Ore Chute Loop

Dogs No Dogs

E-Bikes Allowed

Features Drops/Jumps · Views

Ore Chute is like no other system trail on the Front Range. Designed for advanced and expert riders, it's a hand-built, double-black trail that traverses from the northern peak on Maryland Mountain roughly 1,000' feet down to the creek. It is steep with many sections of fall-line trail and a steep slab ride before the halfway point.

Three bike-only downhill trails start from the saddle just below the summit of Maryland Mountain. Fast Money is a ripping blue intermediate downhill, Hard Money is steeper and more technical with optional gap jumps and rock features. And then there's Ore Chute. If you haven't ridden Hard Money yet, try that first and know that Ore Chute is a true double-black and is twice as difficult as Hard Money. If you think you are ready for Ore Chute, read on.

Start from the Maryland Mountain trailhead and cross the bridge. Take the first right on Millsite Trail and then hang a left on Easy Money. You'll climb all the way to the saddle.

The first move on Ore Chute is a "squirrel catcher" or filter designed to give riders a taste of the trail. If you need to walk this feature, think twice about continuing on, it doesn't get any easier. If the first move went well, then carry on. You'll go through 4 more steep rock features and then you'll come to a bailout on your left. Again, if you've been walking more than you've been riding, take the bailout. No shame and it's quick climb back to the saddle to hit Hard Money or Fast Money.

Past the bail-out you'll come to the signature feature - a steep rock slab on the right. There's a black-level ride around to the left. A few more moves and you'll come to an intersection with Hard Money. This interchange was designed so you can mix and match Ore Chute and Hard Money - and also have one last bailout.

If you continue on Ore Chute, you are about half way down until the trail terminates at Millsite Trail. Go left for another lap, right to get back back to the trailhead.

Maryland Mountain has played a vital role in the history of Black Hawk since the City was founded in 1864. Located directly northwest of the Black Hawk central business district, it is bounded on the north and east by Hwy 119, Chase Gulch to the south, with private ranch lands to the west.

Throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s, this area was a bustling industrial site filled with mines, mills, roads, and tramway railroads. The mining scars have since transformed into a re-forested mountain landscape and in 2020 became home to a world class trail system.