Shield's Gulch Loop

Dogs Off-leash

E-Bikes Not Allowed

Features Views

Also known as Midland 376A Loop, this loop is rideable in either direction and is mapped here riding clockwise from the noted parking lot. As mapped, it's about 6 miles on fire road up and into the interior of the Fourmile area with periodic views of the Collegiate Range. There are a few intersections, so watch the course as you go.

After the 6 miles of county roads, you connect onto a singletrack section of the Midland Bike Trail Out and Back to return to the parking lot.

This loop offers a decent work-out on county roads followed by a mostly non-technical singletrack return.

Ample parking at Midland Trailhead, but it does fill up in the summer. Port-a-potties available as well.

Riding the loop clockwise, begin from the noted parking lot and make an almost immediate left onto CR 376A (the Midland Bike Trail Out and Back continues straight at this point). Climb this rolling gravel road for about 4 miles and enjoy the various places with views behind you. Near the top, you'll come to an intersection and make a right onto CR 376 for about 1/10 mile through an open camping area, then make a right onto CR 315 for the fast descent into Shield's Gulch for 2 miles.

Near the bottom, but not at the bottom, look for a trail sign with a small singletrack trail splitting off and up to the right. This very short connector leads you into the "Back" section of the Midland Bike Trail Out and Back, which is where the singletrack begins and continues along an overall slightly downward grade. While mostly smooth singletrack, there are a handful of short/steep/technical climbs/descents over this 4+ mile return to the parking lot where you began.

Midland Bike Trail follows the Colorado Midland Railway, which ran from the late 1800s to the early 1900s from Colorado Springs to Leadville & Aspen.