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Prospect #413

RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Intermediate Intermediate
 4.5 (55)
  1. Areas
  2. CO
  3. …Southwest Rockies
  4. …Telluride
  5. Telluride Bike Park
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“Best XC ride on the the resort. ”

Paul Byrne
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Map Key

8.4

Miles

13.5

KM

85%

Singletrack

10,947' 3,337 m

High

9,497' 2,895 m

Low

804' 245 m

Up

1,855' 565 m

Down

6%

Avg Grade (3°)

17%

Max Grade (9°)

Dogs Unknown

E-Bikes Unknown

Features Flow · Views

Telski generally opens the trail on July 1 due to elk calving closures. The Gondola is also closed during off-seasons so human power only during October and April/May.

Be prepared! PASS or TICKET (PAID) required if accessing trail from Gondola during Telluride Bike Park operating days and hours!

Overview

Perhaps the best XC ride on the ski resort. Fun XC riding includes 2 climbs and a really fun and flowy downhill section in the trees.

Need to Know

**Access to this trail via the Gondola mid-station requires the purchase of a XC or bike park pass to ride during Telluride Bike Park Operating days/hours. For 2022, that is 9 AM - 5 PM, 7 days/week, June 18 - September 18 daily and weekends only September 24 - October 9. Pass must be purchased online or at the Mountain Village ticket window.

Free access to this trail ONLY before 9 AM and after 5 PM when the bike park is closed.

Uphill travel is allowed and is always free from the Village Market Plaza TH or connecting via Village Trail's Mountain Village TH.

Description

Access this trail by leaving the top of the gondola and riding up past the top of Coonskin Chair (#7). Follow the signs on your right and you can't get lost.
The second significant climb leaves you at a Teepee next to the Ute Park Chair. Here the trail splits and you can either go left at the platform to do the prospect loop. But to follow the above GPS track, and the more fun riding, go straight up through the trees and then turn right onto the singletrack for some delightful downhilling in the trees. At the road take the right fork and rejoin the trail on the right hand side of the road. (going left at the fork will take you to Alta Lakes and T35, but route finding is not easy and the ride will be much longer and more committing).

From here there is some more xc and then a big downhill on dry loose terrain until you hit pavement next to the mountain village grocery store/ gondola station. Turn right here to join up with Jurassic/Boomerang or ride back to the gondola.
Enjoy!

Contacts

Land Manager: USFS - Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison Nat. Forests

Shared By:

Paul Byrne with improvements by Molly Norton
Full Details

Trail Ratings

  4.5 from 55 votes

#1

in Telluride Bike Park

#309

Overall
  4.5 from 55 votes
5 Star
53%
4 Star
40%
3 Star
7%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Recommended Route Rankings

#1

in Telluride Bike Park

#96

in Colorado

#309

Overall
10 Views Last Month
16,863 Since Jul 5, 2013
Intermediate Intermediate
0%
2%
76%
10%
10%
2%
Add a Photo

Photos

Amazing views of the mountain range!
Oct 13, 2016 near Mountai…, CO
Some awesome, moody views from Prospect Trail.
Jul 5, 2016 near Mountai…, CO
Climbing and descending Prospect
Aug 21, 2019 near Mountai…, CO
Tallus/Rockslide in summer.
Jul 30, 2013 near Mountai…, CO
Flowy downhill through the trees.
Aug 5, 2016 near Mountai…, CO
The Prospect Trail winds its way through the talus flow.
Nov 10, 2015 near Mountai…, CO

2 Comments

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Weather

Current Trail Conditions

All Clear 71 days ago
Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

Jul 22, 2024
Zachary Lee
Jul 16, 2024
Nolan Payne
Sep 30, 2022
Joel Duffin
Jul 19, 2022
Ho Chung
Half the downhill is not worth doing.
Jul 16, 2022
Sean Maher
Rain and hail
Jul 11, 2022
Mark McClain
Oct 17, 2020
Jeff B
8.4mi
Oct 9, 2020
James Galloway
2h 30m

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