Sugarloaf Lollipop

Dogs No Dogs

E-Bikes Unknown

This route begins in May Queen campgrounds, next to Turquoise Lake. May Queen is a paid parking area ($6) and is strictly enforced. You can opt to park along Turquoise Lake Road instead. Just follow the posted parking signs. The first half of this route is along paved or gravel road, with the ultimate goal a thrilling descent down a fast, technical section of the Colorado Trail. Worth the trundle up the pavement!

Bring money for parking in May Queen campground, if starting at the marked beginning.

Usually paired with the Turquoise Lake Singletrack, this route involves climbing up Sugarloaf Pass (part of the Leadville Trail 100) then descending back down to the lake on a great section of the Colorado Trail. Technical and burly, this route always makes for a great time! Look for raspberries on the road as you climb up the hill!

The route begins next to Turquoise Lake, which can be crowded on the weekends and on holidays. Bring money to pay for parking ($6). You can also opt to park along Turquoise Lake Road instead. From May Queen, head northwest to the Turquoise Lake Road. Turn left and begin the first climb, about two miles. Arrive at an intersection with Hagerman Pass Road and take a sharp right.

Begin another slow climb, taking caution that this gravel road is used frequently by motorized dirt bikes and four wheelers. You'll pass the Colorado Trail bisecting Hagerman Pass Road. Keep climbing. Take a shape left on County Road 105A and keep climbing—the downhill is your pay-off!

After another two miles with the electric lines buzzing overhead and the hummingbirds inspecting your sweaty body, you'll arrive at the Colorado Trail trailhead on your left. Take a breather. Grab a snack and make sure your legs are loose and your brakes are in tip-top order.

This whiteknuckle descent comes at you fast. There are sections with loose gravel and baby-head boulders. The most thrilling parts include half-pipe like tunnels that really test your mettle. You'll cross the section of Hagerman Pass Road that you just climbed.

You'll eventually be dumped back out on Turqouise Lake Road again. If you arrive at a wooden bridge crossing running water, you've gone too far. Head right before the bridge, down a red-diamond-marked fire road. This intersects with Turqouise Lake Road. Head left back to May Queen or right if you parked along the road to avoid the parking fee.