On August 21st, Front Range riders got their first purpose-built, downhill-specific, bike-only trail when “The Sluice” opened at Floyd Hill Open Space in Evergreen. Although two other trails in the Golden area have gained bike-only designations, this challenging track was designed from the ground up to progress riders’ descending skills. It’s full of drops, step-ups, step-downs, tabletops, berms, and rock features, arranged in a series of alternate lines that allow riders to create a variety of routes to the bottom. The main line is rollable by intermediate riders, so almost everyone can explore it to find options they can work on. Meanwhile, experienced riders can spend much of their time in the air, perfecting that whip or no-hander.
Before the trail opened, the only way to get this kind of gravity experience was to drive to a ski resort and buy a lift ticket. Floyd Hill is half an hour from Denver, so it’s much closer to home for a lot of riders, and it works for both an all-day session or a quick after-work lap. Plus, it’s free to ride, except for the sweat equity required to get to the top. The climb is all on singletrack, rated green and blue with an optional black loop at the top.
The Sluice (also noted as Segment 4 on many maps) was built by FlowRide Concepts, with assistance from the Colorado Mountain Bike Association (COMBA). The project was a partnership among COMBA, Clear Creek County, and a long list of other stakeholders, all invested in bringing a complete trail system to Floyd Hill. The full proposal includes 10-12 miles of trail, two other trailheads, and a connection to the Peaks-to-Plains bike path, which can be used to access the Centennial Cone trail system to the north.
“We want to introduce these concepts and the resulting experiences on the trails to the Front Range public to build support for implementation at other trail systems in nearby areas,” said COMBA executive director Gary Moore. “It is important to have this public support to enable land managers to make difficult, bold changes to their trails.”
COMBA is working on more downhill, bike-only trails as part of the Virginia Canyon Mountain Park project in Idaho Springs, so even more options are on the horizon. To get involved or to donate, go to www.comba.org.
FLOYD HILL QUICK FACTS:
Current trail mileage: 6 miles
Uses: mountain biking, trail running and hiking (one trail is foot traffic only), rock climbing access
The Sluice: Approx. 1.3 miles in length, drops 700 vertical feet. Main line rated blue/black; alternate lines rated black/double black
Partners: COMBA, Clear Creek County, Clear Creek County Open Space, Mountain Area Land Trust, Trust for Public Land, Great Outdoors Colorado and Gates Family Foundation. Sponsors include Team Evergreen Cycling, Yeti Cycles, Pedal of Littleton, Wheat Ridge Cyclery and Colorado Deck Master.