Where to MTB in Ft. Collins?

[jscott]

I'm in Ft. Collins for a few days and planning to rent an MTB from Lee's. Keeping in mind that I'm coming from east-coast low-altitude root-and-rock-a-palooza, which trails should I check out?

[Peter Polack]

Contact the Overland Mountainbike Club in Fort Collins. They'll give you the real info and perhaps hook you up with friendly people willing to show you around.

I was there a bunch of years ago and my outdoorsey and barely mountain biking hosts steered me toward the trails in Lory State Park, I think. With only one visit to the trails and not knowing them well, I shouldn't criticize them. Your best bet is the link above.

[cash]

I live in Ft Collins. Let me know if you have any specific questions.

Pineridge Natural Area/Maxwell Natural Area/Shoreline trail (Horsetooth reservoir): This is a fun and not overly technical trail (although the switchbacks behind Hughes stadium may challenge a lowlander). You can park at Spring Canyon Community Park. Then ride west (there's really only one way up the ridge) and drop down into Pineridge Natural Area (ride around the lake and head north, or loop back around and ride the timber trail on the west ridge). Heading north, you will cross over the rode and head towards the CSU football stadium. Follow the trail behind the stadium and climb the switchbacks. This will take you up to Horsetooth reservoir (the views up here are awesome). Cross the road at the top of the ridge and connect with the shoreline trail, head north until it's time to turn around. This is a fun, relatively fast ride. It will be crowded with cyclists, runners, climbers and dog walkers. But, I've never had any trail use issues.

Bobcat Ridge: I love this trail. It's about 10 miles west of Ft Collins near Masonville. The climb up the Powerline trail is ridiculously heard and unrelenting. It's exposed, loose, steep and long. It's not overly technical and the entire climb is ridable if you have the lungs. I've ridden this trail untold times and I've never cleaned it (although I've come close). At the top of the climb, it dumps out into a high meadow with amazing views of Roosevelt national forest and the remnants of the Bobcat fire from well over a decade ago. The downhill on the Ginny trail is a blast. Tight, technical, rocky switchbacks with a few man-made features (which I rarely ride ... I don't think they are necessary to the trail). This tends to be a love or hate trail. I love it.

Hewlett Gulch (Poudre Canyon): This is another of my favorite trails in the area. It's located up the Poudre Canyon, about a 30 minute drive from Ft Collins. It's a lariat trail that's not overly difficult, but the scenery is awesome (including spooky burnt trees from the fires 2 years ago). This trail was re-routed after the last major fire and it's in great shape. There are usually several water crossings that are ridable. To get to the trail head, drive north on 287 to Ted's Place (hwy 14), then west on 14 past Poudre Park and watch for the trailhead on the north side of the road. It sneaks up on you.

Blue Sky trail: This is a very flowy and non-technical trail that runs from Devil's Backbone in Loveland to Horsetooth Res and Lory State Park. There are a few different trailheads, but to get the full effect I would start at Devil's Backbone and ride it all the way north to Horsetooth and then turnaround. Devil's backbone is fairly rocky and technical in places (it's my least favorite part of the ride) but Blue Sky is all about flowy singletrack. You can also access it from Coyote Ridge Natural Area in south Ft Collins. If you ride Blue Sky, make sure you hit the Indian Summer spur that loops off of the main trail. It's a great literal detour.

Lory State Park is also really good riding, but there are too man options to list. Head out to the park (it's about 30 minutes from town, on the west side of Horsetooth) and start riding. There isn't a bad trail out here. Same goes for Horsetooth Mountain park (which connects with Lory).

This website is a little dated but the info is still pretty accurate: Colorado Mountain Biking

Have a good trip. Ft Collins is a cycling and beer town. Again, let me know if you have any specific questions. If you are around town in the evening and you see a Ft Collins cop with a bike on the back of the cruiser, it's probably me. Wave me down and introduce yourself.

Cheers!

[jscott]

Thanks, gents. I think I'm going to get an early start tomorrow and check out the Lory small loop. If my schedule permits, I'll see if I can hit the Overland Singletrack Social on Wednesday night.

[jscott]

Well, i should have done that early start, since Tuesday and Wednesday turned into washouts. I rolled over to Maxwell this morning but found it closed, so I mashed pedals up and down 23 for a while. Now it's time to go home, but I'll be back.

Hey, riding > not riding, even when I don't have the optimal tool.

[cash]

We've had an unusually wet summer. The rain we had Tuesday-Wednesday is rare. Usually, we are praying for rain. And when it does rain, the trails are good to go the next day. Come back. You won't regret it. I'm running the Wild West Relay starting early tomorrow morning, otherwise I'd offer to shuttle you up to Bobcat. The trails are supposedly in good shape.