Colorado Springs Mountain Bike
Trail Guide
Colorado Springs has a wealth of mountain bike trails ranging from trails near the city to gnarly downhill trails off the summit of the 14,110’ Pike’s Peak. There are a couple mountain bike trail systems located right in town, with Palmer Park and Ute Park offering easy access to riding. Just south of town, the mountain bike trails at Cheyenne Mountain State Park have some nice loops and rides at the foot of the mountain that holds a US military doomsday bunker. West of Colorado Springs there are many hundreds of miles of singletrack and dirt roads weaving throughout the mountains. These areas are less popular, but definitely have some hidden gems worth exploring. In total these various mountain bike trails give Colorado Springs a great variety of riding.
| Total Trails | 100+ | Difficulty | Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert |
| Total Distance | 200+ miles | Style | Cross County, All-Mountain, Downhill |
evo's Favorite Trails
Barr Trail
Advanced | 12 Miles | 129' Climb | 8,175' Descent
That’s not a typo, the Barr Trail in Colorado Springs descends over 8,000’ from the summit of Pikes Peak. Starting at the over 14,000’ peak, the trail is pretty impressive, though it can be pretty crowded with hikers. Parts of the trail are technical and difficult, others have loose gravel and big mountain views. The Barr trail is one of several mountain bike trails in the Pikes Peak area.
Elk Park DH
Advanced | 5 Miles | 345' Climb | 2,000' Descent
The Elk Park Downhill is one of the preferred rides in the Pikes Peak area outside of Colorado Springs. Compared to the Barr trail, Elk Park DH has fewer hikers, and more smooth sections of trail. While there are smooth sections, there are definitely technical challenges, some gravel sections, and creek crossings that earn the advanced rating.Red Rock Canyon Open Space
All Abilities | 15 trails | 18 Miles | 1,711' Vertical
Located in the foothills just outside of Colorado Springs, Red Rock Canyon Open Space has a great selection of mountain bike trails that are perfect for after work or school rides. This reclaimed open space was once referred to as “America's most beautiful landfill.” It now hosts some fun singletrack through sandstone hogsbacks. The trails criss-cross throughout the park in a web of riding suited for any ability level. In general, the trails are smooth, with some roads mixed in.
Stratton Open Space Trails
Chamberlain to Gold Camp Rd. to Buckhorn to Captain Jacks
Intermediate/Advanced | 13.5 Miles | 2,047' Climb/Descent
This is one of many loops possible in the Stratton Open Space, including some of Colorado Springs’ best mountain bike trails. The route climbs up from the Ridgeway parking lot using the Chamberlain Trail to access the dirt Gold Camp Road, then Buckhorn. The climb is a bit of a grind, with the last grunt up Buckhorn throwing in some technical challenges, but it's totally worth the ripping fun descent. From the top of Buckhorn there are great views to take in while catching your breath and getting ready to drop into Captain Jack’s. This descent is smooth, fast and fun. From the bottom of Captain Jack’s, riders can drop into the short, steep, and gnarly Captain Morgan’s, or swing back out to Gold Camp Road to access the last fun downhill down Chutes trail to the car. The Chutes is a super fun trail to descend, with great flow, berms, and some rolling jumps. It can get a bit sandy, however. There are lots of options for longer or shorter mountain bike riders in the Stratton Open Space, too.
Cheyenne Mountain State Park
11 Trails | 16 Miles | 866' Vertical
South of Colorado Springs, there are some nice mountain bike trails at Cheyenne Mountain State Park. These trails are mostly well groomed and smooth, making for great beginner and intermediate riding. There are some more difficult trails, too. Cougar’s Shadow trail in the northwest of the park is the most technical and difficult trail in the park. The trails can be looped in a number of different ways to make longer rides. A 14 mile loop covers most of the trails in the park.
Our Favorite Bike Gear for Colorado Springs
Palmer Park
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced | 20 Trails | 26 Total Miles | 300' Vertical
Palmer Park is a very cool mountain bike trail system made even cooler by its location, smack dab in the middle of Colorado Springs. Easy access may mean the trails get crowded, but it’s hard to beat riding to singletrack without getting in the car, or getting some miles in before or after work. Palmer Park has mountain bike trails for riders of all ability levels, too, making the area great for families and kids. There are a ton of shorter trails that weave throughout the park, which can make navigating a bit tricky. Overall the park is pretty small, so getting lost isn’t a big deal, and can be a great way to find new trails.
Grandview
Intermediate | 1.7 Miles | 262' Climb | 42' Descent
Grandview is one of the more popular trails at Palmer Park, with amazing views from the top. Mountain bikers are treated to vistas of Pike’s Peak, Garden of the Gods, and Colorado Springs. The trail itself is pretty easy with some more difficult slickrock and technical sections thrown in.
Templeton
Advanced | 3.8 Miles | 488' Climb/Descent
Templeton is definitely the most difficult technical mountain bike trail in the Palmer Park. Even the best riders will be challenged by the techy sections. Ride them clean, and you’ll be stoked. The trail forms a loop in the northern portion of the park.
Palmer Point Trail
Intermediate | 2.1 Miles | 129' Climb | 166' Descent (CCW)
Palmer Point Trail is one of the longer trails at the park, and has some of the best flow, too. It makes its way around the northwestern perimeter of the park and descends in the counterclockwise direction.
Our Favorite Bikes for Colorado Springs
Rental and demo bikes are available at evo Seattle, evo Portland, evo Denver, evo Whistler, evo Salt Lake, and evo Snoqualmie Pass. (Note: The cost of up to three bike demos can be applied toward the final cost of purchasing a new or used bike from us.)
Like most trails in the front range, the mountain bike trails near Colorado Springs are rideable all year long, depending on the recent weather. The trails near Pikes Peak are the exception due to their high altitude they hold snow in the winter. Snow, snow, clouds, and cold temperatures will keep the trails muddy for longer. It’s recommended to stay off these trails for at least a couple days of warm sunshine to dry out after snow or rain. The Many of these trails are popular with hikers, so make sure to be courteous of other trail users.
