Greg Heil’s Top 25 MTB Trails from Around the World

After a decade of working in the mountain bike media industry, Greg Heil shares his top trail recommendations.

Mountain Biking Difficult, Severe, Extreme

Also in British Columbia, Canada • Huesca, Spain • Graubünden, Switzerland • Arizona, United States of America • California, United States of America • Colorado, United States of America • Idaho, United States of America • Oregon, United States of America • Utah, United States of America

Description

The world of mountain bike trails is a vast and magical place. In no way could one person hope to explore every trail in every nation around the globe—it would take multiple lifetimes to even come close. Yet the impossibility of ever achieving such a lofty goal doesn’t stop us from trying!

Over the past decade of working full time in the mountain bike media industry, employed as everything from a freelance writer to an editor in chief, I have been fortunate enough to travel extensively throughout the USA and, increasingly, abroad. These travels have allowed me to ride over a thousand superb mountain bike trails in numerous countries. Despite spending years wandering to and fro with my bike, there are massive holes in my mountain bike resume—places like New Zealand continue to elude me.

Holes aside, I receive requests via social media on an almost daily basis to share my top trail picks from my travels. In this guidebook, I’ve attempted to answer those requests by collecting the very best mountain bike trail highlights from around the world that I’ve personally pedaled.

This guidebook was assembled on April 3rd, 2019, and last updated on January 19, 2022. The holes mentioned above? I aim to fill them. Regardless of how fluid this list may be, every trail in this guidebook is bucket list-worthy and is worth however much effort you have to invest to get there and ride it.

Go forth and pedal the planet!

Routes included

Canyon Creek Loop

The 10-mile descent ripping down the Canyon Creek Trail from this route's high point atop a 12,500-foot mountain is to die for!

Severe Mountain Biking

Distance: 31 km
Ascent: 1.2 km
Descent: 1.2 km

The Whole Enchilada

One of the most epic mountain bike rides of all time, the Whole Enchilada drops over 9,000 feet of vertical and passes through every climate zone imaginable, from high alpine tundra to desert.

Extreme Mountain Biking

Distance: 51 km
Ascent: 820 m
Descent: 2.8 km

The Ribbon -> Free Lunch -> Holy Cross Shuttle

One of the fastest, rowdiest, point-to-point shuttles anywhere, with wide-open rock slab riding, uber-technical rock gardens, and big jump and drop options--experts only!

Extreme Mountain Biking

Distance: 18 km
Ascent: 255 m
Descent: 893 m

Colorado Trail: Kennebec Pass to Durango

Kennebec Pass to Durango is a ripping enduro-style descent starting high above tree line and dropping down gnarly singletrack all the way to town.

Severe Mountain Biking

Distance: 34 km
Ascent: 689 m
Descent: 2.1 km

Hangover

Extreme exposure coupled with brutally-technical rock moves make Hangover one of the most technical--and dangerous--trails in the nation.

Extreme Mountain Biking

Distance: 13 km
Ascent: 375 m
Descent: 375 m

Hiline

Hiline offers stunning views of the Red Rocks region from exposed mountainside singletrack. Finish it off with a raucous descent down a black-diamond plunge!

Extreme Mountain Biking

Distance: 14 km
Ascent: 329 m
Descent: 329 m

Monarch Crest

This epic trail provides high alpine ridge top riding at treeline with views for hundreds of miles in all directions, finishing with a ripping descent down the mountain.

Difficult Mountain Biking