Cabin Creek Trail #671

Dogs Off-leash

E-Bikes Not Allowed

Features Views

Much of this trail isn't difficult riding, howerver, the scree slope is very difficult, even though it is short.

I'm giving it a higher overall degree of difficulty based on its remoteness—if you get hurt, no one is going to find you until you fulfill the Circle of Life. Hakuna Matata. This is a very lightly traveled trail, and route finding can be difficult. Only attempt this if you are well equipped for backcountry riding and confident that you can find your way in the woods.

There is plenty of water along the first half of the trail with multiple stream crossings.

This is the historic trail used to access the old resort cabins at Mountain View from Ute Pass. Parts of it have become the Mountain View Trail on one end, and the Manitou Reservoir Trail on the other. It provides a great connection from Barr Trail down to the Heizer Trail and Cascade, or using the Utility roads, back to the PP Toll road.

The trail is very obvious where it connects to Mountain View Trail, and where it hits Barr Trail—there are metal signs at each junction, although the signs don't mention the Cabin Creek Trail. Once you head north from Barr Trail, you're following a still visible old trail with minor climbing and descending. After 0.5 miles from Barr, the trail becomes very faint, and the trees alongside are marked with red plastic dots. You cross a small creek at this point. At 0.9 miles, you regain the old trail at a saddle and start descending a prominent rocky trail with rock retaining walls, very similar to the Elk Park Trail. At 1.3 miles, the trail flattens out and you'll see a sandy overlook just to your left. Do not miss it, it has spectacular views of Pikes Peak and north across Ute Pass.

From here on, the trail is very narrow with a steep side hill, somewhat difficult to ride. At 1.6 miles, you enter an extremely steep rocky hillside, essentially an old scree slope with a challenging line only vaguely visible. It's not bad once you know it, but I'd recommend walking it the first time to figure out the line. From there to the junction with Manitou Reservoir Trail, it's fast and flowy, with one great, steep, optional slab rollover.

Cabin Creek provides a shortcut from Barr, if you're riding up Barr across to the Lake Moraine Trail. It also provides a way to connect Jones Park and the Lake Moraine Trail across to the toll road and the Ring The Peak Trail or on to Heizer.