Best mountain bike trails at Purgatory
Ready for lift-assisted mountain biking? Head for these trails
Come winter, Purgatory, in southwest Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, is covered in snow and dotted with skiers. Come snow, those trails turn green and are transformed into a lift-assisted mountain bike park.
Purgatory Bike Park lets you experience mountain biking in a whole new way, with an easy-to-load high-speed six seater chairlift easily ferrying you and your bike to the top of the mountain, where you can choose from mellow cruisers taking you back to the base as well as heart-pounding downhill terrain with human-made and artificial features.
Ready to ride? Here are the best trails at Purgatory Bike Park.
Best beginner trail at Purgatory bike park: Shangri-La. Almost 5 miles long, this easy cruiser is perfect for first timers, those new to mountain biking, or anyone who needs a warm-up
Best intermediate trail at Purgatory bike park: 7th Heaven. This trail starts from the top of Chair 1 and squiggles under the lift before angling to the west and ducking into the trees. It’s got good flow with some rocky downhill sections and occasional jumps that you can usually skirt around.
Best advanced trail at Purgatory bike park: World Champs XC. Starting from the top of Chair 4, this is the lower section of the original 1990s XC World Cup course–the race that put Durango on the map as an international mountain biking destination. This trail is fun, flowy, and fast.
Best expert trail at Purgatory bike park: World Cup DH. This trail snakes under Chair 1 for its entirety, offering lift riders plenty to gape at. This is a classic DH with some modern elements sprinkled in. You get considerable drops, off-camber sections, a large road gap (with a go-around), roots, rocks, and features galore.
Rent a bike at Purgatory Bike Park
Downhill mountain biking is pure fun, but you may find your regular trail bike or even your trusty XC bike simply isn’t built for the challenges that downhill-focused mountain biking delivers.
The solution? Rent. Brimstone Bikes, near the base of Purgatory, rents bikes specifically tailored to the bike trails at Purgatory bike park, from easy beginner to advanced expert. In addition to rentals, Brimstone offers sales and service, and has everything you need for a day on the mountain.