Golden Gate: Mountain Lion

Golden Gate State Park proudly claims more than 12,000 acres of dense forest, rocky peaks and aspen groves laced with miles of trails that will satisfy even your most adolescent desire for the outdoors.  Located just outside beautiful Golden Colorado, it offers one of the best locations for a panoramic view of the Rocky Mountain Range from Panorama Point.  This past weekend I dared to ride the Mountain Lion trail; again!

I caught the Burro trail at the Bridge Creek parking area, just outside the private property line in Golden Gate Canyon State Park.  The state park map describes this as a “Difficult” trail for all users including hikers, bikers and horseback riders.  This wasn’t my first time out here so I had a good idea what lay ahead.

The trail immediately starts with a rather difficult climb; I wasn’t able to make it before and this time was no different.  It is a steep climb on very rocky tread, the trick is continuous pedaling but I haven’t been able to make it without coming off the pedals and once you’re off it’s quite difficult, on steep inclines, to clip back in.  I did however make it higher than I did before, just a few yards from the first switchback.

Once over this first climb, the trail ascends gradually on intermediate tread to the first trail junction; Burro and Mountain Lion.  I chose to ride Mountain Lion for its scenery and it just so happens to be one of the longer trails in the park.  I go left up past another Burro, Mountain Lion junction and continue up Mountain Lion.  This section of trail is nice; single track and mostly smooth with just a few rocks.  At the 0.87 mile mark the trail turns downward on rocky tread.  Watch out for hikers as you pick up speed and be careful because the trail is very rocky. 

At around the 1 mile mark you come across the restored Tallman Ranch-the Tallman’s were Swedish immigrants who homesteaded here in 1876 because it reminded Anders Tallman of his Swedish homeland.  I was a little disappointed with the modern looking porch swings; not sure why those in charge did not prefer a more authentic feel.  In any event, it is worth stopping for a few moments to see how pioneers lived in the late 1800’s.  There is a plaque just above the pond with a delightful narrative of this historic landmark.

After a few pictures I continue on past the Buffalo, Mountain Lion trail junction and the Forgotten Valley backcountry campsite.  The climb is gradual on double track before suddenly turning up the mountain on tight single track.  This part of the climb is long and very strenuous.  My Garmin Edge recorded a sudden spike in elevation, I can only guess that it must have lost signal under the cover of pine and aspen trees because it wasn’t that steep.  It was however steep enough to wear me down considerably, even after a few brief stops to catch my breath.  The trail is decorated with a few extremely difficult sections with exposed roots and large rock formations competing against you and at steep angles.  The trail finally peaks at 8909 feet at the 2.16 mile mark.

Once on top, the trail immediately starts to descend.  For the next half mile, you will need a lot of skill and some intestinal fortitude to make it down this section.  The trail runs through deep woods with steep drop offs and exposed rock and roots, it will be pretty darn intimidating at any skill level.  I was tempted in many areas to test my skills but good sense would prevail as I clung to trees with one hand while walking the bike with the other.  About halfway down you come across the other side of Burro trail but I continue on down Mountain Lion.

Beginning at around the 3 mile mark the trail clears a bit, from large boulders at least, and takes you down what could be one of the best trails in the area if not for all the intermittent rock protruding from the ground.  These rocks are scattered all along the trail and makes for quite an obstacle course.  The woods are dense and damp from mountain dew and you can hear Deer Creek in the background adding some ambiance to your ride.  I take a couple of spills along this stretch but nothing too serious.  This time out was far more difficult that the last time I rode here; I could only guess it was because of my choice of pedal.  I was on platform pedals last time so I was able to use my feet more to keep my balance.  There are a couple of small creek crossings and log bridges, which unfortunately are not bike friendly.  You’ll also find a couple of hidden campsites in the area; would be perfect for an overnight camping trip.

The long downhill ends at the 4.47 mile mark.  From here you begin another climb, this time on a service road.  The road climbs for 0.75 miles and it may not look steep on the map but I had a bear of a time on this climb-the first hundred yards really takes it out of you, especially after all you’ve been through up to this point (I actually did this part twice because when I reached the top I noticed I hadn’t started the timer on my Garmin Edge so I went back down to start the recording again).  The trail turns downward again at 5.20 miles into your ride.  This part of the trail is probably the easiest descent of the whole ride.  The trail is not too technical with some great twists and turns, too bad it doesn’t last long.  This section brings you down to the Nott Creek trail head and continues through on great but short single track.  The trail turns quickly up the mountain again, so quickly you’ll miss the turn because this short section takes you pretty fast.

The first part of this next climb, at the 6.03 mile mark, is impossible to pass on a bicycle; I suppose there may be some riders who could do it but they’d have to be exceptional or specialists.  At this point in the ride I’m completely exhausted.  The rest of the climb is at about a 45 degree angle for almost a mile, so long and toilsome, I didn't even have the energy for mental notes.  I would end up stopping twice to sit and catch my breath and give my legs a rest.  It’s so hard for me to lose my enthusiasm on a trail but I was so ready to be done by the time I reached the top of this climb (6.81 miles).

The Mountain Lion trail drops for just a short while and meets back up with the Burro trail for a final time before heading down to the trail head.  Coming down this final section can be difficult; you’re coming down a lot faster over many obstacles and then you add an element of fatigue; this ride ends in dramatic fashion.

I had a very hard time the first time I rode this trail; this time around I did much better.  I was out about 3 hours on a very difficult and arduous trail.  This ride is not for everyone and will demand a lot of skill and stamina.  For those who don’t care for an epic ride, find some time to at least make it out to the Tallman Ranch, this is a great area for a picnic and skipping rocks.

Follow my ride at connect.garmin.com/activity/235386948 where you’ll find my ride statistics and trail route.  Riding out in isolation can be very therapeutic so if you're looking for a break from the daily routine, find a little time for some R&R and hit the trails, you'll be glad you did.  Remember, you'll find the fountain of youth on a trail of dirt-ride on!

Alan Romero