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Raider's Ridge Tech Loop

RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Difficult Difficult
 3.6 (29)
  1. Areas
  2. CO
  3. …Southwest Rockies
  4. …Durango
  5. Horse Gulch / Telegraph Trail System
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“A great loop in Durango featuring some of Horse Gulch's finest technical singletrack. ”

San Juanderer
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Map Key

10.0

Miles

16.1

KM

90%

Singletrack

7,860' 2,396 m

High

6,548' 1,996 m

Low

1,409' 430 m

Up

1,403' 428 m

Down

5%

Avg Grade (3°)

24%

Max Grade (14°)

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Not Allowed

Features Drops/Jumps · Views

Overview

This loop is a great way to ride Raider's Ridge without having to do an out and back. The loop takes about two hours and features some great views and technical sections.

Description

There are a few ways to do this loop. Basically, getting on Skyline Trail is the beginning. This trail is a nice climb that takes you up to Raider's Ridge. Follow the techy sandstone singletrack on the Ridge Trail on top of the ridge and look out for fun lines and drops. Eventually you'll see a concrete pad on your left.

Go back 15 feet and turn left on Snake Charmer. Snake Charmer is a fantastic, technical descent filled with slickrock slabs and drops. Pop out into Horse Gulch, and descend the road down to the Horse Gulch Trailhead.

I usually take the paved bike path up North College to get back to the Skyline Trail, but you can take the Nature Trail up to Squawker. I recommend this trail in the spring and fall because summers are very hot around here.

Contacts

Local Club: Durango Trails

May 13, 2024: Happy Mothers Day

Apr 24, 2024: Trail Crew Brew Release Party

Land Manager: City of Durango, CO - Parks and Recreation

Shared By:

San Juanderer with improvements by Max Molello and 2 others
Full Details

Trail Ratings

  3.6 from 29 votes

#1

in Horse Gulch / Telegraph Trail System

#1150

Overall
  3.6 from 29 votes
5 Star
38%
4 Star
28%
3 Star
14%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
21%
Recommended Route Rankings

#1

in Horse Gulch / Telegrap…

#249

in Colorado

#1,150

Overall
37 Views Last Month
16,331 Since May 13, 2014
Difficult Difficult
4%
0%
0%
0%
57%
39%
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Photos

Riding the ridge
Sep 24, 2024 near Durango, CO
View from the top of Sugar trail
Apr 12, 2020 near Durango, CO
Looking south at Raiders Ridge, fall time, from Skyline trail
Jul 2, 2014 near Durango, CO
First section features lots of slickrock
Aug 22, 2014 near Durango, CO
Typical trail surface on Sugar.
Sep 4, 2023 near Durango, CO
Beginning of descent where Skyline meets Sugar.
May 10, 2016 near Durango, CO

8 Comments

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Weather

Current Trail Conditions

All Clear 48 days ago
Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

Jul 19, 2024
Nolan Payne
Jun 6, 2022
Joy Norris
Oct 18, 2019
Keelan Vandello
This trail sucks, at least from where is has you start. Lots of road riding, or riding right next to the road.
Sep 11, 2019
Jesse Fruman
May 24, 2019
Mike Trefry
Oct 8, 2018
M C
Aug 30, 2018
Shane Glazebrook
Jul 18, 2018
Paul Null

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