Cruising back to the Springs from Telluride we decided we wanted to check out the biking in
Crested Butte. Unfortunately our Falcon Guide was back at home so we decided to snoop around
the local bike shops in Gunnison to see what was happening. After some looking and talking we
found out the place to be is Hartman Rocks. We purchased a map (best decision we made that
day) and headed to the trailhead. We parked at the bottom of the mesa and started to climb. In
hindsight the road might have been the best way to get up but we decided to take a b-line right
up the side. After walking our bikes up the steep slickrock sections we finally got a view of the
area. Trails and roads stretched everywhere and it reminded us of Palmer Park in the Springs or
even Moab to a degree. Many trails are gradual climbs through the sage on sandy to hard-
packed ground and often intersect the rock formations for some nice technical challenges. This
place is huge, we barely scratched the surface before it was time to go back. Hartman Rocks is
also home to Rage in the Sage bike race, a brutal race to be sure due to the exposed conditions
and up and down nature of the terrain. Be sure to bring a map, this place is confusing as gank
for first-timers.
 | Aberdeen Loop |  | 10 mi |
 | Dave Moe's |  | 1 mi |
 | Frontside | | 2 mi |
| Jack's |  | 1 mi |
| Josie's | | 3 mi |
| Rattlesnake | | 2 mi |
Some fun punchy climbs and wicked rock features.
| ThankI love this place, I spent nearly a full summer camped out here and biking as much as I could, a lot of great trails for all skill levels. There are super quick and smoother trails like Luge, Sea of Sage and Broken shovel and then of course much more challenging trails everywhere throughout the rocks. Easy to camp since it is BLM, just find someplace that your vehicle fits and you are golden.
| ThankGreat trail system for all levels of riders. Also a good place to camp as you can camp in or around the heart of the trail system. Campsites are not plentiful or well marked but easy enough to find one. Water sources are scarce as is shade. There is the Gunnison river that runs along the highway where you turn off to go into the trails. There is also a jump/pump?? track at the main parking area if you're into that. It can get hotter than balls in the summer time. Overall, a great place to go ride, camp, explore the geological formations, and listen to the coyotes at night around the camp.
| ThankThis is a huge trail system that provides countless options for all skill levels. There are rocky areas to provide technical challenges and there are great ways to string together downhill rollercoaster rides. Although I prefer the long, epic rides found in Crested Butte, I would love to have a place like Hartman rocks in my town for after work rides. My only real complaint is related is the loose soil. Much of the trail surfaces are not well-packed which can significantly impair cornering speeds. Admittedly, I had the wrong tire combo for such conditions.
| ThankHartmans is a playground. There are 20ish different trails to choose from, ranging from easy to extreme. Make sure you check out the map and have fun putting your run together. If you don't plan well you may find yourself using the dirt roads to get to your trail.
| ThankWhile my husband and I were on vacation got rained out up in the Butte, decided to give Hartman a try and what a surpirse it was one my favorite rides! The aroma of sage and the neat geology blended with the openess feel of the terrain and technical descents into the gulleys make up for one outstanding, well marked trail system. I highly recommend stopping by Rock 'n' Roll Sports to pick up a map. The people there are very helpful and recommended us a great route to take the first time. Liked the trail system so much we came back for a second day.
| ThankI had high expectations for this set of trails but they are hard to enjoy when you feel lost all the time. They label these as good for those acclimating to the elevation but I felt I was climbing all the time. Because I couldn't really find my way to trails, I mostly spent time on fireroads. I did do Jacks which was so-so (fairly technical and mostly climbing) and Collarbone Alley. Collarbone was the highlight for me. Downhill, not too steep, and one berm after another.
| ThankMaybe it's because I just rode Moab the week before and Crested Butte the day before, but I was not impressed with these trails. There is a whole lot of sage and not much rage. If you like trails like Buffalo Creek you might like these. I rode a 20 mile loop and it was all kind of the same sandy non-technical smooth single track. Trails like The Ridge, Rattlesnake and V-Drop were better with the trail routed over grippy round granite. If I ever ride here again, I'll bring my single speed 29er.
| ThankIt might act as if its steep, but its not to bad. Its a solid climb right from the parking lot. This is your only way up to access the goods at Harmans. because if you drive up, you want be able to decent Collar Bone or the Notch. You will also get a great feel for what you should expect throughout Hartmans. A few granite rock climbs, a bit of sand, and some sweet smooth singletrack.
| ThankStiff climb, but fun.
| ThankNice singletrack
| ThankSuper gnarly, and super fun! I highly recommend it!
| ThankGreat views and fun rocks!
| ThankPretty steep, but rideable.
| ThankI'm not really sure what I expected Hartman's to offer, but the trails I experienced there absolutely blew me away! The singletrack is challenging with quite a few technical spots and massive rock rolls and challenging rock features to play on! Other trails are flowy fast, and just a rip-roaring time! The views of the surrounding mountains, the rock formations, and of Gunnison are gorgeous as well...
I've got to say, Hartman's truly impressed me, and I will be back to ride the trails that I didn't get a chance to on my first visit!
| ThankThis was a great introduction to Colorado riding. So much variable terrain that there was something for everyone in our party to enjoy. You can do 20 plus miles or cut it as short as you want, as most trail sections are 2 miles or less, with smooth double track to get you back easily if you want. The fun (and more technical/difficult) stuff is definitely along the ridges, with Top of The World, Becks, Tailpipe, Josie's and Notch at the top of my list. Most trails in the interior of the system are smoother and offer a break to the technical aspects of the rim trails. Most trails can be run both directions and offer a completely different ride when done the opposite direction. Be aware of the one-way trails. This is also a multi use area so hikers, horses and motos are always around. Everyone seems to get along so keep it courteous and smile! Best recommendation in these reviews is to get a map, and even stop by a shop for trail recommendations for your skill levels as well as trail conditions. Have fun!
| ThankGreat network of trails. Tons of options, great high desert singletrack, some real nice technical options. A near endless amount of trails to create tons of different options. Was very impressed. Camped there, rode Behind the Rocks, Alonzo's, Water..., Fenceline, Gateway. All a ton of fun. Never really stop here b/c always on the way to Crested Butte, but well worth riding here, I'm a huge fan.
| ThankMy first time here was this past weekend at 24 Hours on the sage. Looking back on it now I think it would have been a good Idea to ride here before the race. This place is amazing though so it also might have ruined the expirence. Amazing climbs with some hardish slick rock sections, there are also some great difficult downhill sections (beginners be advised). If you find yourself here make sure you ride the keyhole section and the sea of sage. The keyhole is pure awesome difficult climbing with the reward of some cool downhill sections. The Sea of sage is super fast rolling sections with nice turns mixed in.
| ThankThis was my first visit to Hartman Rocks, and I can't WAIT to return! My wife and I looped together a nice string of trails. We rode up Jack's Trail, which is a nice middle-ringer up the face with a little bit of fun technical stuff thrown in. Once on the road up top, we rode the road and hopped on Rocky Ridge. SUPER fun at the top, with some challenging technical downs towards the top. At the next junction we hopped on Broken Shovel. Mainly just a middle-ringer climb through the sage brush. Very pretty, though. Crossed the road and jumped on Josho's, and that was a blast. Josho's is very loopy, and then it plunges down into a valley and then you climb back out. Lots of fun. The end goal for us was to hit Rattlesnake, and it definitely lives up to its name. If you're not careful it'll bite you! Rattlesnake is very technical, with some great slickrock type sections. We walked a number of the downs, but I plan on cleaning some of them next time. We rode a little bit of road back up to the top of Beck's and LOVED that little bit of swoopy downhill. Back up the road and then rode back down Jack's Trail. In short, go ride this place! You could spend all day here and not ride the same trail twice.
| ThankRode about 15 miles on the rocks and hills. Most of the trails are in sage so there's a nice aroma.
| ThankThere are many trails going many directions so I've ridden just a taste. The views are nice and the trails are firm.