Best mountain bike trails in Durango’s Horse Gulch trail system
Durango’s Horse Gulch trail system is one of the most popular in town, with miles of riding accessible directly from downtown. You’ll find trails here for every ability, from beginner to advanced and expert.
Horse Gulch is a huge area just east of downtown. Formerly privately owned, easements were gifted to La Plata County and trails were built by the city of Durango.
Horse Gulch is not just a big bunch of trails, but it’s also a key link between several other riding areas in the city. To the north are the trails around Fort Lewis College, while to the south are the Ewing Mesa trails. To the southeast you can access trails in Three Springs. Simply put, make it to Horse Gulch and you have a full day of riding at your disposal.
The main trailhead for Horse Gulch is at the east end of East Third Street. Here you will find a parking lot, a toilet, and a bike stand. The best bike store in Durango, Colorado, Pedal the Peaks, is just 9 blocks to the west and north.
Horse Gulch is west facing and gets warm on sunny summer days; take this into account if you are planning a mountain bike ride in Durango. E-bikes are not allowed in Horse Gulch, but dogs are.
The best mountain bike trails in Durango’s Horse Gulch
To get to the best mountain bike trails in Durango’s Horse Gulch, from the trailhead, follow the Horse Gulch main line, an old dirt road, east and gradually north; this is shared with a lot of hikers, walkers, and joggers. After a few minutes you come to a major trail junction with benches and an information sign. This is where most of the action starts.
Meadow Loop: The classic ride in Horse Gulch is Meadow Loop. From the junction described above, follow the loop in a counter-clockwise direction back to the beginning. This mellow loop has plenty of flow and nice views.
Stacey’s Loop: For extra credit, hop off Stacey’s Loop for a slightly more challenging climb and descent that brings you back to Meadow.
Mike’s/Cuchillo: For even more credit, jump off Stacey’s for an engaging climb and descent – up Mike’s, down Cuchillo. While these are steeper, you’ll keep both wheels on the ground the whole time.
From the trail junction described above you have access to the ridge trails. Continue up the Horse Gulch road and pick from any number of trails to the left. This is where the riding gets interesting.
Rocky Road climbs a ravine into juniper pinyon forest, eventually popping out on the ridge for fine views of town and the La Plata Mountains. The main ridge trail up and down from this point is an expert, technical, rocky trail with exposure.
Rocky Road offers a somewhat easier, though still difficult ride, just below the ridge, and can be used to access SkyRaider and the trails around Fort Lewis. It can also get you to Sugar, a good intermediate downhill trail that dumps you back on the Horse Gulch road.
For a great downhill from the ridge, choose Milky Way or EZ and follow it to Cap’s or Zipline, both of which return you to Horse Gulch.
The main Horse Gulch trail can be followed for several miles. It eventually pops out in a rural subdivision.
Mountain bike trails in Durango that connect to Horse Gulch
To get to Three Springs or Ewing Mesa, leave Meadow Loop at Telegraph and make the steep climb up and over Pautskey Point. Crite’s Connect takes you to Ewing Mesa, while Telegraph continues over to Sidewinder and Dirt Lover to dump you into Three Springs. There’s a greenway planned to connect Three Springs back to Durango, but until it’s finished, the only decent way to return to town is to climb back up Sidewinder to Telegraph.
From lower Horse Gulch, you can also pick up Zip Line and follow it around to Powerline Ridge, a mellow trail that takes you to the college or way back around to Skyline.
For more information on the best mountain bike trails in Durango, make sure to stop by Brimstone Bikes. Brimstone can hook you up with great gear, tell you where you can e-bike, suggest a gravel ride in Durango, and even arrange bike rentals in Durango.