Mountain Biking in Breckenridge, Colorado: 4 Solid Rides

Ask a local and they’ll probably point you to Peaks Trail as the quintessential singletrack in Breck. It’s a technical climb with rock gardens, bridges, almost 1,000 feet of elevation gain, and a ripping-fast descent.

Along the way you’re likely to see red-tailed hawks and stellar jays. The trail winds through tunnels of aspen trees, opening onto some sick mountain views.

• Start in town and pedal up Ski Hill Road to the Peaks trailhead.
• You’ll head uphill on Peaks Trail for about 3 miles before the grade mellows and you begin to traverse the mountainside.
• The trail passes the Gold Hill / Colorado Trail junction and continues downhill to Frisco.
• At the trail’s end, turn right on Miners Creek Road, then right again onto the paved Blue River recreation path and follow the signs back to Breck.

Alternate route: Peaks Trail / Gold Hill

13.8 miles, difficult

• For a shorter loop, head up Ski Hill Road and take Peaks Trail to the Gold Hill / Colorado Trail junction at 4.8 miles.
• Turn right on Gold Hill Trail and follow it to the paved Blue River recreation path to return to town.

2. Sallie Barber / Barney Ford Loop

9.2 miles, intermediate

My first afternoon in Breck, I decided to sneak in a quick ride before dark. The Sallie Barber / Barney Ford Loop was recommended, but rather than follow the directions, I pedaled straight up Carter Park Trail and later realized I was riding the loop backwards. I eventually got myself turned around and on the loop going the right way.

You’ll be traveling on surface streets and dirt roads for a few miles to start with, which makes the uphill pedaling relatively easy. Once you reach the top of Sallie Barber Road, you’ll have a lot of fun singletrack options back to Carter Park.

• From the Carter Park parking lot, head north on High St. for five blocks.
• When High St. dead ends, turn right onto Wellington Road.
• Take Wellington for about a mile and then bear right at the Wellington / Reiling / French Gulch Road intersection.
• Continue up French Gulch for 2.9 miles to the Lincoln trailhead.
• Just past the trailhead kiosk, turn right onto Sallie Barber Road and head uphill for 1.2 miles to the Sallie Barber Mine.
• Continue past the mine and turn right onto Barney Ford Trail. (This is where the fun downhill begins.)
• Follow Barney Ford to Moonstone Trail, then to Carter Park Trail back to the park.

3. Carter Park / Moonstone / Barney Ford (out and back)

5 miles, intermediate

The trails out of Carter Park were so much fun I returned three times in four days. I found the dirt fast and flowy, and there are nice views of town. The network of trails in the area offers a few different loop options and out-and-back rides.

The Carter Park network is also popular among trail runners and dog walkers; these different user groups seem to happily coexist.

For a short but solid ride, head straight up from the Carter Park trailhead to the top of Barney Ford Trail. This is also a good alternative to the Sallie Barber Loop for those who prefer riding only on singletrack. The descent will be the same, but the uphill climb is much steeper and shorter.

• Take Carter Park Trail from the trailhead at the parking lot and pedal up the steep switchbacks for .5 miles.
• Take Moonstone Trail up for another .5 miles.
• Next, take Barney Ford Trail for 1.5 more miles of up.
• Return to Carter Park the same way you climbed.

Burro Trail (out and back)

6 miles, intermediate

After four days exploring Breck, I hadn’t got my fill of riding, so I set the alarm and hit the trails before sunrise on departure day. The bike valet guy at my hotel recommended Burro Trail; the trailhead was close by, so it was a good option for squeezing in one last ride.

This out-and-back is a mix of double and singletrack and is a good one if you’re short on time or want to grab a few extra miles after a day of riding. The trail follows a creek most of the way up and has a few rock gardens for more challenging terrain. Most people take it for about 3 miles before turning around, but there are options to continue on a more technical trail.

• Start at the base of Peak 9 and head up the dirt road for about 100 yards. The trailhead is marked with a forest service sign and is easy to spot.
• The trail winds uphill and eventually crosses a 4WD road at about 3 miles.
• Turn around and descend the same way, or continue up for a longer and more technical ride.

Downhill option

Peak 8 Fun Park has more than 20 miles of downhill singletrack accessible by chairlift. The park was already closed for the season when I visited in late September, but the crew was working hard on trail building and maintenance and is excited to showcase some new trails next summer.

Bike park lift tickets cost $15 for one lift or $30 for unlimited rides.

Rentals

Bike rentals at Alpine Sports — one of several shops in town — start at $25 for a half day on a Specialized hardtail, $35 for a full day; $45 gets you a half day on a Specialized full suspension, $55 for a full day.

The shop has four locations in Breckenridge and also rents road bikes, cruisers, tandems, kids’ bikes, and child trailers.

Trail map

Download a free trail map before you visit, or purchase the Breckenridge & Summit County Hiking and Biking Trail Map at any area bike shop.

Trail etiquette

There are “mud-o-meter” signs posted at most trailheads; use good judgment and stay off muddy or closed trails.

[Editor’s note: Monica was a guest of GoBreck on this trip.]