The newest trail in our network, Middle Cement Creek Trail #399, has been CBMBA’s focus for the past THREE years! If you’ve attended any of our trailwork events, there’s a good chance your sweat went into making it happen. In its entirety, MCCT is 4.6 miles, which is 3.1 miles of new, hand-built trail connected to 1.5 miles of the existing Fenceline trail, which is now a system route. MCCT is now entirely on USFS land, and it connects the Upper and Lower Cement Creek Trails, offering riders more linkup options for riding in the Cement Creek drainage (see map below).
CBMBA is a community organization, and our trail crew and volunteers are at our core. CBMBA builds are truly barn-raising events, with volunteers donating their time, their strength, and/or their dollars to make trails happen. Over the past three years, volunteers spent 2,289 hours on this trail! CBMBA’s trail crew, the CB Conservation Corps (CBCC) put in a total of 717 hours of work, and STOR Corps and Gunnison Trails lent a hand multiple times as well. We can’t thank everyone enough for being a part of this massive community lift!
Description of the Trail
MCCT spans several miles across a steep hillside, crosses several major gulleys, and descends through a rock garden. There are optional natural trail features throughout, including a log ride, alternate rock rolls, and a stump jump. Bringing this trail to life required extensive bench cutting and rock work, as well as clearing significant underbrush, deadfall, and clump grass.
There are multiple ways to ride this trail, but here are a few favorites:
- The Quick Tour: Climb Warm Springs, turn right on MCCT and complete an out-and-back. On the way back, make sure to descend the full Middle Cement Trail rather than Warm Springs.
- The Moderate Tour: Pedal up Walrod Road, climb halfway up The Wall (412), take a right on 405.3a, then a right on Waterfall Cutoff. Ride Waterfall Cutoff to the end, then descend a short section of Waterfall Creek and return downvalley via Upper Cement to Middle Cement.
- The Longer Tour: Climb up Warm Springs and take a right on Middle Cement. Ride MCCT to Upper Cement and keep pedaling upvalley, then turn left and climb Block and Tackle. At the top, you can either take a left on Double Top and eventually descend Waterfall Creek, or take a right on Block and Tackle and eventually descend Hunter Creek. Either way, return via Upper Cement Creek Trail to Middle Cement.
- The Really Long Tour: Really, anything you can dream up! It’s endless.
Background of the Entire Cement Creek Trail System
The existing Upper Cement Creek Trail was originally a non-system motorized route through wetlands and riparian areas. In the 2010 Forest Service GMUG (Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, Gunnison National Forest) Travel Management decision, the trail was officially recognized as a system route and designated “non-motorized”. In 2011, CBMBA partnered with the Gunnison Ranger District to secure a $10,000 Resource Advisory Committee (RAC) grant for trail restoration and realignment, and both entities built the current 2.3 mile Upper Cement Creek Trail. In 2014, CBMBA again partnered with the USFS to build the 1.6 mile Lower Cement Creek Trail.
The final and most difficult piece of this puzzle was MCCT. CBMBA received initial approval from the Gunnison County Sustainable Tourism and Outdoor Recreation (STOR) Committee, and then final approval from the US Forest Service to begin work in 2019. CBMBA volunteers came out of the gate hot with Phase 1 (Stumpjumper) at the 2019 Annual Overnight Volunteer Weekend, and then moved on to Phase 2 in 2020, and completed Phase 3 this year. It was officially completed at our September 10th Wednesday Workday, where we celebrated with champagne! We hope you’re able to get out this fall to enjoy Middle Cement Creek Trail!
Related Articles:
Middle Cement and Fenceline trails completed, CB News 9/15/2021
CBMBA opens season of trail work this weekend, CB News 6/2/2021
CBMBA trail work weekend, August 15-16, CB News 8/12/2020
