Description

Very few trails have been built primarily for use as a race course for NICA high school racing, and Haymaker is one of them.

In fact, Haymaker may have been the first trail constructed with just such an intention, and to date it continues to be a regular stop on the Colorado NICA circuit.

While it may have originally been built for high school racing, it makes a great cross country ride the rest of the year too. The singletrack climbs are mild and the descents aren't gnarly, but the swoop and flow of this trail allows riders to carry good speed the entire time.

While there aren't any huge obstacles to overcome, a couple tricky rocks, roots, and the occasional tight turn will keep riders alert and attentive.

Overall, though, this trail is very approachable for intrepid beginner riders.

The final descent back to the trailhead is a blast, with tight berms and fast corners.

This section appears to have been built too steep initially, and with the heavy use from racing has become very worn.

Local builders have attempted to retroactively this section with pavers, making for a sometimes flowy, sometimes rough final descent.