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Barton Creek Loop

Mountain Biking Trail

Extreme
9.01 mi
574 ft
Barton Creek is widely regarded as some of the best mountain bike trails in the city of Austin.

The Barton Creek singletrack trails, bisected by the Barton Creek Greenbelt Trail, are widely regarded as some of the best mountain bike trails in the city of Austin. As with most urban mountain biking in Austin, the options are legion, and almost nothing is signed. Therefore, this 9-mile loop through the area should be considered an introductory loop that anchors the zone. Once you begin to understand the area a bit better, you'll be able to spot alternate routes and short, intriguing trails. And if you see anything that you want to explore, go check it out: side excursions are encouraged.

The trails shown here are mostly pedal-friendly cross country trails alternating from smooth and flowy to rocky and chunky. With this combination of trails, you can quite easily enjoy a fantastic pedal through this beautiful area.

However, Barton Creek is best known for its short, steep chutes that plunge straight down the steep hillsides. There are multiple chute options, and a bit of exploration is definitely encouraged to find the best ones. For short sections, these chutes can approach a "Severe" FATMAP difficulty rating, but they're all over quickly. If you get in over your head, you can easily walk down the chute and return to an easier trail.

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Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes

Route and Elevation

Segments

NameDistanceElev. Diff.Avg. Grade
Sweet 16 to VC0.58 mi69 ft2.0%
Sweet 161.83 mi171 ft1.7%
Frontage Road Climb0.35 mi282 ft15.3%
Shinbone Westbound0.40 mi23 ft1.0%
Cheese Grater/Shredder Proper1.55 mi89 ft0.7%
Bee Sting0.52 mi-138 ft-5.0%
Sidewinder Down to Barton Creel 0.38 mi-144 ft-7.0%
Pump House Exit to MoPac0.49 mi-23 ft-0.8%