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Expert loop from Breckenridge through Golden Horseshoe to Galena Ditch Trail and back.

D L

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Map Key

21.9

Miles

35.3

KM

90%

Singletrack

10,778' 3,285 m

High

9,485' 2,891 m

Low

2,392' 729 m

Up

2,396' 730 m

Down

4%

Avg Grade (2°)

23%

Max Grade (13°)

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Unknown

Overview

This is a loop ride from downtown Breckenridge through the Golden Horseshoe to Galena Ditch Trail and back to town. An opportunity to connect the trail network in French Gulch with the trails along Tiger Road.

THIS LOOP IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. WAYFINDING SKILLS ARE IMPERATIVE ON THIS RIDE. Use the MTB Project mobile app.

The loop utilizes the following trails and roads in this order: French Street, Columbia Lode, Gold Flake Terrace, Corkscrew, French Creek, Vista Point, Betty's Trail, Prospect Trail, Gold Run Road, Prospect Trail (again), Side Door, Backdoor, Prospect Hill Road (GH 38), Lincoln Park Road (GH 66), Rock Island Road (GH 87), Rock Island Trail, Galena Ditch Trail, Summit Gulch Road (GH 74), ZL Trail, Discovery Ridge, The Ledge Trail, Gold Run Rd (paved), Tom's Baby, Middle Flume Trail, Upper Flume Trail, Lower Flume Trail, Huron Road (SCR 450), Blue River Bikeway.

Need to Know

All the trails from the top of Side Door to Rock Island Trail are open to motorized use.
Rock Island Trail is loose, steep and rocky. This is an expert descent.

Prospect Hill Road and Lincoln Park Road have been graded for logging operations, and logging will be ongoing for the next several years in the Golden Horseshoe area.

The recent extension of Galena Ditch Trail to South Fork Road (FR 355.1B) permits a slightly longer version of this loop: continue up Lincoln Park Road approximately 1 1/2 miles past Rock Island Road to American Gulch Road. Descend American Gulch Road to South Fork Road. Turn left and descend to the bottom of the road and the eastern end of Galena Ditch Trail on the left side of the road. Ride Galena Ditch Trail westward to Rock Island Trail, continuing on Galena Ditch Trail, and following the remaining description. This adds only a few miles of length, but a longer descent and the eastern end of Galena Ditch Trail is fantastic!

Description

From the intersection of Main and French Streets, go east on French and look for the Columbia Lode Trail marker post on the left side of French Street. Climb Columbia Lode to Gold Flake Terrace, a paved road. Following pavement markings go left and look for a post for the Corkscrew Trail in a driveway on the left.

Follow Corkscrew, bear right at the first intersection, then descend left after 1/4 mile across Corkscrew Drive to French Creek trail, a crusher fines path. Bear right into an asphalt parking lot, following the striped bike lane around to the right back to the crusher fines path. Follow French Creek Trail until it crosses a ped/bike bridge. Bear left at the next intersection with Vista Point and ride north to French Gulch Road. Cross French Gulch and begin up Betty's Trail on the north side of the road.

Betty's Trail switches back a few times before traversing east, up valley. Ride Betty's until it descends, and parallels French Gulch Road near the Wellington Neighborhood. Betty's ends at Gold Run Road. Take the singletrack on the left just before the road, and left again after a short distance. This singletrack switches back and reconnects with Gold Run Road after a short distance. Go left on Gold Run Road, and take the first right on Prospect Trail. Climb all the way to Side Door, passing a house and garage enroute.

Go right onto Side Door, and left onto Backdoor just west of a tailings overlook. Climb to the top of Backdoor. Turn right onto Prospect Hill Road. Descend, passing right at the first road intersection with Golden Gate Loop (GH 39) to Lincoln Park Road (GH 66) in Lincoln Meadow. In the meadow pass Rich Gulch (GH 62) on the right just before Lincoln Park Road (GH 66).

Climb 1/4 mile and turn left onto Rock Island Road (GH87). Rock Island has a couple of boggy spots in the deep forest before beginning a ripping descent. Be cautious of the large drainage dips at high speed. 1.8 miles into Rock Island Road descent there is a three-way junction with a timber barricade marking the beginning of Rock Island Trail. Go east through the barricade onto Rock Island Trail.

The trail is very steep and loose to Galena Ditch Trail. The junction with Galena Ditch Trail is near the bottom of Rock Island Trail at a post marker. Turn left onto Galena Ditch Trail and ride west crossing several roads. Galena is pretty easy to follow.

At the end of the trail, take a left onto Summit Gulch Road and climb steeply 1/3 mile to ZL Trail which begins at a timber chicane on the left side of the road. The singletrack ZL Trail climbs steadily to a high point above a house, descends back to Galena Gulch passing through a set of timber barriers, climbs a final time crossing gravel Rac-Jac Way enroute. After crossing the road and contouring below a power line in a clear-cut, ZL Trail descends through a series of features back to a ditch trail. Follow the ditch southwest across a paved road then descend to Discovery Ridge trail.

Go left and descend Discovery Ridge to a gravel road, The Ledge Trail. Go right and then left at a post marker, descending to paved Gold Run Road. Go left on the pavement and follow this around to Tom's Baby trail at the end of the road on the right. Climb Tom's Baby to the Middle Flume Trail. Go left on Middle Flume Trail and climb to the Upper Flume Trail. Go right on Upper Flume Trail, passing Slalom on the left and continue all the way to the Lower Flume Trail. Go left and descend to SCR 450, Huron Road. The GPS description ends here. Go right back to town.

Alternatively, from the bottom of Discovery Ridge, turn left onto The Ledge, climb to Gold Run Road, then climb to Upper Flume Trail, Little Corporal, or Slalom.

Contacts

Shared By:

D L with improvements by Mark Gehrke

Trail Ratings

  3.6 from 14 votes

#16

in Breckenridge

#2404

Overall
  3.6 from 14 votes
5 Star
29%
4 Star
43%
3 Star
7%
2 Star
7%
1 Star
14%
Recommended Route Rankings

#16

in Breckenridge

#367

in Colorado

#2,404

Overall
4 Views Last Month
12,969 Since Aug 22, 2014
Intermediate/Difficult Intermediate/Difficult

0%
0%
54%
23%
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Photos

Easy view to miss at the speeds you can reach going down this trail.
Sep 24, 2022 near Brecken…, CO
Plenty of features to catch air on with smooth landings.
Sep 24, 2022 near Brecken…, CO
There are some really nice, built features on ZL.
Jul 11, 2016 near Brecken…, CO
Riding the berm that makes the Galena Ditch
Jul 8, 2014 near Brecken…, CO
Trailhead post intersection sign
Aug 5, 2020 near Brecken…, CO
The CO state flower and a sick shredder; great combo.
Jul 15, 2016 near Brecken…, CO
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