Best Bang for the Buck

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Allowed

Features Drops/Jumps · Views

Start with a shady, bike-optimized climbing trail that leads to the goods - Claim Jumper and Hard Money. You'll find bike-specific features throughout the whole trail system like jumps, berms, rock gardens and drops with awesome views along the way.

From the Hidden Treasure Trailhead, start off on the Historic Gilpin Tramway then take your first right onto Millsite Trail. This two-mile singletrack through the pines is one of the nicest ways to climb nearly 700 ft. If the altitude is hurting you, there's a great overlook at 1.6 miles in to catch your breath.

The top of Millsite hooks up with Easy Money. Take the left fork on Easy Money to continue the climb, then cross the service road and keep going. At the intersection with Claim Jumper, take a right and head down the first bike-optimized trail of the ride. Built with bikes in mind, this trail is multi-use and bidirectional but is most fun ridden downhill with a couple of challenging alternate lines that make the intermediate experience just a little more interesting.

At the bottom, take a right on Paymaster Trail. Keep your speed through the gully especially if you want to hit the "bush gap jump."

When you come back to Easy Money, take a right and start climbing again. You'll soon come to where you came into Easy Money the last time, follow the same track but this time skip Claim Jumper and take the left to stay on Easy Money. You'll have the option of two additional switchbacks if you want to see the summit of Maryland Mountain, otherwise take the left onto Hard Money.

Now here are the goods. Hang onto your saddle for two miles of you-won't-stop-grinning downhill fun. At the bottom, take a left on Historic Gilpin Tramway for another lap or to get back to the trailhead.

Maryland Mountain has played a vital role in the history of Black Hawk since the City was founded in 1864. Located directly northwest of the Black Hawk central business district, it is bounded on the north and east by Hwy 119, Chase Gulch to the south, with private ranch lands to the west.

Throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s, this area was a bustling industrial site filled with mines, mills, roads, and tramway railroads. The mining scars have since transformed into a re-forested mountain landscape and in 2020 became home to a world class trail system.