“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do
not stop” - I should have that tattooed on my arm. On my first attempt at Walker Ranch loop I
was so disappointed, partly because I had forgotten my inhaler and I ended up
walking the bike for most of the way. After realizing I'd forgotten my inhaler I
could have just turned the car around and tried another day but it was my first
time and I thought I’ll just go slowly through till the end.
Walker Ranch loop is located in Eldorado Canyon State
Park, about a 20 minute drive up Flagstaff road. The trail is short by Boulder standards but
the mileage can be misleading. This
trail will test your endurance with steep and continuous climbing.
You have two options for tackling Walker Ranch, left
starts with a decent climb and right will take you down the canyon; I chose to
start with the descent. The trail is
fairly smooth with a few blind curves.
You can really get going however this is a very popular hiking trail and
it usually isn’t safe to let the wheels roll.
As you approach the bottom of the canyon the trail gets a little rockier
and will require some skill to get over some of these obstacles. Once you reach the bottom, there is a
delightful section of trail that runs along Boulder Creek.
The trail is as smooth and level as you’re likely to see along Boulder
Creek in town. About half way through
this all too short section I stop to snap a couple of pictures when I noticed I
had lost my water bottle somewhere on the way down. I contemplated going on without it but I
remembered how strenuous it was the first time so I decided to point the bike
back uphill to retrieve it. I finally
located it about a mile later. For a
brief moment I thought about just continuing back to the trail head because I
knew how difficult the last leg of the ride would be and adding another mile
climb might be too much. “Shoot, I’m
here, just go for it” I said. So back
down I went.
Back at the bottom, you travel along the Boulder Creek
for about 0.44 miles before the next switch back. There are many photo opps so have your camera
ready. The trail takes off uphill at a
rather steep grade with some obstacles.
It would prove too steep for me and I would be forced off the bike for a
short section. Back on the bike the
trail continues the challenging climb but certainly doable; lucky I took a
couple of puffs of the inhaler earlier at the trail head. Along the way I pass a group visiting from
Switzerland enjoying some Colorado single track. A couple of them are going strong while the
other two are struggling but they all seem to be enjoying themselves. I stop for a moment for a drink and a brief
conversation with our Swiss visitors, give them a little encouragement then
continue up the trail.
At about the 3.8 mile (2.8 actual) mark the trail splits
between a technical and less technical section.
I took the less technical route to make up some time. As you reach the top of the climb (4.2 miles/3.2 miles actual) you arrive at a trail head just off a dirt road. This is like one of those sections I
described at Picture Rock-get ready for a thrill ride down relatively smooth
and winding single track. This seems like a long
descent, about 2.15 miles, and has a little of everything to satisfy even the
most hard core mountain biker. Along the
way there are some sections that will tempt even the most skilled rider but for
most of us it’s probably a good idea to dismount if you want to avoid a
mountain rescue. You’re also exposed for most
of this leg so hopefully you rubbed in a little SPF 30.
Before you reach the bottom here you'll find steps
carved into the rock at the 6.35 mile mark (5.35 actual). You’ll clearly notice the drop on the map but
nothing can describe how precarious this section is especially if you’re
carrying a bike on your shoulder and wearing cycling shoes. Carefully and slowly I make my way down to a
rushing Boulder Creek this time cutting right through a canyon of rock walls. I take a short break under the shade by the
creek, resting for the prolonged climb ahead.
You cross a bridge over the creek and the scene over the
creek in either direction would make a great background for your next Christmas
photo. Well, the scene is short lived as
the trail quickly turns uphill again.
The initial climb is steep, too steep for my skills so again I’m forced
to dismount and hike this section. This
climb runs up a service road so it’s wide but loose on this lower part and
becomes clearer before the trail turns back onto single track. To complete the loop you climb the other side
of the mountain on nice single track through dense forest. This part of the trail is steep with a few
switchbacks and rises steadily which makes for quite a strenuous climb. I ended up stopping often just to catch my breath. Even before entering this last section I was
exhausted; I was hoping to ride most of this section but it didn’t quite turn
out that way. The trail was too steep
for my weary legs and roots and rocks just added to the intensity of the
ride. The trail finally topped out at
the 8.5 mile mark (7.5 actual). The last
half mile descended gradually on slightly rocky tread down to the trail head.
I didn’t finish like I wanted to but I certainly made
progress. This trail will demand a lot
from you and the casual mountain biker may find it overwhelming. Don’t be discouraged by my description of
this trail, give it a shot and persevere, you’ll be glad you did. Actual mileage doesn't account for the extra mile I took back tracking to find my water bottle so my Garmin route adds that extra mile.
As always, my route is at Walker Ranch for your entertainment and don’t forget to
click on the green arrow in the map.
Remember, you’ll always find the fountain of youth on a trail of dirt-ride on!
Alan Romero
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