Near Penrose     |     .28 Miles     |     Very Hard     |     5,861 Feet Part of one of the toughest rock crawling trail systems in the state. It’s short, but breaking and body damage is likely. The trail runs through a skinny canyon filled with lots of rocks and boulders. The obstacle this trail is known for is […]

This is legit downhill/freeride terrain. The trail plummets at extreme grades with big drops in sketchy tight woods, and major gap jumps, one measuring a full 30 feet. The big gaps have ride arounds, but this is still tough terrain given the extreme grade and loose gravelly surface. Definitely not for the faint of heart, even with the ride arounds. About a third of the way down, the trail crosses Gold Camp Road–simply merge downhill onto the road and look for the next singletrack on the right to rejoin I-35. There are a couple forks with parallel trails. All are pretty much equally sketchy. The climb back up to the car on Old Stage Road is washboardy and often steep. Not a lot of fun if you’re on a serious DH bike. Many will shuttle this one.

This trail climbs 7500 vertical feel in just under 13 miles to the top of Pikes Peak (6,600 to 14,100 ft). Since bikes are not allowed on the toll road, this is the only way to ride your bike to the top of Pikes Peak. Be prepared for fast changing weather and much colder conditions on top. The trail starts out with a few stairs and then enters a section of switchbacks called the incline. The incline climbs at an average grade of 11% for a couple of miles with it almost all being rideable.