Easy Trails
Feb 13th 2008
High Plains Trail at Marshall Mesa
1. Boulder Reservoir/Boulder Valley Ranch: Mostly wide, flat trails with views of the Rez and the Flatirons. These areas have a lot of runners and dog walkers, so be courteous when passing. There are a few really fun singletracks further north, which are usually not as crowded. They include the Eagle Trail, Sage Trail and North Rim Trail.
2. Marshall Mesa/Doudy Draw: Again, mostly flat and wide, with only one or two areas of climbing. Some new trails have just been added, which allow you to escape the Land of Strollers and see some real singletrack. Check out the High Plains Trail and the Coal Seam Trail.
3. Wonderland Lake/Foothills Trail: Wonderland Lake is very mellow; please don’t blast by all the people who live there and walk their dogs. Save your energy for the Foothills Trail, which has a brief rocky climb and some steepish water bars. Once you pass under U.S. 36, you can connect this with the Reservoir trails.
4. Rabbit Mountain: I haven’t ridden this, as it’s not close by and has only five miles of trail. It’s a couple of miles east of Lyons on Hwy 66. There seems to be mixed reviews about whether or not this is truly an “easy” trail, since there are some rocky bits to be had. But the majority of people on trailcentral.com seem to call it an easy-ish trail. (My goal this summer is to ride some of these little trails that I’ve skipped over, so check back for an update.) After the initial rise out of the parking area, there’s very little climbing, and photos show that there are nice views of the mountains. It sounds like there’s not a lot of shade, so avoid this area midday in the summer. UPDATE, April 10: A reader forwarded me her take on this trail: “It started out as a beginner trail, but is now really rocky in parts, especially on the loop at the top. I’ve made the mistake of taking beginners there and they end up walking a lot. What I do to make it a good ride for myself is to ride 3 or 4 laps of the loop at the top. Its usually one of the first dry trails in the spring also.”
Share your thoughts about the trails in the comments section below.
1 Comment »
Pieter on 14 May 2009 at 9:47 am #
Anorther easy trail in Golden would be the South Table Mesa trails. There are many different ways to get to the top of the mesa, some a lot easier than others, and once you’re on top it’s a very beginner-friendly ride with nothing too technical. The trail is still a good workout ride for more experienced riders though with many fun faster parts. An easy way up is taking Quaker st to the top.