Had a chance to stretch my legs last weekend and what a
gorgeous day it was. It had snowed a few
days earlier but up here in Colorado the snow doesn’t stick around for
long. It was a brisk Sunday afternoon
and the clouds were breaking to reveal a sun just waiting to warm up the trail.
Betasso Preserve is so close to Boulder and perhaps one
of the most enjoyable trails around.
It’s not too difficult for an intermediate rider, quite easy for an
advanced rider but it could be a bit strenuous for a novice. I’m convinced that even a novice can enjoy
this ride as long as they ride at a comfortable pace, rest often and
hydrate.
The trail is chocolaty sweet; very well groomed with few
obstacles. The climbs are gradual but
may feel lengthy to a novice. This day
there were a few wet spots; boy how I love sinking my tires into wet gravel
mixed with dirt. There was also a little
snow in the shady areas but no match for my Nobby Nics.
The trail on this day was running counterclockwise, which
I had not done before so I was looking forward to a different experience. I couldn’t decide if the trail was more
difficult in this direction or if I was just out of shape; perhaps a little of
both.
I usually catch the main trail by way of the Boulder
Canyon Drive link trail. I decided on
this day to drive up to the trailhead instead since I hadn’t started from there
before. You novice riders would be wise
to do the same, the link trail from Boulder Canyon Drive can be about as
foolish as putting your life savings in a Cyprus bank account.
The first 1.36 miles are what mountain bikers crave,
smooth winding single-track headed downhill.
There are some twists and turns and of course other trail users so
please use caution and always yield to hikers.
At 1.36 miles the trail turns up mildly with another short downhill
section at 2.05 miles when you reach a trail junction. Staying right will link you over to the
Benjamin Loop, which I highly recommend.
So I chose to go right where you will bottom out again at 2.51 miles to
the next climb.
You’ll climb for another 0.25 miles when you reach the
Benjamin Loop. Today this loop ran clockwise and the climb would continue for another 0.95 miles. All this climbing is so worth it; rest as
much as you need to because this section is great. For the next 0.84 miles you will be treated
to one of the finest downhill sections in the area. Very few obstacles but many twists and turns
on some very smooth single-track-kudos to the track builders. Of course ride in control because there are
some steep drop-offs and a small mistake at high speed can spell big trouble.
The trail levels off a bit at 4.55 miles and you finally
return back to the junction at about the 5 mile mark. The ride back to the Canyon Loop trail is a gentle
climb until you start heading up to complete the loop. For a novice this section will take a bit out
of you. The wet and snowy areas made it more difficult but even on a dry day this section won’t be easy for a
novice rider. It’s a pretty steady climb
for about a mile but you do have one short downhill section to catch your
breath. At 6.67 miles it’s all downhill
back to the parking lot.
Remember to enjoy yourself and stop to take in the
views. We were all beginners at one time
and when we had to stop to catch our breath, we made sure to enjoy the sights,
sounds and smells that keep bringing us back time after time.
Follow along at connect.garmin.com/activity/287247439 and
take a little time to plan out your rides using all the mapping information
contained on my Garmin page. Spring is
here so oil up that chain and adjust those derailleurs; hope to see you out
there.
