The Colorado Trail

South Fooses Creek

Fooses Creek is a favorite of local bikers. It starts as a dirt road with a steady climb. But at the single track, the fun begins. The single track’s a generally wide trail through aspen and pine.

Intermediate-Advanced 2-3 Hours     12 Miles

Rating: Intermediate to advanced.
Distance: Twelve mile spur, or you can add an additional 2.5 miles of very difficult terrain with some bike-hiking and connect with the Monarch Crest Trail.
Time: Two to three hours, depending on the spur. Connecting with the Crest Trail can take several hours longer, depending on the approach.
Elevations: 8,670 to 10,400 for the 12-mile spur, or 11,600 if you make it to the Continental Divide on the Crest Trail.
Trails: Three miles of four-wheel drive dirt road to the trailhead, 3.1 miles of excellent single track; double these miles if doing this as a spur.
Maps: Colorado Trail Map Number 15 and 16, San Isabel National Forest Map.
Access: Travel west on U.S. 50 toward Monarch. Approximately three miles west of Maysville, CR 225 is to your left.
Ride Description: Turning left off U.S. 50 onto CR 225, go down to the bottom of the hill to where the road forks. Take the turn to the left and go across a bridge. This is private property so stay on the road. Choose where you park carefully and considerately at any of a number of turnouts.

For a great warm-up of approximately three miles — a steady climb with great views — start here. It is a rough road after this point, so be prepared should you decide to drive the three miles to the actual trailhead where the Colorado Trail and the single-track begin.

The road is obvious and winds around somewhat at first. You will pass a small body of water on your right at about a mile. It is here you enter the San Isabel National Forest. You will pass several camping spots along this stretch. Stay on the trail marked with blue diamonds on the trees. When the road reaches a major fork with the right going to North Fooses, veer to the left (east). The trailhead and start of the singletrack are 100 yards further ahead.

As you begin the single track, you will cross over a bridge and then come to the sign-in. Please sign in and let the Forest Service know the trail’s usage. From the trailhead it is 3.1 miles to the turn-around point of this particular ride, making it a spur (six miles total of four-wheel drive road and 6.2 miles of total single track for a 12-mile ride).

While enjoying the wonderful flat cruises through the woods, watch out for short steep descents and rocky climbs. The log bridges are a challenge to clear.

At mile 3.1 of the single track is a Forest Service sign, and a steep climb up and to the left of the trail. From this point, it is another 2.5 miles to reach the top of the Divide.

Beyond this point is terrain for only the extreme mountain biker, including long stretches of possible bike-hikes through boulder fields and a steep ascent up to the Continental Divide.

Raspberry Gulch to Angel of Shavano

This segment of the Colorado Trail — Raspberry Gulch to Angel of Shavano — starts midway between Salida and Buena Vista.

It offers great views of the valley from a vantage point high up on the Sawatch Range. On the trail, riders pass under lush green aspen stands and tunnels of pine boughs.

Advanced 4-5 Hours     13 Miles

Rating: Advanced.
Distance: 13 miles.
Time: Four to five hours.
Elevation: Start 8,640 feet; finish 9,200 feet; total elevation gained is 1,900 feet; highest elevation is 10,170 feet.
Trails: Four-wheel drive road, single track.
Maps: Colorado Trail map sections 14 and 15 (recommended). USGS 15-Minute Topo — Poncha Springs; San Isabel National Forest Map
Access: This ride requires a vehicle shuttle. The beginning is at the intersection of FR 274 and FR/CR 273. This intersection can be found by going west on CR 270 off U.S. 285, about three miles south of Nathrop. After about 1.5 miles, CR 270 angles to the north. Continue west on CR 272.

At 2.1 miles from the junction of 270/272, CR 272 turns south. You head northwest on CR 274, which begins here. The intersection of FSR 274 and FSR/CR 273 is 0.3 miles further west.

The other end of the shuttle is Angel of Shavano Campground, about four miles north of Maysville on CR 240. Raspberry Gulch road (FSR/CR 273.2) is technically a four-wheel drive road, but it is usable by most vehicles for some distance.

At the driver’s discretion, some climbing can be saved by setting the shuttle further west on CR 273. All vehicles should be able to drive to the road closure sign at 2.4 miles.

Ride Description: From the intersection, ride west uphill on CR 273, passing a cabin in about two miles. Continue to the road closure sign in another half mile. A large earth berm blocks the road at this point. Continue up the closed road for another 50 yards, and look for a large rock cairn marking the start of the single track on the left side of the road.

Signs here indicate Browns Creek is two miles to the south, and Chalk Creek three miles to the north.

Turn left onto single track FST 1429 going south. In 1.2 miles, intersect the Colorado Trail (FST 1776). The remainder of the ride follows the Colorado Trail south, and is well marked.

In 0.3 mile the Browns Creek Trail joins the Colorado Trail. In the next half mile, the Colorado Trail intersects several trails and crosses several branches of Browns Creek. Stay on the Colorado Trail.

The trail crosses several drainages, then gradually loses altitude. After intersecting the second of two four-wheel drive roads, a relatively steep section gains almost 550 feet in 1.6 miles, to the high point of the ride (10,170 feet), just after crossing South Sand Creek. In a half mile, after crossing a small drainage, the trail makes a steep descent. This section is rocky and loose — use caution.

About 1.3 miles past the ride’s high point is a trail register box. This marks the beginning of a short section of four-wheel drive road. Just to the west is the start of the hiking trail to the summit of 14,229-foot Mt. Shavano.

After about 0.3 mile, look for a monument to Rocky Mountain goats placed by the Order of Rocky Mountain Goats, an organization with an international following.

About a half mile after crossing a cattle guard, the single track begins again on the right. The next section crosses a four-wheel drive road and some small creeks then climbs a small ridge after passing through a gate. The next 0.7 mile descends 500 feet to the Angel of Shavano Campground. The last 0.2 mile are difficult switchbacks and rocky sections.

Buena Vista to Mt. Princeton

Although rated as difficult, fat tire enthusiasts will enjoy some excellent single track on this Buena Vista to Frontier Ranch section of the Colorado Trail.

Advanced riders will be able to ride right out of Buena Vista but most others will want to set a shuttle.

Advanced 4-5 Hours     13 Miles

Rating: Advanced.
Distance: 21.5 miles.
Time: Three hours.
Elevation: High point — 9,960 feet; low point — 7,955 feet; total climbing — approximately 2,100 feet.
Trails: Single track — 5.5 miles; four-wheel drive road — four miles; paved and graded roads — 12 miles.
Maps: Colorado Trail Map, San Isabel National Forest Map, USGS Topo Map — Buena Vista, 15-Minute.
The Colorado Trail Map, Section 13, is the recommended map.
Access: The ride begins and ends at the intersection of CR 306 and CR 342, 4.2 miles west of the only stoplight in Buena Vista.

The ride is described as a loop, but is done more often with a vehicle shuttle set at the high point on CR 345 and at the Mt. Princeton Trailhead of the Colorado Trail.

Shuttling avoids most of the nine miles of paved and graded roads, as well as a 1,280-foot climb in three miles on CR 345.
Ride Description: After turning left onto CR 342 from CR 306, make an immediate right turn onto CR 345. Your bike ride can begin here, or you can drive to the trail turn off, about three miles uphill. This road is passable by most two-wheel drive vehicles in good weather.

After three miles of climbing from CR 306, CR 345 starts a 180 degree turn to the right. As the road starts this turn, take the four-wheel drive. road that turns off to the left going steeply uphill. This turn will be marked FR/CR 345.2.

Follow the signs marking access to the Colorado Trail.

Upon reaching the Colorado Trail, turn left (south). The next 5.5 miles are excellent single track with only a few sharp turns, water bars and short, steep sections which require dismounting.

This section is well marked with Colorado Trail markers. The high point is within a half mile after first intersecting the Colorado Trail. From here there are only a few short climbs out of drainages.

The single track ends shortly after passing a trail register box to the trail’s right. Turn left on the four-wheel drive road, staying on the Colorado Trail for slightly more than a mile to Frontier Ranch Stables.

Continue east on FR/CR 322, leaving the Colorado Trail in 0.6 mile and intersecting CR 321 (paved) in another 0.3 mile. Turn left or north onto CR 321 and return to Buena Vista. CR 321 intersects with CR 306 in about seven miles, returning you to the starting point.

Access to the Colorado Trail via CR 345 avoids the steep, difficult and mostly unrideable section of the trail from South Cottonwood Creek.

However, this does make an interesting loop. Instead of riding south to Frontier Ranch, ride north on the Colorado Trail. Return to the starting point via CR 344 and CR 306.

This loop, mostly a descent on loose and rocky terrain, is about nine miles long and is very difficult, even for experienced riders.

Another option is to park at the Young Life camp at the top of CR322, then head up Mt. Princeton Trail and go right at the Colorado Trail and ride to CR 345 and back for a total of about 12 miles round trip.