Molas to Engine Creek

Dogs Off-leash

E-Bikes Not Allowed

Features Commonly Bikepacked · Drops/Jumps · Hike-a-bike · Technical · Views

The point-to-point linkup running from Molas Pass to Engine Creek is unequivocally one of the most spectacular day rides in Colorado, if not the world.

Yes, this ride can feel like a grunt at times, but if you take the time to look up from your climbing, you'll find that you're traversing along the spine of one of the most beautiful mountain ranges anywhere in the world. Towering rocky peaks surround you, with endless ridges trotting off into the distance. Layers of red rock give the San Juan mountains a unique character, contrasting beautifully with the stereotypical gray granite and the green of the lush vegetation on the slopes below.

Unlike some other mountain ranges in Colorado, the San Juans are filled with vibrant plant life. When you drop into the Engine Creek trail, you'll find yourself surfing dirt through fields wildflowers towering above your head! The jungle-like meadows quickly give way to deep, dark pine forests reminiscent of the Pacific Northwest with dark black dirt and slick root webs.

Engine Creek is sure to remind you that you're in Colorado, though, with rough rock gardens and sheer ledge drops — oftentimes in the middle of tight switchbacks. The constant chunder punctuated by the big, high-commitment moves — all set on a steep slope — means that Engine Creek truly earns its black-diamond rating.

Some riders will pedal this renowned singletrack while bikepacking the entire Colorado Trail (CT) from end-to-end (albeit with reroutes on dirt roads around Wilderness areas). Others will choose to bikepack this uninterrupted 73-mile segment on its own. However, if you're looking for a day ride, follow the route shown here.

To coordinate a day ride, you'll have to drop a vehicle at Cascade Creek and drive a second vehicle to the top of Molas Pass. Despite the shuttle, you'll still have to pedal and push up a grueling 2,800 vertical feet — your reward being 5,000 feet of descending.

From Little Molas Lake, the Colorado Trail begins climbing immediately, quickly breaking out of the trees into the high alpine. The trail rolls up and down along a bench with some technical, challenging sections. After a few miles of rolling, the grade kicks up again as the trail climbs up and over a 12,195-foot pass.

Once at the top of the pass, it's time to drop the saddle and rip! The beginning of the descent on the upper Engineer Mountain Trail is very technical, with some big drops, washed out trenches, rock features, and more.

The descent funnels naturally into the Engine Creek Trail, but the trail quality improves dramatically, with fewer washouts. When you drop into the Engine Creek Trail, you'll find yourself surfing dirt through fields wildflowers towering above your head! The jungle-like meadows quickly give way to deep, dark pine forests reminiscent of the Pacific Northwest with dark black dirt and slick root webs.

Engine Creek is sure to remind you that you're in Colorado, though, with rough rock gardens and sheer ledge drops — oftentimes in the middle of tight switchbacks. The constant chunder punctuated by the big, high-commitment moves — all set on a steep slope — means that Engine Creek truly earns its black-diamond rating (double black diamond, according to MTB Project).

Engine Creek drops into the Cascade Creek drainage, and remarkably, you're still a long way from the car at this point. Two trails run along Cascade Creek to provide egress from the backcountry. While the closer (east) trail runs past a stunning waterfall, this "downhill" trail includes a shocking number of hike-a-bike uphills along the way. The west trail is much more rideable, but you'll still need to hoof the bike up a couple of steep spots and a massive ledge.