The Ute Trail

Dogs Unknown

E-Bikes Unknown

Features Commonly Bikepacked

The Ute Mountain Bike Trail utilizes parts of the historic Ute Trail from Meeker to Glenwood Springs. The Utes, being a more hunter-gatherer tribe, would commonly traverse between the two locations seasonally, utilizing the wealth of the land in the Flat Tops.

The areas are full of flora and fauna, natural springs, giant aspen groves, and expansive views. Make sure to take in the view off the top of Blair Mountain Road, and enjoy the endless descent on Transfer Trail into Glenwood Springs.

Leave the town of Meeker and ride west on County Road 8, a paved road bordering farm land. Cruise up the Miller Creek drainage on FS East Miller Road #215.1 towards East Miller Trail #2202 and climb beautiful but faint singletrack up to the Bar H-L road.

Once you top out on Miller Creek, you'll be on good gravel roads for a while. Cruise down the Bar H-L road looking for the Fayville OHV Trail #2290 off to your left/north, hop on this fun doubletrack and ride this until it ends at Blair Mountain Road. This next section is probably the highlight of the trip.

Blair Mountain is a flat mountain topping out above 11,000 feet. This is the high point of the ride and the views are looking thousands of feet down into the Flat Tops Wilderness. On the far side of Blair Mountain the descent is steep! Maybe even hike-a-bike terrain down to the Elk Lakes. Stay on Blair Mountain Road and begin traversing towards the town of Carbonate.

Carbonate is an old ghost town with no amenities. Once you reach Carbonate, you'll turn south on Transfer Trail #602. Transfer Trail descends six thousand feet into Glenwood Springs. The first half is flat and rolling terrain, with the potential for huge sheep herds and cattle dogs. Beware!

Once you reach Haypress Lake, you enter darker times and begin to tip off the face of the earth toward Glenwood. Take in the views and let your brakes cool down at Windy Point above No Name Canyon and the greater Glenwood Canyon. Then enjoy the steepest doubletrack around into Glenwood Springs.

This trail utilizes some of the historic Ute Trail.