TRAIL & WORK
RIDE REPORTS
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SCROLL DOWN the page for TONS of trail reports. Have a trail update or have written about a CO trail? Please send it to us to include!
Dome Rock Trail Ride Report - August 2023
Location - just outside of Divide, CO right past Mueller state park. The trail actually connects to Mueller state park as well. If you choose to go that route it is an out and back and is approximately a 6 hour ride. (this report is not about that trail route). Here is a link to the parking lot - https://goo.gl/maps/L418HxyNfoRfYm3V9
This is a Co state wildlife area which requires a hunting, fishing, or SWA day pass to access.
Read full trail ride report here for Dome Rock State Wildlife Area
August 9, 23 - Trail report - Rosalie Trail near Conifer.
Near Mt Evans Wilderness area. Trailhead: Dear Creek here is a link to the Trailhead https://goo.gl/maps/Njdbsfg7dsZ4e9VM7 There is a camping area nearby as well (deer creek campground) Wilderness trails are only for foot and equine traffic, so there are no mt bikes motors allowed. The trailhead is a little tricky to access via a rough road which can be difficult for non high-clearance vehicles but we just went slow and it was fine. Note the road is single lane. Read full trail report here for Rosalie Trail
Trail Report - Hidden Mesa Open Space (near Franktown Co). August 6, 2023
A great day ride between Colorado Springs CO and Denver CO. Pretty easy ride with high mesa view and a couple trails and loops. Standard loop about 3 hours. The parking is great. It is off Hwy 83 and easy to access without needing to drive I-25. The views are Trailhead here - https://goo.gl/maps/cdJfBQkgPAPygPZK8 No overnight camping/parking.
Macey Lakes Trail Ride and Trail Report on July 29 '23
Trailhead - Horn Lake https://trails.colorado.gov/trails/macey-12258
One of the most scenic rides in Westcliffe Colorado. Part of the Sangre De Christo mountain range. About a 2 hour ride up Rainbow Trail to get to the Macey Lakes wilderness trail cuttoff. Some decent technical riding in the last quarter mile before the lake. Steep and some tricky rock spots. Beautiful high mountain lake where you can highline and overnight.
𝐁𝐑𝐔𝐍𝐎 𝐆𝐔𝐋𝐂𝐇 𝐅𝐔𝐍 𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄 on July 16th
𝘙𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳: 𝘏𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘓𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘯
An absolutely stunning destination ride. There are four corrals which are sturdy and fairly large. Relatively close to Denver, it is not an official dark sky location but still “away from it all” enough to see the Milky Way and enjoy some peace and quiet. This beautiful spot is a two hour drive for most of our members, whether you come from Parker, Penrose, or Pueblo.
FYI there is a lot more riding than the Iron Fens trail up here, so make a plan to visit for a couple days if you can, but know that some of the trails are very steep and challenging.
June 24 - Grape Creek Work Ride & Trail Report
Work ride at Grape Creek near Canon City. The beavers have been at it again and really changed up the landscape.
Many trees were down across the trail. We cleared a few of the horse stoppers but left the rest for now while we try to get the trail open. Due to the recent rains, the trail is very overgrown.
Crossing #4 beaver dam is no longer an issue and is much lower/safer for horses to cross.
NEW HAZARD Crossing #14
To read the full BLM Grape Creek (Temple Trail) near Canon City trail report click here
June 22 '23 - Venable Comanche trail near Westcliffe is now open!
Located in the beautiful Sangres range near Westcliffe CO. This is a fantastic ride for equines right off the Rainbow trail. Note, we do *not recommend doing the full loop to Comanche. We recommend starting at the Comanche Venable Trailhead - and doing either direction up to the bottom of the Phantom Terrace climb. We do not recommend doing Phantom terrace with an equine as more than 1 horse have been lost over the edge there in the past few years. There are waterfalls, views of high peaks, aspen forests, meadows and pine forests. The trailhead has a separate trailer parking lot. It is small but can handle a few rigs of any size.
June 11 - Post Work Ride Macey Lakes Trail Report: Clear to copper cliffs / stopped by snow drifts.
June 11 - Post Work Ride Macey Lakes Trail Report: Clear to copper cliffs / stopped by snow drifts.
Location: Near Westcliffe off the Rainbow Trail
In total is was about 13 trees removed so far. We worked on the Macey Lakes trail on Saturday. We were able to clear all horse-stoppers past the wilderness sign up to the Copper cliff's meadow. Beyond the meadow there are still many snow drifts so we did not go past the copper cliffs.
June 10 '23 - Post Work Ride Lake of the Clouds Trail Report: LOTC Swift Creek Loop is clear/ stopped by snow drifts above.
June 10 '23 - Post Work Ride Lake of the Clouds Trail Report: LOTC Swift Creek Loop is clear/ stopped by snow drifts above.
Location: Near Westcliffe off the Trainbow Trail
Cleared 46 trees from the Lake of the Clouds trail before the Swift Creek Junction. Cleared 1 tree from the top near the Lake of the Clouds Junction.
Remains
1 very large tree is left towards the top of Lake of the Clouds right before the Swift Creek Junction. But it's on a big flat area and has a pretty established easy walk around. So we just left that.
Results
The loop of swift creek + lake of the clouds trail up to the junction of the two are completely cleared (besides that big tree if you dont like the workaround) and safe easy to ride the whole loop. Above the junction has a lot of snow at the moment.
June 12 Garden of the Gods fun trail ride in Colorado Springs, CO
READ MORE DETAILS Garden of the Gods is a true gem of Colorado Springs. Horses are allowed to ride the trails in all areas of the park EXCEPT the middle paved area around the large red rock formations.
Bikes are allowed only on the east side of the park. Dogs, strollers, joggers, hikers, tourists are in plentiful supply but usually very friendly and kind towards horses.
Note this is a boot the poop park. The trails receive millions of visitors and it is a City of Colorado Springs park. In such a heavily used part this makes a lot of sense even if it is inconvenient to get on and off your horses.
May 20 - Rainbow Trail Report : dry and open. Clear of horse stoppers
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