# Some Boring Front Range CO Trails



## steadyflow (Apr 25, 2006)

In reference to the https://forums.mtbr.com/passion/i-love-where-i-live-917433.html thread I figured I would post some pictures showing those boring straight and rocky Colorado trails.

A wet spring has sprung tons of wild flowers and vibrant green vegetation....along with near perfect trail conditions.


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## Speed Goat (Dec 31, 2013)

Those trails and scenery looks like they suck!! Which trail is that exactly so I can try to avoid it in the future next time I'm down that way?....


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## mabrodis (Oct 19, 2005)

Great pictures, love seeing all the greenery (since you know we don't always get that much green in the Front Range).


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## shining_trapezoid (Mar 24, 2014)

So boring!


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## David R (Dec 21, 2007)

Nice pics, I wish my trails were as boring as yours!!


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## Gasp4Air (Jun 5, 2009)

Obvious photoshop job. Where are the rocks? Where are the roots?


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## Tickle (Dec 11, 2013)

But look at all the people on those trails, if you want amazing trails with no people on them you need to head to California, ya know cause there's so few people there


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## crewjones (Aug 24, 2007)

Rode once in Steamboat and had a blast. Great single track. Need to get back to CO soon.


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## Shark (Feb 4, 2006)

Horrible!  enjoy!


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## smilinsteve (Jul 21, 2009)

Speed Goat said:


> Those trails and scenery looks like they suck!! Which trail is that exactly so I can try to avoid it in the future next time I'm down that way?....


Looks like Ringtail trail from Roxborough up to Indian Creek (going from highest altitude to low in the picture sequence. )

I too have been enjoying the intensity of the green, and the number and variety of wildflowers we have in the front range right now. Very beautiful.


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## bmf032 (Sep 8, 2010)

I just finished a ride and I couldn't have said it better.


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## TVC15 (Jun 6, 2004)

crewjones said:


> Rode once in Steamboat and had a blast. Great single track. Need to get back to CO soon.


Moar boring from Steamboat.


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## Harryman (Jun 14, 2011)

Dude! Where's the gnar?! :cornut:


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## crewjones (Aug 24, 2007)

Where is that? I think i did a loop on Emerald Mtn.


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## FastBanana (Aug 29, 2013)

Seriously where is the trail.


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## pinerider (Apr 6, 2004)

*I have to contribute*

Just a few pics from some rides in the overpopulated, overhyped, boring mountain biking destination of Colorado.


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## TVC15 (Jun 6, 2004)

yes -- you're right, that's emerald mountain. it's was particularly gorgeous last week.


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## Terp (Jul 25, 2013)

FastBanana said:


> Seriously where is the trail.


Yeah it's really hard to tell because almost any park you ride in CO could have all of those features. If only there was more variety... bike manufacturers would have an excuse for a new wheel size!

I'll let myself out.


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## monogod (Feb 10, 2006)

great pics. looking forward to getting back up there this summer.


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## David R (Dec 21, 2007)

I think my next holiday will be a trip to the US to A; visit my sister, B; buy a new bike, and C; ride in Moab and Colorado!


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## sooshee (Jun 16, 2012)

Curt Gowdy State Park in Wyoming is even more boring, please don't come here and ride 

(Hey, gotta try to keep someone down in CO, haha)

Those look like awesome trails, I haven't explored much of Colorado outside of the Fort Collins and Fruita area so looks like I need to get more adventurous... when I'm not riding boring Gowdy


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## steadyflow (Apr 25, 2006)

smilinsteve said:


> Looks like Ringtail trail from Roxborough up to Indian Creek (going from highest altitude to low in the picture sequence. )


You know your Front Range trails....started from Waterton. A nice warm up before a large chunk of climbing in a short distance.


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## steadyflow (Apr 25, 2006)

David R said:


> I think my next holiday will be a trip to the US to A; visit my sister, B; buy a new bike, and C; ride in Moab and Colorado!


Sounds like a good plan.....come in mid September and you could do something like:

Buffalo Creek > Breckenridge > Vail/Eagle > Grand Junction/Fruita > Moab


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## HBSURFDAD (May 29, 2014)

Steadyflow,

This thread combines about 5 different threads all in one:
“don't you hate that one guy..” - who lives in such a cool place
“Passion about "Negativity"_AKA B!tch & Moan Thread!” About why it is so nice there
“The "I almost died" Thread” - When I look at these pictures then go for a ride here
“Annoying things other rider say” - A picture is worth a 1000 words (so Shut up!)
“ I love where I live!!!” - yeah we get it, you are better than us!!

These photos are like a dream to a Southern California boy, this is what I dream of when riding here, and the fact that you appreciate it only makes it better.

Stoked for you.


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## 8iking VIIking (Dec 20, 2012)

Welp, I had a week long trip planned to CO in August but this thread has me second guessing it....the trails just look so LAME!


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## Dirt n Dust (Mar 21, 2014)

Great pictures! I might have to plan a trip to CO.


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## smilinsteve (Jul 21, 2009)

steadyflow said:


> You know your Front Range trails....started from Waterton. A nice warm up before a large chunk of climbing in a short distance.


I never thought of that route. So you made it a loop and rode on the road back to your car from Roxborough to Waterton? What's the total mileage for that?


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## steadyflow (Apr 25, 2006)

smilinsteve said:


> I never thought of that route. So you made it a loop and rode on the road back to your car from Roxborough to Waterton? What's the total mileage for that?


Did an out and back on Waterton canyon road.....

http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/520716131


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## mabrodis (Oct 19, 2005)

steadyflow said:


> Did an out and back on Waterton canyon road.....
> 
> http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/520716131


Great trails! I've never done that full loop, mostly cause 32 miles is friggen long for a fat slow guy...but I've done all those pieces on other rides.


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## smilinsteve (Jul 21, 2009)

mabrodis said:


> Great trails! I've never done that full loop, mostly cause 32 miles is friggen long for a fat slow guy...but I've done all those pieces on other rides.


Yeah I'm not studly enough for that route. The first 15 miles is pretty much a non-stop climb 

But I'm thinking that there are some shorter loops to be had if you connect from Roxborough to Waterton by road, which is about 5 miles, and then you wouldn't have to climb back up to Indian Creek.


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## scrublover (Dec 30, 2003)

I presently love my local rooty rocky chunk, but...

Have days where I really, really miss that supah' fast hauling ass baby butt smoothness. 

Sigh.


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## mabrodis (Oct 19, 2005)

smilinsteve said:


> Yeah I'm not studly enough for that route. The first 15 miles is pretty much a non-stop climb
> 
> But I'm thinking that there are some shorter loops to be had if you connect from Roxborough to Waterton by road, which is about 5 miles, and then you wouldn't have to climb back up to Indian Creek.


The normal Indian Creek loop is a bit shorter (Waterton to Indian Creek campground, up the single track to the junction point then left there to stay on the dirt road which wanders back to Waterton, about 27 miles total) but then you miss out on the sweet twisty downhill part of Ringtail, which, in my completely biased opinion is one of the best downhills around here. I'd say it's almost as good as the Steamboat Stinger backside descent, which is just stupid fun.

Edit: I've only ridden Ringtail starting from the Indian Creek campground, which makes for a nice ~16 mile loop, with more than enough climbing to crush most casual riders.


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## smilinsteve (Jul 21, 2009)

mabrodis said:


> The normal Indian Creek loop is a bit shorter (Waterton to Indian Creek campground, up the single track to the junction point then left there to stay on the dirt road which wanders back to Waterton, about 27 miles total) but then you miss out on the sweet twisty downhill part of Ringtail, which, in my completely biased opinion is one of the best downhills around here. I'd say it's almost as good as the Steamboat Stinger backside descent, which is just stupid fun.
> 
> Edit: I've only ridden Ringtail starting from the Indian Creek campground, which makes for a nice ~16 mile loop, with more than enough climbing to crush most casual riders.


My normal route is the loop starting and ending at the campground, eliminating 12 miles of Waterton dirt road.

Ringtail isn't bad as an out and back from the campground.


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## mabrodis (Oct 19, 2005)

smilinsteve said:


> ...eliminating 12 miles of Waterton dirt road.


Sure, but then where will you practice the dodging kids and families that wander aimlessly around the road totally oblivious to the fact that bikers are coming through at 20+ mph...


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## D Boogie C (Aug 9, 2013)

That looks wonderful


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## steadyflow (Apr 25, 2006)

smilinsteve said:


> My normal route is the loop starting and ending at the campground, eliminating 12 miles of Waterton dirt road.
> 
> Ringtail isn't bad as an out and back from the campground.


Yeah I don't mind the road warm up it goes fast and is quite scenic. Plus coming from Golden driving all the way around to the Indian Creek campground adds a good amount of car time that I end up spending riding the dirt road instead.


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## WA-CO (Nov 23, 2013)

I rode in that area (stayed @ the park) for the first time a month ago. It was horrible, and boring and crowded and dusty and the sun was hot and I saw a huge rattlesnake, and, and, and, I can't wait to go back.


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## smilinsteve (Jul 21, 2009)

I've never seen it crowded on the loop. The campground and parking lot get pretty full, and there are a lot of horse riders that use the trail, but once you get out there, people are spread out and usually just occasional sitings. 

In fact, sometimes I wish there were more people. That is the only place I've run across a bear and 2 mountain lions.* Despite being one of the closer trails to civilization, it is the one trail that I always get the feeling that something is watching me. Probably because something is watching me! I'm usually alone, trudging up those hills, and thinking that I could be eaten and no one would even hear me screaming! 

*Not on the same day. That would be a bad day.


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## David R (Dec 21, 2007)

steadyflow said:


> Sounds like a good plan.....come in mid September and you could do something like:
> 
> Buffalo Creek > Breckenridge > Vail/Eagle > Grand Junction/Fruita > Moab


Sounds good, I'd better start training now though, 4000'+ of elevation gain is huge, we just don't have hills that big here!

One more question before I'm completely sold; how is CO for microbreweries/craft beer?


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## steadyflow (Apr 25, 2006)

David R said:


> Sounds good, I'd better start training now though, 4000'+ of elevation gain is huge, we just don't have hills that big here!
> 
> One more question before I'm completely sold; how is CO for microbreweries/craft beer?


Ah yeah......Number of Colorado breweries soars past 200 after huge 2013


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

I'll add one from Saturday morning. You can tell its rocky and boringly straight........ NOT!









As you can see Reboot at West Magnolia is overly crowded so you wouldn't want to ride here.


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## Supermoto Fan (Sep 29, 2011)

Possible threadjack ahead!:

I'm new to Denver--could you guys suggest a really easy trail to get my feet wet on? 

Hopefully: close to Denver, mellow, scenic. I'm still getting used to the altitude (and to being a non-smoker).

Thanks in advance!


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## mabrodis (Oct 19, 2005)

Supermoto Fan said:


> Possible threadjack ahead!:
> 
> I'm new to Denver--could you guys suggest a really easy trail to get my feet wet on?
> 
> ...


Everyone's definition of 'easy' is biased, but really easy could be a mostly flat dirt road..i.e. Waterton Canyon in Littleton. If you ride to the end of it then single track starts and it becomes less easy but more fun...and from there you can go nuts with other trails.

The Ridgeline trail in Castle Rock, or the Elk Meadows trail in Evergreen are nice easy (i.e. nothing technical) fun trails. Probably many others nearby that I just don't know about.

More technical trails are like Mt Falcon, Lair of the Bear...


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## Supermoto Fan (Sep 29, 2011)

mabrodis said:


> Everyone's definition of 'easy' is biased, but really easy could be a mostly flat dirt road..i.e. Waterton Canyon in Littleton. If you ride to the end of it then single track starts and it becomes less easy but more fun...and from there you can go nuts with other trails.
> 
> The Ridgeline trail in Castle Rock, or the Elk Meadows trail in Evergreen are nice easy (i.e. nothing technical) fun trails. Probably many others nearby that I just don't know about.
> 
> More technical trails are like Mt Falcon, Lair of the Bear...


Thanks for the tips!

You're right about differing opinions on level of difficulty--I should have stated that rolling single track would be my first choice for an easy trail.

Thanks again, I look forward to exploring your suggestions!


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## smilinsteve (Jul 21, 2009)

Agree wtih Ridgeline. There is also Rhyolite park in Castle Rock, Hidden Mesa in Parker, and South Valley Park in Littleton. A lot of trails called easy around here, would not be called easy in other places, but the ones I listed are not in the mountains so are a good starting point. They still have some climbing and some fun so they aren't baby trails either.


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## jay80424 (Jan 1, 2008)

Try the east-west trail in highlands ranch.

http://www.douglas.co.us/dcoutdoors/documents/eastwest-regional-trail-information-and-map.pdf

Welcome to Colorado.


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## jncarpenter (Dec 20, 2003)

A few boring pics at ~11k feet from the Western Slope


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## poonamibaxter (Aug 30, 2013)

so lame here









and I think this post ride Dales was 3 weeks old, so barely drinkable


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## MtbRN (Jun 8, 2006)

smilinsteve said:


> I've never seen it crowded on the loop. The campground and parking lot get pretty full, and there are a lot of horse riders that use the trail, but once you get out there, people are spread out and usually just occasional sitings.
> 
> In fact, sometimes I wish there were more people. That is the only place I've run across a bear and 2 mountain lions.* Despite being one of the closer trails to civilization, it is the one trail that I always get the feeling that something is watching me. Probably because something is watching me! I'm usually alone, trudging up those hills, and thinking that I could be eaten and no one would even hear me screaming!


One of the things I like best about that loop is that you are not far from the metro area but it feels like the backcountry. And the Ringtail descent IS fantastic, like mountain biking in a dream. All ferny and stuff...
The only way I've ever ridden it is from Waterton Canyon. One of the only rides on the Front Range that has a warm up before the first big climb. And you usually see the Bighorns along the canyon road, which makes the ride more interesting. They let you get pretty close.


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## Timmy (Jan 12, 2004)

I did a lot of work on that trail in a former life. Thanks for posting. Great to see it again!


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## Krigloch (Aug 9, 2011)

Damn!
I dont think you guys realized how spoiled you are. 
One of the things I hate about Illinois.


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## steadyflow (Apr 25, 2006)

Krigloch said:


> Damn!
> I dont think you guys realized how spoiled you are.
> One of the things I hate about Illinois.


I am well aware....grew up in Illinois, got out of there as soon as I graduated high school. Never have looked back....no offense, but I don't miss that place at all.


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## Jwind (Mar 1, 2006)

steadyflow said:


> Yeah I don't mind the road warm up it goes fast and is quite scenic. Plus coming from Golden driving all the way around to the Indian Creek campground adds a good amount of car time that I end up spending riding the dirt road instead.


That and from the camp ground it's a credit card ride. Climbing to the finish sucks.


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## 06HokieMTB (Apr 25, 2011)

jncarpenter said:


> A few boring pics at ~11k feet from the Western Slope


You didn't see a set of keys to a National Car Rental Dodge Charger did you? The trailhead for that trail was the last time I ever saw them... That was an expensive tow back to GJ...


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## Krigloch (Aug 9, 2011)

steadyflow said:


> I am well aware....grew up in Illinois, got out of there as soon as I graduated high school. Never have looked back....no offense, but I don't miss that place at all.


ah, so you're one of the smart ones. congrats


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## lazbone (Dec 15, 2013)

Gosh, I need to head west!


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## bmf032 (Sep 8, 2010)

Great pictures!


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## H0WL (Jan 17, 2007)

Looks like great riding in the Front Range!


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

Good that spam has been removed but the wtf comment seems a bit out of context now.

Anyway back to boring Front Range trails...

It sucks to live here. It really does.... IL was much better when I lived there


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## blackitout (Jun 30, 2014)

What a terrible life you have in such an ugly place.


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## Krigloch (Aug 9, 2011)

jerk

:crazy:


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

Krigloch said:


> jerk
> 
> :crazy:


Who, me?

I used to live in Naperville. I don't miss the place. I will say though that though the riding was limited (Palos Hills, Saw Wee Kee, Knock Knolls) the rider community was good and probably better than that on the Front Range. The FR community is very spread out and there are far too many uppity types.


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## desertred (Jun 9, 2010)

Well, don't we have to be uppity in order to descend?


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## Roaming50 (Apr 30, 2009)

desertred said:


> Well, don't we have to be uppity in order to descend?


Ha ha. Very true.


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## Spdu4ia (Aug 6, 2009)

Falcon trail


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## IFallDown (Mar 2, 2014)

love the pics.


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## Spdu4ia (Aug 6, 2009)




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## lex_luthor (Aug 12, 2014)

*taking notes


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## 274898 (Nov 29, 2005)

Looks picturesque and scenic. Great for those hardtail epic rides. But technical trails are much more fun and adrenalin creators.


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