Canyon Creek Loop (Canyon Creek)

Mountain Biking Trail

Extreme
19.13 mi
3,777 ft
The 10-mile descent ripping down the Canyon Creek Trail from this route's high point atop a 12,500-foot mountain is to die for!

Surprisingly few mountain bike rides actually arrive at the top of a mountain, and Canyon Creek is one of the rare of few. Topping out on a 12,500-foot mountain provides jaw-dropping views in all directions, with views of the Continental Divide, numerous 14ers, and glimpses of the Gunnison Valley far, far below. And once on top, one of the best descents in the state—maybe the nation, maybe the world—awaits, dropping almost 10 miles straight back down.

Getting to the top is the challenge. The roughly 10-mile climb begins by grinding slowly up a dirt road that continues to get steeper and rougher as it progresses. Eventually, you'll break out above treeline and reach the left turn onto the Canyon Creek trail. The climbing isn't over yet: most riders will take over an hour to hike-a-bike from the dirt road to the top of the mountain. This moto-legal trail is extremely rough, with piles of baby head rocks, rutted-out sections, and steep, scree-filled switchbacks.

Once on top of the mountain, it's time to shred! The trail traverses along the ridge, but unlike the nearby Monarch Crest Trail, the singletrack drops out of the alpine in just a couple of miles. The above-treeline descent into the basin is rocky, challenging, and ultra-fast. With some decent exposure, falling isn't advised.

The angle of the trail mellows once it enters the trees, but the trail tread only gets more technical. The singletrack funnels into massive boulder-filled rock gardens and in between the rocks--slick mud holes. As riders splash through the muck, the roots and boulders get slicked with mud, which can make for treacherous riding.

The trail quickly mellows out, feeding into flowy singletrack with moto whoops and berms, opening up options to double the whoops, getting air wherever you feel confident.

After taking a left turn at the horse corral and fording a river, the flowing singletrack continues, punctuated by some massive rock slab up-and-overs.

One final punch-to-the-gut hike-a-bike climb takes you over a ridge, with steep, fast, switchbacked singletrack providing a sweet finish to the ride. Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes

Route and Elevation

Segments

NameDistanceElev. Diff.Avg. Grade
Canyon Creek CCW19.13 mi-3,343 ft-0.0%
County Road 888 Climb1.24 mi266 ft4.0%
Big Climb8.15 mi3,291 ft7.6%
CCT Loop18.70 mi-3,156 ft-0.1%
Snowblind to 888 turnoff3.28 mi814 ft4.7%
full climb from snowblind7.61 mi2,986 ft7.4%
cabin to the start of canyon creek4.63 mi1,946 ft7.9%
cabin to the top5.60 mi2,674 ft9.0%
County Road Climb0.97 mi453 ft8.8%
Forest Service Road 839 Climb2.30 mi945 ft7.8%
Canyon Creek hike-a-bike1.44 mi804 ft7.7%
The REAL Canyon Creek Hike-A-Bike1.01 mi755 ft14.0%
Canyon Creek Screamer9.56 mi-3,317 ft-6.4%
Canyon Creek Downhill 9.49 mi-3,301 ft-6.6%
Monarch Crest Enduro 2019 Stage 15.27 mi-2,470 ft-8.9%
Canyon Creek Single Track Descent10.93 mi-3,333 ft-5.7%
Canyon to River Descent4.97 mi-2,402 ft-9.1%
Canyon Creek Alpine Descent (with a little margin off the top)2.33 mi-1,417 ft-11.5%
Monarch Enduro Stage 3 split 11.95 mi-1,112 ft-10.8%
Monarch Enduro Stage 39.52 mi-3,330 ft-6.6%
Canyon Creek Steep Dh1.91 mi-1,227 ft-12.1%
Monarch Enduro Stage 3 split 23.27 mi-1,342 ft-7.8%
Lower Screamer7.38 mi-2,024 ft-5.1%
Monarch Enduro Stage 3 split 34.27 mi-879 ft-3.8%
County Road 888 Climb0.54 mi328 ft11.3%
Last Downhill 0.58 mi-295 ft-9.5%