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Key up/down access on RF valley side of the Crown BLM. Mix of modern and traditional trail builds.


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Map Key

3.9

Miles

6.3

KM

Singletrack

7,396' 2,254 m

High

6,393' 1,949 m

Low

33' 10 m

Up

1,018' 310 m

Down

5%

Avg Grade (3°)

19%

Max Grade (11°)

Dogs Unknown

E-Bikes Unknown

Closed to bikes during the winter, Dec. 1 to April 15. Note that there is also a closure where this trail meets the Rio Grande Trail from Dec. 1 through April 30th - plan your ride out wisely in the early spring!

Description

Buckhorn starts at a 3 way intersection with Outie, and finds it's way all the way down to the Rio Grande Trail, passing by the optional (but recommended!) Buck Down trail, and then passing through a 3 way intersection with Buckhorn Traverse.

Buckhorn starts with a slight descent through fast, winding singletrack, with short but fast climbs along the way, followed by plenty of berms that work well for climbing up, and more than ok while descending. You'll encounter scrub oak, sage fields, and pinyon-juniper, and big views towards the floor of the Roaring Fork valley, and terrain of Basalt Mountain in the distance.

On the lower portion of this trail, you'll find the major Lower Buckhorn Reroute portion of the trail. This 1.6 mile reroute was built in 2016 to replace a steep and rutted utility corridor which also passed through private land. Now fully on BLM land, the trail rides really well both up and down, with grades that you can stomp up, grade reversals you can air out on the way down, and tight turns and some steep bits to keep your game face on. You'll mostly flow through sage meadows and pinion juniper terrain between Buckhorn Traverse and the Rio Grande Trail. An additional short reroute also came into place in 2024 to make way for the new Buck Down (downhill only parallel option).

Contacts

Shared By:

Craig Fowler with improvements by Kristen Arendt and 1 other

Trail Ratings

  3.7 from 18 votes

#7

in Crown Trails

#8828

Overall
  3.7 from 18 votes
5 Star
17%
4 Star
56%
3 Star
17%
2 Star
6%
1 Star
6%
Trail Rankings

#7

in Crown Trails

#839

in Colorado

#8,828

Overall
3 Views Last Month
3,727 Since Apr 25, 2014
Intermediate Intermediate

0%
0%
83%
0%
17%
0%

Photos

The view of the Roaring Fork Valley coming down the Buckhorn  side.
Jun 13, 2019 near El Jebel, CO
Above Rock Bottom Ranch & the Roaring Fork valley, Basalt Mountain on the horizon.
Jun 1, 2016 near El Jebel, CO
Just short of the Outie/Buckhorn junction on the one tough climb on Outie.  If you can make this climb you're part of a elite group.
Apr 25, 2014 near El Jebel, CO
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Weather


Current Trail Conditions

Bad / Closed 20 days ago
Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

Oct 7, 2020
Hiro Protagonist
Climbed from the Rio trail to access the traverse
May 12, 2018
Gabriel Finesilver
Sep 26, 2017
Damon Roth
Jun 27, 2017
Nathan Baier
May 24, 2014
Matt L
May 2, 2014
Matt L
Great find in the RFV. Plan to try innie outie and north & south porcupine next time. 11mi — 2h 00m
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