Out of the entire Colorado Trail, arguably the most highly-acclaimed portion is the long stretch running from the town of Silverton to the southern terminus of the trail in Durango. While not technically the highest-elevation portion of the trail, nevertheless this section stays very high in the San Juan Mountain Range.

All along this stretch, the views of the surrounding jagged mountains are incredible, the singletrack is narrow and sinuous, and there’s nary a sign of civilization. Indeed, between departing the town of Silverton and entering the town of Durango, the only sign of human life is the occasional dirt road crossing. Plan accordingly and pack all the gear you’ll need.

The Blackhawk Pass segment climbs steeply up to the top of the pass on narrow, mostly smooth singletrack with the characteristic jaw-dropping views. But once on top, it’s time to rip down! "The 10 miles of downhill from the top of Blackhawk Mountain is some of the best there is,” writes John Robinette on DurangoBikeTours.com. "It is EPIC!”

Sources: http://www.durangobiketours.com/2015/09/08/blackhawk-pass/