediate to advanced riders. Beginners will be pushing their bikes a lot. Once you get to the shelter at the top of the climb, the trail widens into a double track/jeep road. It also becomes more rolling which is a much needed break after the climb. The Parmalee trail is some fun singletrack. It is somewhat technical in spots but overall is rideable for intermediate to advanced riders. There are several other loops you can add on if you want more riding, like the Devil's Elbow, Ute Trail, etc. Most of these are fun singletrack also. The descent back down the Castle Trail isn't that fun for me, because it is somewhat rocky and not really singletrack. As always, beware of hikers and other users of the trail, especially on weekends (like any other trail near Denver). Check out mooniakrides.webs.com/index.htm for more trail descriptions/maps/etc.

Similar Trail: White Ranch, Apex

  
reviewed by BFD on August 20, 2009

I know what I was expecting, but this wasn't it. I'd heard all kinds of scary stories about what a gut-buster of a climb this trail was, but I gotta tell ya, it wasn't all that bad, steep; sure, but ride-able. As for the rest of the ride, I didn't think it was all that great, the downhill was so rocky that I ended up having more fun on the ascent than the descent...And that ain't right! Also, there were plenty of areas that are washed out due to erosion, but if you can steer clear of these you should be fine. If you're looking for a climb on the front range that I thought Equaled or Bettered Mt. Falcon; try the backside of Waterton Canyon, the Colorado Trail picks up at the South Platte on the backside of Waterton Canyon heading North and begins a steep/endless climb that I have enjoyed triumphing over several times.

  
reviewed by Viper45 on June 15, 2009

Last Saturday, the trail was full with lots of people hiking, running, and other bikers(...halfway through Meadow there was even some photographers taking pictures of people). So in my opinion special care needs to be taken if you come here on the weekend. That said, the initial climb kicked my ass, but I plan on coming back.

* Review edited 6/15/2009

  
reviewed by jkovaly on November 18, 2008

It was an amazing 81deg in Denver today so I couldn't resist hitting the trail one last time before the snow hit. I rode up from the bottom parking lot, 1600ft of elevation gain in 3mi - that was a tough climb ! Grade lessens and then levels out at 3.5mi. Took the Parmalee trail and rode it to Meadow and followed Old Ute trail around the Devils Elbow and back to Castle via Meadow, 12mi total. The Parmalee, Old Ute and Devils Elbow trails had some excellent technical sections with lots of bumps and a couple of short steep rocky sections I couldn't clean. All in all, the fun stuff at the top was worth the ride up ! * Review edited 11/18/2008

* Review edited 11/18/2008

Similar Trail: white ranch

  
reviewed by LarryLooseNuts on September 28, 2008

New riders don't be deceived by the blue square rating. It's easily blue/black maybe toward black. The bottom section is at least a half dozen switch backs (tight) with a series of 10 inch steps at the bottom. The trail also climbs about 2600 feet in 3.5 miles which is substantial and I think the biggest climb on the Front Range. It is crowded after work and early on the weekends and is best ridden late when the sun is less intense. You get nuked by the sun pretty much the whole way up...which I think is great but I know many are concerned with sun exposure in our lovley state. Also, when the sun goes away you see less rattle snakes which depending on how you look at it is part of the fun on this trail. You can do this ride from the lower lot or upper-up and down or down and up plus the top loops. Another fave is climb out of the lower lot gain the summit of Mt. Falcon and haul booty down the winding road to Parmalee Gultch road. Bang a right and head about 1.5 miles to Pence Park. On the opposite side of the street is the top end of Lair O Bare. Drop in here and head down to Bear Creek Canyon. You can drop down BCC into Morrison and do the short-ish climb back to your car at Falcon. The key here is riding DOWN Bear Creek because you are going faster or at least as fast as traffic and are less likely to get clipped or cause an accident. I did a different variation yesterday. Falcon to LOB then back up LOB to Falcon and back down Falcon. Basically an out and back rather than a loop. MIleage is about 20 whether you do the loop with BCC or the out and back. Out and back adds about 2500 feet of climbing to the mix. Took me about 2 h 45 min. with ample water and some food.* Review edited 9/28/2008

* Review edited 9/28/2008

Similar Trail: Centenial from Mayhem Gulch, Chimney Gulch to Apex, Grren Mountain>Dakota>Red Rock>M/W>Dakota>GM

  
reviewed by j.young on July 9, 2008

This trail has a good 2 section climb 2 or 3 technical sections. They did some trail work this spring toward the top which make it really easy not technical at all anymore , I use to love that section but I guess the trail was erroting so they did some work , maybe a little to much work as far as making the trail skinny in some sections not wide like it use to be.The top has like 4 loops you can ride go explore bring a lunch and lots of Gaterade!

Similar Trail: White Ranch

  
reviewed by MarkZahn on August 19, 2007

Jason went at the wrong time of the day. It's best to do this trail late, 2 to 3 hours before dark, it thins out and then you can do your non-stop drop to the parking lot. I've done it 10 times, and never was anyone in my way non-stop back to the parking lot. Jason dropped the trail ranking by giving the rating he did, because of his bad timing at the trail. 1 hour up, 6 minutes back to the parking lot. It's amazing and fun!

Similar Trail: Deer Creek Canyon

  
reviewed by jasonvelocity on August 12, 2007

Trail is an out and back, or should I say up and down. The up would be worth it, but the down it littered with hikers, horses, and bikers on their way up. If you live in the area this might be a good outing, but IMHO it's not worth the drive.

  
reviewed by raleighman91 on June 2, 2007

in Co. Havent had this much fast technical downhill for a while Very good trail and its just amazing Broke my handle bar and stem on this trail on 6-23

* Review edited 6/24/2007

  
reviewed by Lancefan on June 2, 2007

This trail has it all. Exposed, rocky, wide single track, dirt roads, skinny forest singletrack, technical climbs and descents and amazing veiws and ruins. This is defenitly one of the best trails on the front range. It has parts like every single front range ride. It's amazing.

  
reviewed by BobinConifer on May 9, 2007

I rode this trail last night and was very happy with the overall condition. It was my first ride since recovering from a blown knee and I hadn't been on Falcon for over a year. The trail has been very well maintained. EVen to the extent that some of the water bars turn in to big hits on the fast decent. If you start at the low parking lot off of route 9 near Morrison the ride starts with some smooth high bank single track and fun, steep climbs before opening up to the massive climb to the top. It's wide open wide single-track to the top with a few rocky sections to keep you concentrating. A lot of people stop at a gazebo at the top but if you continue for another mile or so the trail comes out of the woods and into a nice meadow with several trail options. One of which is the Parmalee trail, which as of yesterday was almost completely dry with only a few muddy sections. This trail adds a few more relatively easy miles befor dumping back at the meadow and the long downhill back to the parking lot. I like this trail a lot since it is very convenient, has great scenery, a big climb, and a few fun, fast sections of single track.

* Review edited 5/13/2007

Similar Trail: Deer Creek, Apex, White Ranch, Roxborough Loop of Waterton Canyon

  
reviewed by jeeper on April 30, 2007

Best ride on the front range as long as you don't mind a steep and continuous climb right out of the gate. To keep you going, just remember, once at the top you will have absolutely no uphill sections all the way back to the parking lot. I was somwhat tired once I reached the top but the thought of no more climbing to get back kept me going enough to check out some of the points of interest. Definitley take the time to explore up there. A lot of very interesting history and absolutely beautiful scenery and overlooks. As for the trail rating, definitley not beginner. You will need to be in good shape and be able to navigate through some tight rocky sections that are fairly steep. Easy for some, not so much for others. Enjoy!!!

* Review edited 4/30/2007

  
reviewed by MarkZahn on October 15, 2006

I've ridden this trail 10 times now since June of '05. I disagree with the rating that it's a beginner trail, it's intermediate to advanced. Depending on how you descend, fast as you can or hit the brakes prior to every challenge in front of you, that might be why people rate it as not a difficult trail. If you try this trail on the descent fast as you can, and hit the tight sequences at top speed, it's advanced and demands close to expert skills. Everything about Falcon on the descent is tight sequence, close quarters sequences. Jumps 10 feet apart, waterlogs that are 2ft drops 6 feet apart and on a turn, switchbacks and waterlogs, and very tough rock gardens at the top make this at minimal intermediate in my opinion. But it is a blast especially on the downhill, and the climb per mile is the steepest on the front range. The climb itself is very tough and you have to be in shape.

Similar Trail: Deer Creek, Chimney Gulch

  
reviewed by jbersch on October 8, 2006

Tough climb, mostly pretty smooth, but a decent amount of rocky stuff as you get higher. Finally made it to Parmalee from the bottom and had a blast. Check out Walker's Dream too. A quick diversion leads to incredible views from the ruins up there.

Similar Trail: Deer Creek

  
reviewed by yellowdman on June 23, 2006

I've been riding this trial since 1989. It's a killer ride! If you start from the bottom and make it to the top with out stopping your in damn good shape and your ready for most rides out there! Once you get to the top ride the loops up there and check out the overlooks and other stuff! It's a blast! Have fun and be nice to the hikers and give way to the bikers going uphill--if you don't I'll push you off the trail!:)

  
reviewed by lukewiens on March 31, 2006

great trail....tough climb. the parmalee section was definately the highlight of the ride. nice rolling singletrack w/ a couple little drops. hold on to your teeth on the way back down castle trail. 9.7 miles round trip took me about 1 hour 42 minutes at a fairly casual pace. average speed 5.7 mph.

  
reviewed by dirtcoach on December 4, 2005

One of my mainstay rides for 15 years since it is so close to home. Last done 11/25/05 There was snow on the ground with some ice mud in some spots all made it more fun if you think like me. Trek7K does a great job on the descriptions, though donít forget about Devils Elbow and Ute trail (best done CCW) The usual ride is up Castle trail over to Parmalee CCW then Devils elbow and Ute a couple times once each way then back to Castle Trail for the DH total ride time 1.5 hours. hill can be hard best time up is just under 18min on a 18lbs Rigid XC bike, nowadays a slower 26min on a 36 lbs all mountain rig. Over all really enjoyable ride but best done on off peak days to avoid the crowds

Similar Trail: Elk Meadow, Parts of White Ranch

  
reviewed by petersbike on September 10, 2005

I tend to think that mtberman was high when he wrote his review. I rode 20 miles at buffalo creek with my brother and then came back to mt falcon and rode up Castle trail and to the end of two dog trail where there is a nice bench.This was a casual ride up for me in under 40 minutes. But if you are the type of rider who can't ride all sections of the castle trail you are not going to make it in under 40 minutes from bathroom to the bathrooms at mount falcon road.

  
reviewed by c3667 on August 17, 2005

This was a great ride! I did not mak it in the time alotment per age (28). But I think the fact i rode 7 miles on Green mountain last night did not help. went to the top and did the parmele trail , which was a blast! great trail next time I will atack the time clock!

Similar Trail: Apex

  
reviewed by mtberman on January 18, 2005

This is basically a lollipop and is located just suoth of Red Rocks. The "in" section is Castle Trail and the challenge is to ride from bottom to top in the number of minutes which equals your age, i.e. a 33 year old should take 33 minutes to get to the restrooms at the top. The trail is in the open and has views facing East and so is prettier and drier than nearby areas. Count on lots other users, particularly an unusually large number of older hikers who have been frequenting the area for years and like to remind you of that fact and who don't like to walk in the "hikers-only" area. Note that Castle Trail often is so rocky that sections are barely rideable, so it can at times be a long and frustrating hump up. The reward at the top it the wooded network of trails. Parmalee Loop is typically ridden counter-clockwise and is both more fun and more ride-able than the trip up. It goes around the mountain so you'll get some nice views of nearby valleys and then Denver as you come back around. Some loose and steep drops, water bars and snaking climbs but nothing too brutal. When play time at the top ends, bomb down Castle to the car and try to get the feeling back in your hands by wrapping them around a cold drink.

Similar Trail: Belcher Hill at White Ranch

  
reviewed by petersbike on December 15, 2004

This is a great trail for a one to two hour session. The initial climb will test your endurance. Make sure you go there during the day on weekdays or you will be riding with an army of folks.

Similar Trail: deer creek, evergreen 3 sisters

MTB Trail Dashboard