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Level: Intermediate
Length: 13 mi (20.9 km)
Surface: Singletrack
Configuration: Loop
Elevation: +684/ -705 ft
Total: 32 riders
Mountain Biking Butter Knife
#126 of 1,383 mountain bike trails in Colorado
From the trailhead across the road from the parking area, ride one-tenth of a mile down Third Flats Road to get to the start of the Twist-N-Shout trail. After descending approximately 400 feet during about 2.3 miles of twists & turns, the start of Butterknife appears. This is a 6.3 mile singletrack ride that will descend the whole way for another 600 to 800 feet. After reaching the end of the Butterknife at an elevation of approximately 4900 feet, the 1000 to 1200 feet of elevation must be re-gained over 3.9 miles via a jeep road (Third Flats Road). That makes the total distance approximately 12.6 miles. The 3.9 miles of jeep road is a lung buster. to eliminate the jeep road you can drive a well equipped 4 wheel drive to the end of Butterknife. There is no water at the trail head so a minimum of 100 oz or more is needed for this ride.
First added by wrestle203 on Aug 29, 2012. Last updated May 9, 2020. → add an update
Before you go
- Drinking water: unknown
- Lift service: unknown
- Night riding: unknown
- Pump track: unknown
- Restrooms: unknown
- Fat bike grooming: unknown
- E-bikes allowed: unknown
- Fee required: unknown
This trail information is user-generated. Help improve this information by suggesting a correction.
From I70 Business, take Broadway to Monument Road. The left to D Road comes up quickly. That turns into Rosevale, which eventually becomes Little Park Road. Continue on climbing and note that the trailhead for the Third Flats trails is approximately 1.2 miles beyond the well-marked "Little Park Trailhead."
Here's where it gets tricky. The Third Flats trailhead is on the LEFT, but there are many signs indicating NO PARKING despite there being room for it. They suggest that you drive 1 mile further up Little Park Road to the Bang's Canyon Trailhead, then ride back down the road to the start of the actual ride. I can only imagine that this is to deter vehicles hauling trailers with dirt bikes & ATVs. There is actually a large totally unmarked dirt lot on the RIGHT about 75 yards BEFORE the Third Flats trailhead & this is where hikers and mountain-bikers park their vehicles.
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