Colorado Mountain Boondocking Photos

WOW Ken!! THANK YOU!!!

I will do some research and then some riding!!

Sorry, CT-14 is probably an MTBProject.com thing. It is the section of the Colorado Trail from Highway 50 to Chalk Creek Trailhead. Plenty of steep, rocky sections that had me hiking!!

JFNM wrote:

Great info!! Thanks Ken! I rode CT-14 yesterday but haven't ridden any others. Work and the cold days (Fri-Sat) really put the damper on things. I'm still recovering from 3 arm surgeries this year so I have to be gentle - plus I'm terribly out of shape because of that. If you had to pick a couple trails that are not terribly difficult, are beautiful single-track, and don't require a shuttle - what would they be??

I was thinking Rainbow would be one (starting ending at Columbine Trail/Parking. Possibly 'Monarch to Fooses Creek' (requires shuttle).

I hear you about the surgery thing. Had my shoulder done a year ago after a snowboard crash then a mountain bike crash the next weekend. Don't know if it will ever be the same. I'm pretty cautious nowadays.

I mentioned the Midland Trail out of BV. Just go to the park at the end of Main Street. Ride across the bridge. The first mile or so is the toughest esp. right along the river. After that it's a much easier ride. When you see the sign for the Barbara Whipple Trail going left, stay straight. Much easier climb. Once on the dirt road, just follow it until it becomes single track. This is an out and back. Maybe seven miles one way. There are a few places I still get off and walk. I'm a little chicken after that fall in Moab.

Salida Mountain has so many options. Park at the end of F street or as near as you can. Ride through the opening in the fence, cross the railroad tracks and double back on the dirt road on the other side. Keep an eye out for a road to the right near a few houses and go up that road. In a few hundred yards, take Sgt. Pepper Trail to Burnpile. Left on Frontside. Cross the road and take Lil' Rattler to Backbone to Cottonwood. We'll often ride a mile or so up Cottonwood until it goes into the rocky wash then turn around for a rip roaring swoopy downhill. Cross back across the creek and turn left on Sweet Dreams. After a half mile or so you'll come to another Sweet Dreams sign at the saddle. Go straight up the hill for the easier route. This will eventually dump you right down to where you crossed the RR tracks. The trails are well marked and there are occasional maps showing the trails along with their ratings.

For Methodist Mountain, drive to the east end of town and look for the Burmac Grocers sign. Turn in there. You'll see the parking area shortly on the left. Park there and ride up Race Track to Little Rainbow. We usually ride only as far as the parking lot, then return by the same route. One of Allison's favorite rides. Just under 7 miles one way.

I'd still recommend riding up Silver Lakes Creek Road and coming down lower Rainbow Trail. There are a few places I walk my bike up some steep climbs out of drainages, but overall a great ride.

BTW, I don't know where "CT-14" even is.

Have fun.

4runnerguy wrote:
Rode the lower part of the Rainbow Trail on Thursday. Parked on US 285 and rode up the Silver Creek Lakes road about eight miles and caught the bottom 9.5 miles of the Rainbow Trail. Have ridden the Monarch Crest several times and it is breathtaking (in more ways than one), but the bottom part of the Rainbow Trail gives one an ear to ear grin. In some ways I enjoy it more as a ride by itself as I'm often pretty tired by the time I get there after riding the Crest.

I'm assuming you've hit the S Mountain and Methodist Mountain Trails by now (maybe we passed each other in the last couple of days?). Of course there's the Midland Trail above Buena Vista. They've rerouted some of that trail in the last year taking out some of the places that had gotten severely eroded in the past.

This afternoon we rode the dirt road above Cottonwood Lake just to enjoy the aspen. Nothing technical, but way beautiful. Steep enough and high enough in altitude to get the heart rate up. About nine or ten miles from Cottonwood Lake to the end of the road. (9600' to 11,900')

Another easy but beautiful (mostly) dirt road ride is south out of St. Elmo up to Hancock along an old railroad grade. Great aspen along this route unless the wind has blown them all off. Eventually you get to the trailhead for the Alpine Tunnel. Easy singletrack but very interesting. I understand there is a singletrack that continues beyond the Alpine Tunnel and loops back to Tincup Pass, but haven't done that yet.

Great info!! Thanks Ken! I rode CT-14 yesterday but haven't ridden any others. Work and the cold days (Fri-Sat) really put the damper on things. I'm still recovering from 3 arm surgeries this year so I have to be gentle - plus I'm terribly out of shape because of that. If you had to pick a couple trails that are not terribly difficult, are beautiful single-track, and don't require a shuttle - what would they be??

I was thinking Rainbow would be one (starting ending at Columbine Trail/Parking. Possibly 'Monarch to Fooses Creek' (requires shuttle).

4runnerguy wrote:

JFNM wrote:

RedRocket204 wrote:
BTW, you are very close to an IMBA Epic 100 MTB trail known as Monarch Crest.

Great tip - thanks again! My plan was to ride a good bit of Rainbow Trail south of Salida today and then Monarch Crest as soon as I can arrange a shuttle. However; a cold front came thru last night and it is fairly cool (40F at 8am) with a dusting of snow up high. So, I may delay today's ride - yes, I've turned into a bit of a cold pansy!

Rode the lower part of the Rainbow Trail on Thursday. Parked on US 285 and rode up the Silver Creek Lakes road about eight miles and caught the bottom 9.5 miles of the Rainbow Trail. Have ridden the Monarch Crest several times and it is breathtaking (in more ways than one), but the bottom part of the Rainbow Trail gives one an ear to ear grin. In some ways I enjoy it more as a ride by itself as I'm often pretty tired by the time I get there after riding the Crest.

I'm assuming you've hit the S Mountain and Methodist Mountain Trails by now (maybe we passed each other in the last couple of days?). Of course there's the Midland Trail above Buena Vista. They've rerouted some of that trail in the last year taking out some of the places that had gotten severely eroded in the past.

This afternoon we rode the dirt road above Cottonwood Lake just to enjoy the aspen. Nothing technical, but way beautiful. Steep enough and high enough in altitude to get the heart rate up. About nine or ten miles from Cottonwood Lake to the end of the road. (9600' to 11,900')

Another easy but beautiful (mostly) dirt road ride is south out of St. Elmo up to Hancock along an old railroad grade. Great aspen along this route unless the wind has blown them all off. Eventually you get to the trailhead for the Alpine Tunnel. Easy singletrack but very interesting. I understand there is a singletrack that continues beyond the Alpine Tunnel and loops back to Tincup Pass, but haven't done that yet.

Ken,

Oh the places you go and the things you see............ if we could just get you to use a camera or a phone to share those things your eyes see....

The Collegiates this time of year are Heaven,

Maybe someday you will take a few pictures, sure would be nice.

Just saying,

JFNM wrote:

RedRocket204 wrote:
BTW, you are very close to an IMBA Epic 100 MTB trail known as Monarch Crest.

Great tip - thanks again! My plan was to ride a good bit of Rainbow Trail south of Salida today and then Monarch Crest as soon as I can arrange a shuttle. However; a cold front came thru last night and it is fairly cool (40F at 8am) with a dusting of snow up high. So, I may delay today's ride - yes, I've turned into a bit of a cold pansy!

Rode the lower part of the Rainbow Trail on Thursday. Parked on US 285 and rode up the Silver Creek Lakes road about eight miles and caught the bottom 9.5 miles of the Rainbow Trail. Have ridden the Monarch Crest several times and it is breathtaking (in more ways than one), but the bottom part of the Rainbow Trail gives one an ear to ear grin. In some ways I enjoy it more as a ride by itself as I'm often pretty tired by the time I get there after riding the Crest.

I'm assuming you've hit the S Mountain and Methodist Mountain Trails by now (maybe we passed each other in the last couple of days?). Of course there's the Midland Trail above Buena Vista. They've rerouted some of that trail in the last year taking out some of the places that had gotten severely eroded in the past.

This afternoon we rode the dirt road above Cottonwood Lake just to enjoy the aspen. Nothing technical, but way beautiful. Steep enough and high enough in altitude to get the heart rate up. About nine or ten miles from Cottonwood Lake to the end of the road. (9600' to 11,900')

Another easy but beautiful (mostly) dirt road ride is south out of St. Elmo up to Hancock along an old railroad grade. Great aspen along this route unless the wind has blown them all off. Eventually you get to the trailhead for the Alpine Tunnel. Easy singletrack but very interesting. I understand there is a singletrack that continues beyond the Alpine Tunnel and loops back to Tincup Pass, but haven't done that yet.

pnichols wrote:
Here's a photo of the Fall colors that DOES NOT do them justice:

That is the most frustrating thing! Great photos Phil!

We just yesterday returned from a trip to Colorado's Front Range ... spectacular scenery and weather ... especially with the aspen Fall colors!!!

Here's proof of the next to the highest altitude we traveled through with our Class C in Colorado (another pass we went through was about 200 feet higher):



Here's a photo backwards from our seat on the steam railroad between Durango and Silverton:



Here's a photo of the Fall colors that DOES NOT do them justice:



Here's us driving through some more of those Fall colors:



Here's some Colorado color that's not related to Fall:



Here's my view when out hiking about to enter a typical Colorado town (in Verde Mesa):



Enjoy Colorado!

huachuca wrote:
Thanks for posting; enjoyed these as well as those on your blog. We're heading out that way from NC next week.

Very welcome! If coming to the higher elevations - bring some warm clothes - it is starting to cool down here.

RedRocket204 wrote:
Aspens are in full color change now 9000' and up. You are in a great area for that. Take that Jeep over Cottonwood Pass and go find some incredible OHV around the Taylor Park area. There is great aspen viewing over there and the picture below is from last year at this time.

Yes, they are spectacular right now! Excellent info - thanks, I'll do it!

RedRocket204 wrote:
BTW, you are very close to an IMBA Epic 100 MTB trail known as Monarch Crest.

Great tip - thanks again! My plan was to ride a good bit of Rainbow Trail south of Salida today and then Monarch Crest as soon as I can arrange a shuttle. However; a cold front came thru last night and it is fairly cool (40F at 8am) with a dusting of snow up high. So, I may delay today's ride - yes, I've turned into a bit of a cold pansy!

Aspens are in full color change now 9000' and up. You are in a great area for that. Take that Jeep over Cottonwood Pass and go find some incredible OHV around the Taylor Park area. There is great aspen viewing over there and the picture below is from last year at this time.

BTW, you are very close to an IMBA Epic 100 MTB trail known as Monarch Crest. I'm suppose to be out there in two weeks to ride it again and hoping the snow holds off as the trail starts at 11,200'. I wouldn't go and ride that trail by yourself the first time, go with someone else.

Some great area out there. Enjoy and thanks for sharing the photos.