If you’re like us, hitting the trails year-round is an urge that needs satisfying. While we love to enjoy our Colorado winters, every once in a while it feels good to hop in the car and find a dry trail and feel the dirt underneath your tires, without making the long trek to the desert. So, we put together a list of our favorite trails to hit in shoulder-season, or when your go-to trails are too muddy to ride.
It goes without saying that we do not recommend riding if the trails are closed. We advise you to check local trail conditions before you head out to avoid doing any damage to trails that aren’t ready. Conditions can vary in the winter, but if the trails have seen a dry weather cycle and plenty of sun, there’s no shortage of fun to be had on the mountain bike in the winter – you just have to know where to look.
And now, in no particular order, our top 5 Winter MTB Rides in the Front Range:
Red rock and technical ledges make up the majority of the trail.
Devil’s Backbone – Loveland, CO
While Loveland, CO, may not be the first place on your mind when you think of technical mountain bike destinations, you’ll be surprised if you make the short trip up to Devil’s Backbone and hit this black diamond 13-mile lollipop.
With plenty of rocky ledges and some sustained off-camber technical climbing and descending, the terrain on the Devil’s Backbone loop feels more akin to riding in Moab than the Front Range.
The rocky, sedimentary-trail surfaces and wide-open sun exposure means it dries out quickly, making it a worthy day trip for a singletrack fix.
Left Hand OHV – Boulder, CO
The first rule about Left Hand is… just kidding, the secret’s out about Left Hand OHV and it’s one of our favorite places to ride in the off-season.
Rest assured, you’ll experience a mixed bag of conditions in the winter at LHOHV, but no other trail system in the front range will give you the type of steep, challenging descents that you’ll find here in the thick of winter.
The decomposed granite and southern exposure on many trails mean they shed moisture quickly and if you catch it just right, you might even get a little bit of that elusive front range loam.
Which trails tend to dry out quickest? Our winter go-tos are: Bon Scott, ODB, GZA & Skinny Peat.
LHOHV on a particularly dry January day.
Pick a line, any line. You’ll thank us later.
Bitterbrush Trail (Hall Rock Garden) – Lyons, CO
This one will come as no surprise, but the Bitterbrush Trail at Hall Ranch can be a ton of fun in the winter. It commonly dries out a few days after a snowstorm and while it may be a short section of trail, winter rides in the Rock Garden present a great opportunity to session lines and work on those technical skills, both uphill and downhill.
Be mindful of trail closures and stick to the rock garden when other trails at Hall are snowy. There’s no shortage of fun to be had, and those technical skills you sharpen during those sessions will pay off later on in the year.
Erie Singletrack – Erie, CO
We may be spoiled with Valmont Bike Park in our backyard, but the bike park in Erie is an absolute blast. With progressive trails ranging from beginner right on up to a black diamond expert line, there’s something for everyone to enjoy a couple hours of riding.
The drive is under 30 minutes from Boulder and Denver, and the wide-open exposure to the sun means it’ll be one of the first trail systems to dry up. Complete the afternoon with a stop in Downtown Erie and hit one of their great restaurants or coffee shops that make the trip worthwhile.
Captain Jack’s – Colorado Springs, CO
This is perhaps the best bang-for-your-buck day-trip on this list. With a scenic climb and a world-famous ripping descent, you can combine a few trails for a true classic loop with easy navigation and a ride that’s worth the trip to Colorado Springs.
The soil on Captain Jack’s is a gravely, kitty litter consistency that tends to dry very quickly, and even the spots that hold snow tend to pack down and allow for dry winter riding. This ride does hit over 8,000’ so make sure to check conditions before you go, but if you manage to ride Captain Jack’s when the dirt is tacky, you may never consider this a summer ride again.
ABOUT SPORTS GARAGE
Born out of a passion for riding and providing the best possible service and equipment for our customers, Sports Garage has maintained a reputation for exceptional service and product selection since 1994. From the advent of the first disc brakes on mountain bikes to the rise of the dirt road, Sports Garage has been at the forefront of cycling’s best products. Sports Garage is Boulder’s first bike shop dedicated exclusively to alternative surfaces. From dirt road racing, to gravel grinding and adventure cycling, to mountain biking, we take out clients beyond the end of the pavement. We have long held that a bike shop is about the people, the passion, and the proof – not just the products.