While it’s currently the dead of winter here and we’re mired in the muddy mountain biking off season, I am already dreaming about several trails that I can’t wait to ride this year! Some are familiar, fun rides, and a few are new ones that I’ve just recently heard about:
1. Western Rim in Rabbit Valley
I’ve talked about this trail so much that I don’t even need to say anything. It’s long and scenic and has a variety of technical spots and fast, flowing singletrack. The fact that it’s often empty is just a bonus!
2. Crested Butte’s Lupine Trail
Last year we combined this one with several other Crested Butte trails for an epic 25-mile ride. The Lupine Trail itself has very few climbs and winds in and out of aspen forests. You’re treated to a great, well-built singletrack trail with views of Mt. Crested Butte, the Peanut Mine, Oh-Be-Joyful Creek, and more!
3. The Jumbo Trail System in Paonia, CO
Since it’s only 1.5 hours away and will be cooler than Grand Junction in the summer, I’m thinking this area might make for a great day trip! I’ve heard great things about this 20+ mile trail system and the area in general. Plus, Revolution Brewing has a tasting room there!
4. The Government Trail, etc. at Snowmass Village, CO
For a while, Snowmass was our go-to Labor Day destination. We’d take the gondola up the mountain and then do some cross-mountain riding on the Government, Tom Blake, and Cross-Mountain trails. Lately, though, we’ve been traveling around during Labor Day week, and I’ve missed my Snowmass rides. I think because we spend time there every winter, Snowmass feels a little like home. I like that familiarity, and I love riding down narrow trails like Anaerobic Nightmare, surrounded by aspens.
5. Phil’s World, Cortez, CO
Speaking of familiar, I can’t wait for our annual Durango/Cortez trip and a chance to ride Phil’s World again. That place is just plain fun! I’ll happily make a donation to the trails group for a chance to ride Ribs over and over again.
6. North 40, Moab, UT
Moab’s North 40 trail at the Brand Trails area definitely got our attention this past fall. We like the Brand area anyway, but the North 40 trail was the perfect mix of technical rock riding and flowing singletrack. In particular, I think my biking buddy Adelle would really enjoy this one, so I hope we can get over there for a weekend and do some serious riding.
7. Dead Horse Point State Park, Moab, UT
While we’re checking out Moab’s North 40 trail, I also want to head up to Dead Horse Point to ride the new additions to the Intrepid Trail System there. According to the Moab, Utah Facebook Page, several new trails have been added (see map below). Since I think the views from Dead Horse Point are unbelievable anyway, I’m excited to do some more biking there.
8. Mack Ridge, Fruita, CO
The Kokopelli Area’s Mack Ridge became one of our favorites this past year. During the busy seasons especially, and even during the heat of summer, we’d climb up Lion’s Loop for a chance to bomb down the incredibly rocky, yet always entertaining, Mack Ridge trail. You can bet we’ll be on it at least once a month this year.
9. Hartman Rocks, Gunnison, CO
I can’t believe it’s been two years since I last biked at Hartman’s! Usually the last day of our Crested Butte trip involves a ride at Hartman Rocks in Gunnison. This past year our Sunday ride got rained out; the year before we opted to do Doctor Park on our final day. Still, Hartman’s is an awesome place to bike. With fast, flowing trails and super technical ones too, you can get a little of everything all in one ride. It reminds me of a combination of 18 Road and Lunch Loop.
10. The Colorado Trail @ Keystone Ranch
Whenever we head to Frisco, CO, to visit friends, we do this ride. Usually we start at a trailhead just off Tiger Road in Breckenridge. We ride up the Powerline Trail to the Blair Witch Trail, and then turn off onto the Colorado Trail. Towards the end of the ride we make our way through a section of hairpin switchbacks that I just love. While parts of the ride are a sufferfest for us lowlanders, most of it is fun, and all of it is beautiful.
Your Turn: What trails are you ready to get back to this spring?
Santos Trail head Ocala-FL
yessir!
Great list! I have only ridden about half of those, so I need to check out the rest. I have a long list of trails I hope to ride again this season when they finally open up and are in good shape: Apex Park, Devil’s Backbone, 18 Road, Marys/Mack/Lions/Moore Fun, Palisade Rim, 401 trail, Curt Gowdy, Monarch Crest Trail, and several other trails in Steamboat, Salida, Fruita, Moab, Durango, CB, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe. I agree, the Lupine Trail is amazing!
Skip Moore Fun…I’ve yet to find it to be FUN at all! Haha.
Counterpoint: I had one of my best rides ever on Moore Fun. In the interest of full disclosure, however, I will also confess that, on one occasion, Moore Fun was really Moore Pain! It is relentless, both physically and especially technically. If you approach Moore Fun not actually expecting to have any fun, you actually stand a chance of having some fun.
For me, the Koko trails would be significantly less attractive without this option.
Now if Mack Ridge weren’t available, I’d be unhappy…and what I really wish is that there were a great, fast flowing single track option from the Mack/Moore Fun parking area back to the main parking area. Usually we end up riding Mary’s both directions to avoid the frontage road. Good thing there are a variety of trails out there – something for everyone!
Being new to CO, I have a HUGE list, but my goals for this summer are to get down to Salida, up to Steamboat, and possibly a return to Moab. A little closer to home (Castle Rock), I want to hit Mt. Hermon and some sections of the Colorado Trail.
Moab has really stepped up in the past few years. They’ve added trails out at the Brand area, the North Klondike Trails, the whole Mag 7 section, new trails at Dead Horse Point, the Captain Ahab trail out at Amasa…lots of new stuff. Make sure to stop off in Fruita or Loma on your way out there 😉
This is just a partial list! There are tons of trails I’d like to get to…anything at Whistler, Gooseberry/Hurricane, UT, Idaho, parts of the Colorado Trail, Sedona…I could go on and on…for days. Really.
My list
Blue Mound
Chequamegon
Levis Mound
Standing Rock
Nine Mile
Underdown
Decorah
Middle Fork
Switchgrass (again!)
Landahl
I’m gonna give Monarch Crest a shot this season! Also, after all the flooding on the front range the trails around Boulder and Golden will almost be like new adventures I imagine.
I’m a little different–my upcoming year wish list rarely includes trails I’ve already ridden. I will occasionally hit a trail I’ve already ridden as a target of opportunity if I’m in the neighborhood and I recall the trail as being exceptional, otherwise it’s off to the new and uncharted.
In 2014, I’ll be aiming for the following, provided travel plans materialize, some of which have yet to make their way into the Singletracks database:
South Boundary, Taos NM
Canyon Creek, Salida CO
Sand Canyon, Cortez CO
Two Elk/Commando Run, Vail, CO
Curly Lake, Whitehall MT
East Tensleep Lake, Buffalo, WY
Hangover, Sedona AZ
Milagrosa, Tucson AZ
Black Canyon, Phoenix AZ
Luke’s Trail, Price UT
Edit: I gotta’ get back to both Hartman’s and Phil’s.
It’s been a few years since riding Hartman’s and that’s at least a couple years too long!
Phil’s looks like it’s gonna’ happen since I’m registered for the 12 Hours of Mesa Verde race there. I fear taking such a wonderful trail and racing on it will destroy the fun factor–oh, well.
RE: Jumbo Mountain
“and will be cooler than Grand Junction in the summer,”
Don’t bet on it–Paonia is under 6Kft and temps usually run just a few degrees lower than GJ. July can be vicious hot and Jumbo Mountain has little cover (typical high desert with some Juniper & Pinion up high).
I started my Jumbo Mountain ride at 1100 and was very sorry (I am admittedly a huge wimp when it comes to heat). If you hit it midsummer, it’s good to try to be on trail early and off by lunchtime.
Speaking of lunch, Paonia has a great diner on Grand Ave, simply called “The Diner.” Excellent burgers, chili, and positively massive milkshakes; great place to replace all those calories you’ll burn on Jumbo.
Great regional list, definitely would love to hit up all these trails and more! a list of 10 is never enough haha. enjoy the ride!