Description

The trails at Haviland Lake fly way below the Durango mountain bike radar.

This is primarily due to how much equestrian traffic the trails receive, largely thanks to the nearby Bears Ranch stable that offers guided horseback rides.

However, the stable is closed at least one day per week—on Sundays in the summertime and Mondays in the fall—providing a perfect window of opportunity for mountain bikers to get out on the trails.

(Note: even though commercial rides won't be happening, you can still encounter horses on these trails.) The ride mapped here is a quick hit in the trail system that combines two of the fastest, flowiest trails: Wagon and Aspen Loop. The initial descent down the Wagon Trail is arguably the highlight of the ride, with fast, flowing singletrack funneling through small rock gardens and over the occasional root.

This swoopy section of trail is over all too quickly, and beginning with the best descent is always a bit of a bummer. After suffering up a short but steep climb on Chris Park, you'll connect to Aspen Loop via Lech and Hermosa View.

These trails in the interior of the network provide decent up-and-down riding with moderate obstacles to overcome.

Soon, you'll take a right to connect to Haviland View. The Haviland View Trail also hides some short, punchy climbs and descents, but this section is also filled with gorgeous wildflowers to help you keep your mind off the suffering.

It also rewards with a short but sweet final descent to cap off this quick four-mile ride.