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Ride Summary:
Prime riding, climbs rewarded with downhill, smooth singletrack, & scenery! Some trail traffic.
Trail Description:
The ride begins on a dirt road heading West from the bottom parking lot.
0.4 - Find a creek crossing on your left, take the singletrack up just behind the bridge;
0.8 - Find intersection with a narrow trail on the left and take it;
3.0 - Stay to the right at intersection with the Homestead Trail;
3.1 - Turn left at intersection with a jeep road;
3.9 - At an intersection of logging roads bear right;
4.1 - Find the sign for the Gashouse Trail and take it;
4.7 - At an intersection of singletrack, take far left and turn on the Baldy Trail, see sign;
7.7 - WOW, 3 miles of amazing downhill! Come to the intersection with Gashouse Trail and take a left;
7.8 - The trail ends at a dirt road #543, bear right;
9.2 - At the intersection of road #543 & road #550 continue on road #543;
9.3 - Turn left on a dirt road heading towards the Meadows Campground;
9.7 - Cross the Colorado Trail;
9.9 - At end of the road, Green Mountain singletrack begins;
11.3 - After the climb - REWARD! Not only great views but head downhill on a narrow trail with few switchbacks (watch your speed);
13.1 - Take a right turn at the intersection with the Colorado Trail;
13.9 - Find the Tramway Trail at an intersection and take it!
14.6 - Now you're back on the dirt road #543;
15.7 - Pass the turn to Meadows Campground;
16.1 - Head towards Bailey at an intersection of dirt roads sign;
16.5 - Find and take a jeep road on your right - Gashouse Trail;
16.9 - As the road ends continue on singletrack;
18.7 - Climbing ends and continue on the Gashouse Trail;
19.3 - Take a right turn on to a dirt road;
19.5 - Stay left on a logging road - Homestead Trail;
20.4 - Catch a singletrack trail on the left - Skipper Trail;
21.8 - Enend of the climb and go right on the Buck Gulch Trail;
25.1 - Back in the parking lot!
How to get there:
Pine Valley Ranch Park is located Southwest of Denver. The access is via Hwy 285 from Pine Junction. Turn South to Pine on RD 126. Follow this narrow road downhill until just before reaching Pine. Just before the town at the last sharp switchback you will see a sign to Pine Valley Ranch Park on your right. Keep to the right and drive 2 miles to the park. There are several large parking lots at the end of the road.
Additional Notes:
Try camping in the area and do this ride twice!
| Posted by: jon on 11/9/2007 |
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A map can be found here:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/psicc/publications/buffcrk.pdf
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| Posted by: theJ on 8/12/2006 |
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aha! - http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/psicc/publications/buffcrk.pdf
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| Posted by: theJ on 8/11/2006 |
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a great trail - there used to be a good map online, but I can no longer find it unfortunately. Some of those razor sharp burnt tree stumps on the downhill right along the side of the singletrack make me a bit nervous - I'm considering trying to ride it the other way around for a short and fast final downhill.
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| Posted by: Local Rider on 4/5/2006 |
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As someone who rides or hikes on the trails in the Buffalo Creek Recreation Area (BCRA) you may be interested to learn that there is a new and potentially lethal hazard lurking there. An increasing number of gun users have begun using the area to shoot their weapons in ad hoc firing ranges. I discovered this while riding the Colorado Trail last Sunday, when the sound of automatic weapons fire nearly knocked me off my bike.
It is legal to shoot guns in the park. In ten years of riding there I’ve often heard shooting, and never had cause to worry. This was different. The gunshots came from very close to the trail, in a small area bordered on all sides by trails, and near the forest service road.
This was not an isolated incident. On the same day, in another part of the park, a volunteer patroller was obliged to warn a couple of shooters that they were firing over a trail. And, in a third incident, a hiker heard gunfire and had a bullet ricochet nearby
Each year as the
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| Posted by: Scaryfast on 7/4/2004 |
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This ride is my favorite. The ride from Pine Valley Ranch Open Space Park ties into the Buffalo Creek Trails. Make sure you get a map of the Buffalo Creek Trail system if you want to explore these!!! You can find one by searching the net.
Usually I make the Pine Valley ride by going up Buck Gulch -> Skipper -> Charlies Cutoff -> Homestead - > Strawberry Jack. Buck Gulch is a big climb but you get most of the climbing out of the way by going up this way. (SECRET STASH: When you get to the top ride about a half a mile and look for a rock formation in the forest on your right. Hike out there and you will find one of the most breathtaking views in all of Colorado.) This ride is mainly fast rippin singletrack. Charlie's cutoff takes you over some Moab like rock formations. Strawberry Jack was one of the best singeltracks around. It was destroyed in a fire but has been rebuilt and is still pretty fun. There is a grand finale on some huge water bars at the end. Keep the
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| Posted by: poop on 10/27/2003 |
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this is not as confusing as it is made out to be.... just take Buck Gulch and follow it all the way.........you will know where to go from there...great down hill!
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| Posted by: hula5280 on 8/27/2003 |
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AWESOME RIDE! Great climbs, not too
technical, scenery and fun descents. The
directions were a little confusing at times so
I would recommend a map, and not the
ones they have at the trailhead. Included
are some additions to the directions that
attempt to clarify. Hope they help cause we
almost got lost a number of times. Head to
the Buck Snort Saloon, in Pine, afterwards
for a drink off the beaten path. Way off!
• Trail begins to the right of the footbridge.
• Between 0.8 and 3.0 there is a trail on the
left. Stay straight.
• At 3.0 the trail forks. Homestead trail is off
to your left and straight. Skipper's trail is to
your right. Head straight.
• Never really encountered 3.1, but at the
top of the hill Charlie’s Shortcut, a single
track, is to the left. Stay straight.
• 4.1 is on your left
• At 9.2 just after a large gate, the road
dead-ends. Turn right, heading towards
Meadows C.G. even though it says #550.
• At 9.9 turn right to make the
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| Posted by: MOOPS MCGONICKLE on 7/3/2003 |
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take strawberry gulch up pass homestaed pass charlies and take gashouse down. this is the best downhill 1hr from denver / sweeeeeet lush and then wild burned forrest soooooooo nice-
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| Posted by: frankie on 10/4/2002 |
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It really isn't beginner.this trail is soooo trippy and beautiful, little bit of a CLIMB but it gets easy. take the 1st right past the rock climb and hold on. smoke your brakes down-weeeeeeeee!!!!!!
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