The trails around Crested Butte are mainly on US Forest Service land, which currently allows e-bikes on all motorized trails. E-bikes are not permitted on non-motorized trails in the Gunnison National Forest. Read below for some great ride options we have put together for e-bikes!
The Deli Trail
Leaving from behind the Community School, the Deli Trail provides access all the way to Brush Creek Road. The Deli Trail begins as a wide, dirt path and then becomes a paved path when it reaches Brush Creek Road. Keep riding on Brush Creek Road to access some amazing views the farther you go!
Dirt Road Rides: Kebler Pass, Slate River, Washington Gulch, Gothic, Brush Creek, and Cement Creek Road
All of these dirt roads are incredibly scenic, and some are easier to bike than they are to drive! These rides are all beginner level as a shorter out-and-back, but the higher up you go, the more intermediate they get. A basic road map or USFS map is sufficient for navigation.
Recreation Path between Town and Mt. CB
This paved path is open to Class 1 e-bikes and is another great commuter and access path. It can be busy, so watch your speeds and announce yourself clearly (bells work great!)
CB Bike Park – Beginner Loop
Located behind the Community School, check out the beginner loop where any rider can learn the basics on a small loop with some undulation, corners, berms, and basic rock features. A great introduction to singletrack skills if you’ve never taken your e-bike on dirt!
Slate River to Washington Gulch Loop 22.5 mi. loop
Leaving from the Town of CB, head north and turn left onto Slate River Road (#734). This beauty of a road starts with an easy grade for the first 7 miles, then begins climbing up switchbacks. Take in the beautiful scenery of the Slate River drainage, and take pride in the fact you’re doing the loop on an e-bike instead of in the car! At 11.5 miles, you’ll intersect with Washington Gulch (#811). Turn right and climb a wee bit more, then descend into the Washington Gulch drainage and enjoy the stunning views of Gothic Mountain, Long Lake, and the Town of CB where you will head downhill back to Town for a 22.5 mile loop.
Paradise Divide Loop, 28 mi.
Ditch the car and cruise to paradise on your e-bike! Head out Slate River Road (#734) for 12.5 miles to Paradise Divide, where you’ll want to jump into the freezing cold snowmelt pond at the top! Continue NE onto Washington Gulch Rd (#317), then at 16 miles, turn right on Gothic Road. Then, it’s downhill past Emerald Lake and into the Townsite of Gothic (home to the oldest Biological Lab in the country). If it’s during business hours, stock up on drinks and ice cream at the Visitor Center, then back to Mt. CB. Ride the Rec Path back into Town. This is a long loop with significant uphill, so keep an eye on your battery!
Pearl Pass Road
The famous road that started the mountain bike craze in the late 70’s, this out and back starts in Town and will take up through the beautiful Cumberland Pass. Take the Deli Trail behind the school to connect with Brush Creek Road (FS#738). From the start of Brush Creek Road, travel 9 miles until the intersection with Pearl Pass Road and Trail #400. Stay left on Pearl Pass Road (#738) as far as you like, as the road turns to talus at 12 miles. Connect to Aspen if the heart so desires, but bring the battery charger for the other side.
Reno-Flag-Bear-Deadman, 19 mi.
This is a popular CB singletrack loop starting up Cement Creek Road, which is 7 miles south of Crested Butte. This intermediate ride is as classic a loop as you can find in CB! From the Deadman Trailhead, you’ll have 3 classic, sustained climbs, and 3 super fun and fast descents.
Teocalli Ridge Trail
In the Brush Creek drainage, Teocalli Ridge is accessed via West Brush Creek Rd. Another stout classic, an e-bike on this loop sure takes the sting out of a mean climb. Made so worth it by the incredible downhill on an incredible ridge with some breathtaking viewpoints mixed with some parts technical DH, some parts super fun flowy high-speed track in the dark timber and aspen, finishing in a field of dreams! Amazing flowers in the high season and a motorized trail that’s great for e-bikes. The West Brush Creek crossing, along with Brush Creek at the exit can be RAGING in the early season run-off – use caution!
Farris Creek Trail
Wrapping around Strand Hill in the Brush Creek drainage is the infamous Farris Creek Trail. A sweet road climb up Strand Hill continues around the back of the mountain to access Farris, a technical and steep descent that used to be the stomping grounds of the early mountain bike race days. You must exit across Brush Creek itself and up to Brush Creek Road, but BEWARE: the creek crossing is very sketchy during early season run-off
400, 405 (Double Top) Block and Tackle, Hunter Creek, and Waterfall Creek
You want the goods – well here you go! Some of these motorized trails have seen amazing work of recent by the USFS trail crews and are in spectacular shape. The top of 400 might as well be the ‘Top O’ the World’ with stunning views to the Aspen valley and some 14’er peaks. 405/Double Top can be a bit rough in spots, but it connects you with where to go. These trails are real deal CB high alpine track with stellar views, steep pitches, technical sections, and worth every bit of it! Hard to get to for a reason, they make for all day ride experiences.
Carbon Creek Trail #436
This is the closest motorized loop available from town, and this beauty is real-deal MTN biking and has seen huge USFS trail crew work! Head out of Town via Kebler Pass, and turn left on Carbon Creek at 2.6 miles. Drop down through Coal Creek (beware spring run-off), and up the old ‘Wildcat Trail’. Once you cross Green Lake, the technical rock section comes to play! You’ll intersect where Baxter Gulch connects (non-moto), and Carbon turns down through some sweet meadows, dark timber, aspen forests, and beautiful mountains. It ends at Ohio Pass, but towards the end of the talus fields, look up to your right for the remnants of the ‘Great Wall’, an unfinished stone palisade from an abandoned Denver South Park and Pacific rail line. Then it’s up Ohio Pass to Kebler Pass and back to Town.
Deadman (420), Rosebud (423), Cement Mtn Trail (553)
Also starting from the Cement Creek Drainage and the Deadman Trailhead, try this loop for a hearty climb up the Deadman switchbacks, then the super fun descent on the other side to reach Rosebud Trail, navigate some cool rocks and amazing scenery, then visit ‘Julie Andrews’ on the Cement Mountain Trail. Finish it up back to the Deadman Trailhead down the switchbacks. 14 mile loop.
Walrod Gulch (412), 405.2a (Dark Side), 405 (Doubletop), 409
A sweet way to connect Cement Creek with Brush Creek ending with a screaming descent down 409.5. Some tough climbing up ‘The Wall’, then some amazing dark timber riding through ‘the Dark Side’, some views, some real deal singletrack for a great loop from Cement Creek to Brush Creek.
Hartman Rocks Recreation Area – Gunnison
Hartman Rocks has it all – 30 miles from Crested Butte is a hamlet of mostly motorized trails! Hartman Rocks has 45 miles of single track trail, 45 miles of roads, 50 designated dispersed campsites, and countless climbing crags. Hartman ROCKS and the riding is incredible for e-biking. From Gunnison, head 3 miles south on County Road 38 (Gold Basin Road). Hartman Rocks Base Area parking lot will be located on the west side of County Road 38.