By Ted Crawford
Special to the News

One of the most popular sections of the Colorado Trail runs through the Buffalo Creek Mountain bike area west of Highway 126. To the east, the single track is just as beautiful and much less crowded.

This route lends dramatic views of the burned forest from fires in 1996, which caused the closure of the Top of the World Campground and several trails in the area.

Miraculously, there is much new ground vegetation that is lush, colorful and reassuring to see.

Part 2 of this ride will be reviewed in greater detail next week, but a short look is available to the right. Totaling 28.8 miles, it requires leaving a shuttle vehicle at the Waterton Canyon Parking lot. Another option is to leave a shuttle vehicle at the end of Part 1 at the junction with County Road 97 accessed from Deckers.

IF YOU GO

Bicycle: Mountain bike

Location: Northeast of the Buffalo Creek Mountain Bike Area, which is southeast of Pine Junction

Surface: Wide and narrow single track, sections of sand and rough rock

Distance: Part 1 is 11.4 miles

Difficulty: Moderate to advanced

Ride Time: Two to three hours

To reach Buffalo Creek: From the light at U.S. 285 in Pine Junction, take Highway 126 13.7 miles past Pine to a signed parking lot on the west side of the highway.

OTHER RIDES

-Buffalo Creek to Waterton Canyon-Part 2: From the bridge at 11.4 miles, the Colorado Trail resumes just across County Road 97 and continues northeast. It's a long and steady climb for the better part of 3.7 miles gaining more than 1,400 vertical feet. Most of the switchbacks are ridable. Several false summits eventually give way to flatter terrain before descending again to Bear Creek at 19.3 miles. The final, one-mile climb crests at the top of Waterton Canyon where a final one-mile single track descent leads to a dirt service road and to the Waterton Canyon parking lot.

-Colorado Trail out and back: If a shuttle is not available or 28.8 miles is too long, a good out-and-back option is found at 5.6 miles by going left on Forest Road 538 to Chair Rocks. This leg is about 2 miles total. Another option includes riding back on Forest Road 538.

-Closures/Information: Recent fires have closed trails in the Pine Valley Ranch Open Space. There are no additional road or trail closures in the Buffalo Creek area other than those closed from the 1996 fires. For more information, contact the South Platte Ranger District at (303) 275-5610.

E-mail Ted Crawford at tcrawford@dslbroadband.com.