- Created: August 30, 2021 4:23 pm
- Updated: August 30, 2021 7:20 pm
- Distance Instructions
- Distance 15.000 miles
- Time 0 s
- Speed 4 mph
- Min altitude 0.000 ft
- Peak 0.000 ft
- Climb 2,480.315 ft
- Descent 2,486.877 ft
This mountain bike route is a classic old-school and hardcore ride on the west flanks of Basalt Mountain. The trail passes in and out of recent wildfire burn zones that at times creates a very surreal riding experience. Riders pedal through blackened tree stalks and purple fire weed laden fields.
The bulk of the climb is knocked off right at the beginning on a five-mile jeep road. Three miles up the jeep road is a single track that drops left off the road. This is the Mill Creek trail which is a much shorter version of the Cattle Creek trail. To ride the full Cattle Creek Loop, continue up the road another two miles to a bumpy basalt rock "parking lot." Veer left through the clearing towards a forest service gate where the singletrack starts as does the technical aspects of this ride. Drop into the singletrack and get ready for a rocky ride.
After three miles of bumpy, rolling terrain the route meets the Red Table Trail intersection next to a large grassy meadow which is a great place to have a picnic.
From the Red Table Trail/Cattle Creek Trail intersection, the route turns left and the real descent begins. Winding through more burn zones and rock fields, this rollicking descent drops 1,600 feet in 3.4 miles. At the bottom of the descent, after going through a cattle gate, the course turns left on a jeep road that travels about 2.5 miles back to the Basalt Mountain Trailhead and the end of the ride.
***WARNING***
This trail passes through miles of glades filled with dead trees plagued with burnt and brittle or rotted roots and stumps. Riding during storms or windy conditions is not recommended. Also, cell phone coverage is spotty at best. Expect to be out of cell range throughout the entire ride.
Link Sharing
This mountain bike route is a classic old-school and hardcore ride on the west flanks of Basalt Mountain. The trail passes in and out of recent wildfire burn zones that at times creates a very surreal riding experience. Riders pedal through blackened tree stalks and purple fire weed laden fields.
The bulk of the climb is knocked off right at the beginning on a five-mile jeep road. Three miles up the jeep road is a single track that drops left off the road. This is the Mill Creek trail which is a much shorter version of the Cattle Creek trail. To ride the full Cattle Creek Loop, continue up the road another two miles to a bumpy basalt rock “parking lot.” Veer left through the clearing towards a forest service gate where the singletrack starts as does the technical aspects of this ride. Drop into the singletrack and get ready for a rocky ride.
After three miles of bumpy, rolling terrain the route meets the Red Table Trail intersection next to a large grassy meadow which is a great place to have a picnic.
From the Red Table Trail/Cattle Creek Trail intersection, the route turns left and the real descent begins. Winding through more burn zones and rock fields, this rollicking descent drops 1,600 feet in 3.4 miles. At the bottom of the descent, after going through a cattle gate, the course turns left on a jeep road that travels about 2.5 miles back to the Basalt Mountain Trailhead and the end of the ride.
***WARNING***
This trail passes through miles of glades filled with dead trees plagued with burnt and brittle or rotted roots and stumps. Riding during storms or windy conditions is not recommended. Also, cell phone coverage is spotty at best. Expect to be out of cell range throughout the entire ride.