Thanksgiving in Boulder Colorado was unseasonably warm
this year and while our peaks are lightly dusted in champagne powder the Front
Range was prime and ready for our fat tires.
I didn’t want to venture too far to burn off some calories
so it was the Doudy Draw trail for these restless legs. The Doudy Draw Trailhead is located
just off of Eldorado Springs Drive. The
parking lot is well marked and off to the left as you drive towards Eldorado Springs.
Doudy Draw is a very popular trail because of its
proximity and mild terrain. This trail
will not demand a lot of skill but when the snows come to the high country,
this trail should give us dirt clods something to cheer about.
The trail begins on a wide gravel path for about 0.46
miles to the Community Ditch intersection and a delightful pedestrian bridge
with the Flatirons in full view to the west.
From here the trail narrows to single track on loose
dirt and some rock. This section is a
breeze for any intermediate to advanced rider however a novice may find it a
bit difficult to maneuver through the rocks on a continuous climb. The climb is pretty mild but it does span close
to a mile, keep a steady pace and you’ll reach the next trail junction with no
problem.
You’ll come to a peak with two options. To the left, the trail descends down to a
rather steep climb then continues up on a really cool path towards the
Flatirons Vista trailhead. I chose to go
right to complete the Spring Brook loop.
From here the trail is hard packed single-track and
descends for a short distance before the next climb. The descent is almost unnoticeable on my
Garmin Edge even though I am under open sky for a mile and a half or so. At the junction I took the trail left (Spring Brook South) on a slightly
flat path to the next climb through the edges of sparse pine forest. The trail remains hard packed single-track on
an easy to moderate climb, depending on your skill level. The trial seems to flatten out at about the 2
mile mark and continues further into the trees.
As I cruise on through a startled deer dashes across my
path to join a small group of deer about 15 feet from the trail. I stop suddenly to snap some photos before
continuing on. At the 2.5 mile mark (Spring Brook North), get
ready for some speedy twist and turns as you descend gradually down the
trail. There are a lot of turns and carrying
speed on this loose dirt could spell trouble.
Be considerate of other trail users, especially on this section because
you will be tempted to roll with reckless abandon. As you exit the trees the trail opens up once
again to spectacular views of the Boulder Foothills (picture: top). At high speed this section is a bit more
precarious because of the drop offs and blind turns. Ride in control and yield to climbers and
hikers. The loop closes at 3.6 miles into
your ride and the short ride back begins.
This is the perfect trail for a novice because it will
give you a chance to practice some important skills. It is not very challenging but it has its
fine points. If you love dirt as much as
I do, sometimes the trail just doesn’t matter as long as I can sink a nobby
into terra firma. Follow my path at connect.garmin.com/activity/246883027 and use the information on the website to plan
your ride. There is a lot of useful
information on these Garmin pages to help you get a feel for the trail.
Alan Romero
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