Pedal Both Alpine and Desert on Salida’s Best MTB Trails

Pedal through alpine tundra, deep forests, and cacti on the best singletrack in Salida’s incredibly diverse trail system.

Greg Heil

Images

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First Descent Photographer

by Tom M.

Licence Free

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Epic Antora View Photographer

by Greg Heil

Licence Free

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Sweet Singletrack Photographer

by Greg Heil

Licence Free

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Ouray Airtime Photographer

by Marcel Slootheer

Licence Free

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Riding Beneath Ouray Photographer

by Marcel Slootheer

Licence Free

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Old School Cribbing Photographer

by Greg Heil

Licence Free

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With a view this incredible, it’s tough to keep your eyes on the Rumba Ridge section of the trail! Rider: Scott Cotter. Photo: Greg Heil

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Rolling through the Waterfall section. Rider: Greg Heil. Photo: The Singletrack Sampler

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Berm action up high. Rider: Ben F. Photo: Greg Heil

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Making the most of the air opportunities. Rider: Greg Heil. Photo: Marcel Slootheer

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Rolling through a tree-lined gully. Rider: Marcel Slootheer. Photo: Greg Heil

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Sweet berms on Chicken Dinner. Rider: Andrew M. Photo: Marcel Slootheer

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Climbing up the Frontside trail. Photo by Leslie Kehmeier, Mapping Manager, International Mountain Bicycling Association. Photo courtesy BLM via Flickr Creative Commons.

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Pedaling along the top of a 12,500-foot mountain. Rider: Marcel Slootheer. Photo: Greg Heil

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Descending along an alpine ridge. Rider: Marcel Slootheer. Photo: Greg Heil

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Looking back down the Canyon Creek hike-a-bike. Rider: Scott Cotter. Photo: Greg Heil

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Top of the mountain. Photo: Greg Heil

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Looking back down the Canyon Creek hike-a-bike. Photo: Greg Heil

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Rock garden down in the trees. Riders: Jim Cummings and Marcel Slootheer. Photo: Greg Heil

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Hike-a-bike to the top of the mountain.

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Looking back down the hike-a-bike singletrack. Photo: Greg Heil

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View from the top of the mountain. Photo: Greg Heil

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Pedaling along the top of a 12,500-foot mountain. Rider: Greg Heil

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Singletrack on the mountaintop. Photo: Greg Heil

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Flowy singletrack descent through the high alpine. Photo: Greg Heil

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Climbing up the 4x4 road. Photo: Greg Heil

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View of the mountains, looking back down 4x4 road climb. Photo: Greg Heil

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Mountain view. Photo: Greg Heil

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Alpine Tunnel Loop provided directly

by Marcel Slootheer

Creative Commons: Attribution
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Alpine Tunnel Loop provided directly

by Marcel Slootheer

Creative Commons: Attribution
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Alpine Tunnel Loop provided directly

by Marcel Slootheer

Creative Commons: Attribution
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Alpine Tunnel Loop provided directly

by Marcel Slootheer

Creative Commons: Attribution
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Alpine Tunnel Loop provided directly

by Marcel Slootheer

Creative Commons: Attribution
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Smooth Colorado Trail cruising with the Chalk Cliffs and Mount Princeton in the background. Rider: Greg Heil. Photo: Marcel Slootheer

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Dropping toward Raspberry Gulch. Rider: Greg heil. Photo: Marcel Slootheer

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A portion of this trail is some of the very easiest mountain biking that the Arkansas has to offer—and it is a heck of a lot of fun! Riders: Sue M. and Paul M. Photo: Greg Heil

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Gorgeous views off the side of Mount Princeton. Photo: Greg Heil

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Bikepacking the Colorado Trail near Blank’s Cabin and Mount Shavano. Rider: Greg Heil. Photo: Summer Heil

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Deep and dark section. Rider: Ben F. Photo: Greg Heil.

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View of Chalk Valley from the Colorado Trail. Photo: Greg Heil

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This is what it’s all about: flowy, loamy singletrack through the trees. Rider: Greg Heil. Photo: Marcel Slootheer.

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Epic views from the alpine meadows! Rider: Greg Heil. Photo: Marcel Slootheer

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Light snowfall makes for hero dirt! Photo: Greg Heil

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Beautiful views of the Arkansas Valley from high above. Photo: Greg Heil

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Fording the creek on the climb up the 4x4 road. Rider: Marcel Slootheer. Photo: Greg Heil

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Classic loamy Bear Creek Rainbow Trail singletrack. Photo: Greg Heil

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Dropping down Unkle Nazty. Photo by Leslie Kehmeier, Mapping Manager, International Mountain Bicycling Association. Photo courtesy BLM via Flickr Creative Commons.

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Dropping down Unkle Nazty. Rider: Ryan Knobbe. Photo by Leslie Kehmeier, Mapping Manager, International Mountain Bicycling Association. Photo courtesy BLM via Flickr Creative Commons.

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Descending the Unkle Nazty trail. Photo by Leslie Kehmeier, Mapping Manager, International Mountain Bicycling Association. Photo courtesy BLM via Flickr Creative Commons.

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Descending the Unkle Nazty trail. Rider: Greg Heil. Photo: Marcel Slootheer

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Tight switchback on the Sand Dunes trail. Rider: Greg Heil. Photo: Brink Messick

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Rocky singletrack on North Backbone. Photo: Greg Heil

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Crossing a slickrock slab on North Backbone. Rider: Tom M. Photo: Greg Heil

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View of S-Mountain and Salida from North Backbone. Photo: Greg Heil

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Climbing up a short grunt on Backbone. Rider: Marcel Slootheer. Photo: Greg Heil

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Pedaling across Backbone. Rider: Greg Heil

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Dropping into the sweet berms on Chicken Dinner. Rider: Andrew M. Photo: Marcel Slootheer

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Pedalling back up Chicken Dinner. Rider: Paul M. Photo: Marcel Sloother

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Enjoying Chicken Dinner’s flow. Rider: Paul M. Photo: Marcel Slootheer.

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Chicken Dinner is great in both directions. Riders: Andrew M. and Paul M. Photo: Marcel Slootheer.

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Pedaling across Backbone. Photo by Leslie Kehmeier, Mapping Manager, International Mountain Bicycling Association. Photo courtesy BLM via Flickr Creative Commons.

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Hoodoo and small kicker on Lower Rusty Lung

by Greg Heil

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Lower Rusty Lung

by Greg Heil

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Railing a berm on Burn Pile. Rider: Greg Heil

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Rusty Lung

by Greg Heil

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Pedaling up the Skull Trail to reach the Little Rainbow. Rider: Nathan W. Photo: Greg Heil

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View of Castle Gardens from Racetrack.

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Singletrack on the Racetrack Trail.

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Berm on Little Rainbow. Rider: Greg Heil. Photo: Greg Heil.

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Little Rainbow trail in the foreground, Sawatch mountain range in the background. Looking west along the trail.

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Catching some air on an old school booter. Photo: Greg Heil

by Greg Heil

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Rider: Greg Heil

by Greg Heil

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Dropping into Fooses Creek in late October. Photo: Greg Heil

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Lush singletrack on the Fooses Creek trail. Photo: Greg Heil

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James Lindenblatt climbing out of Fooses Creek while bikepacking the Colorado Trail

by Jesse Palmer

Creative Commons: Attribution
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On top of Fooses Creek while bikepacking the Colorado Trail

by Jesse Palmer

Creative Commons: Attribution
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Pedaling through an aspen grove on the Green’s Creek Trail. Rider: Greg Heil. Photo: Marcel Slootheer.

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Rocks, roots, and a stream—Green’s Creek in a nutshell. Rider: Marcel Slootheer. Photo: Greg Heil.

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Dropping into the first descent along the Monarch Crest. Rider: Greg Heil. Photo: Tom M.

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The views from the Monarch Crest Trail are second to none! Rider: Marcel Slootheer. Photo: Greg Heil.

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The singletrack follows the Continental Divide for miles. Photo: Greg Heil

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Rock roll on the Green's Creek trail. Rider: Greg Heil

by Marcel Slootheer

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Descending the wide-open rocky alpine section at the top of Agate Creek. Rider: Greg Heil. Photo: Tom M.

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Descending the wide-open rocky alpine section at the top of Agate Creek. Rider: Greg Heil. Photo: Tom M.

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Descending the wide-open rocky alpine section at the top of Agate Creek. Rider: Tom M. Photo: Greg Heil.

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Splashing through a stream crossing on Agate Creek. Rider: Greg Heil

by Marcel Slootheer

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Pedaling down the isolated Agate Creek valley. Rider: Marcel Slootheer

by Greg Heil

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Pedaling down the isolated Agate Creek valley. Rider: Marcel Slootheer

by Greg Heil

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Agate Creek singletrack

by Greg Heil

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by Greg Heil

Creative Commons: Attribution

Description

The small mountain town of Salida, Colorado, is home to one of the most diverse mountain bike trail systems in the nation, if not the world. With hundreds of miles of singletrack running between the mountain peaks and the valley floor, the trail network around Salida spreads through an ecosystem that's equally diverse.

The mighty Sawatch Mountain Range, filled with towering summits that soar over 14,000 feet, soars above the town of Salida. Chaffee County (of which Salida is the county seat) is home to the most 14,000-foot peaks of any county in the lower 48, meaning you'll find an absurd amount of superb alpine mountain biking here! The Monarch Crest, Salida's marquee ride, is famous across the country for its high alpine traverse and spectacular mountain views.

As you work your way down into the deep pine and aspen forests filled with loamy black dirt trails, and then continue lower still into more arid climate zones, you'll eventually reach a bonafide desert environment. Most notably, the Arkansas Hills Trail System on the eastern side of Salida is home to a high desert environ featuring sandy, rocky trails lined by sharp cacti.

Whatever your flavor of mountain bike trail you prefer, you're almost guaranteed to find a new favorite ride in Salida's ever-expanding network of sweet, sweet singletrack!

Adventures

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.

Cottonwood Loop

Pedal from downtown Salida high into the Arkansas Hills to access a ripping descent with fast, flowy sections and uber-gnarly rock gardens.

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!

Alpine Tunnel Loop

Traverse the Continental Divide Trail above 12,000 feet and enjoy historic sites and high-alpine lakes.

Bear Creek Loop

A long loop with big climbs from downtown Salida, the singletrack is fast and flowy, making for a great cross country ride.

Trans-Backbone

The Trans-Backbone route is an efficient, easy-to-navigate route through the Arkansas Hills trail system, with singletrack ranging from technical and challenging to flowy and fast.

Little Rainbow Loop

One of the least technical rides in Salida, the singletrack is still flowy and fun.

Gutz Descent

A rowdy fall line descent dropping thousands of feet down to the town of Salida.

Monarch Crest -> Green's Creek

Green's Creek is the most relentlessly-technical singletrack trail dropping off of the Monarch Crest, making it a favorite of enduro racers.