Description

Most riders on Colorado’s Front Range consider Buffalo Creek the go-to destination for flowy, swoopy, buffed-out singletrack, hence the nickname “Buff Creek.” This classic trail system has long been popular with cross country-style mountain bikers, but just about anybody that rides a bike will have a great time on the trails at Buffalo Creek. The classic singletrack and incredible trail quality found here has earned Buffalo Creek the coveted IMBA Epic designation.

The loop mapped here is the certified IMBA Epic route.

This route utilizes trails like Nice Kitty, the Colorado Trail, Gashouse, Charlie’s Cutoff, and the iconic Sandy Wash descent.

The singletrack in this system is mostly smooth, punctuated by the occasional rock garden and slab of grippy granite.

The “dirt” consists of stereotypical Colorado Front Range kitty litter, aka decomposed granite.

This makes many of the corners very slippery and much more challenging than they may first appear.

The views from openings on the hillside can be expansive, displaying rolling hills giving way to mountains in the distance, and monolithic rock outcroppings peppering the hillside.

Newer trail developments in the system make use of these technical rock features, most notably the double black diamond Blackjack trail.

Buffalo Creek offers a wide variety of ride options, with Blackjack and Little Scraggy both being very popular routes.

But if you’re looking for a great sampler platter that hits all of the longtime classics, the loop shown here is a great place to start.