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Level: Intermediate
Length: 2 mi (3.2 km)
Surface: Singletrack
Configuration: Out & Back
Elevation: +48/ -203 ft
Total: 97 riders
Mountain Biking Lupine Trail
#61 of 1,392 mountain bike trails in Colorado
The Lupine Trail is almost exactly 2 miles one-way. If you rode it as an out-and-
back, it would be a 4 mile route. Looping it from town is at least that much,
probably a bit more.
This is a brand-new trail that was just constructed by CBMBA. As of this writing,
it is so new that it is not on a single map and the trail signs consist of laminated
computer paper on little stakes in the ground. This trail is about as fresh as they
come!
It's an excellent ride, too. This little 2 mile trail incorporates a little bit of
everything including swoopy descending in a classic CB meadow, turns through
the aspens, beautifully bench-cut singletrack with some very serious exposure,
and a section of awesome bermed turns allowing you to just rip through that
section of the descent! The bottom of the trail is a little bit of a buzz kill with a
boring gravel road and 3 cattle gates to open AND CLOSE, but after the
excellent ride up above, it's hard to complain!
First added by Greg Heil on Aug 12, 2011. Last updated May 9, 2020. → add an update
Before you go
- Drinking water: unknown
- Lift service: unknown
- Night riding: yes
- 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 the town of Crested Butte (I recommend riding from town), head north on
Highway 135 towards Mount Crested butte. Go a little ways up the mountain
past Slate River Road and turn left into the Saddle Ridge Subdivision. Ride up
the road until the culdesac at the end, and the trail begins right there.
There is NO parking in the subdivision. However, there IS parking at the bottom
of the trail on Slate River Road. If you'd like, you can drive over there, park
there, and ride up Lupine and descend back down for an out-and-back, or you
can work this trail into a larger ride. It's up to you!
Featured in
Fun trail, you can take the family.
| ThankThis is a great ride, super close to town. Short but lots of options to connect and make it longer.
| Thankbeautiful scenery almost the whole way.
| ThankGreat and classic CB type trail right out of town. No super brutal climbs or super long descents but lots of fun!
| ThankOne of the first trails I rode in Crested Butte this summer. Loved it! Great flow and beautiful scenery. Don't pass it up.
| ThankGreat ride, the directions on here didn't make it easy to find, but I ended up parking at the park near the end of the rec trail and doing the small climb up the rec trail and crossing Gothic Ave to Saddle Ridge... The gates that earlier reviewers were complaining about have been replaced with cattle guards, so don't worry about opening and closing gates anymore.
| ThankA fantastic ride to acclimate to the elevation and get a little bit of CB riding under your belt before tackling the bigger rides. One note though: when you get to the first downhill switchback section, and see the cattle gates going down along with some homes, that is private property... Stay on the jeep road going up and that will take you out. This is not clear on the local maps. Connect to the upper loop or lower loop for a nice ride back to town.
| ThankAs a flatlander this was an outstanding trail close to town as a bit of an intro to some of the more classic trails like 401. Best way to access Lupine is at the trailhead on top of Saddle Ridge Road which is marked. From there it's a roller coaster of gradual climbs and fast descents (more descents if starting at noted trailhead). Open meadows, edge of hillsides, and through the aspens. It's a short ride and once you descend to the end you come out to a road. Take a right and continue on dirt road until there is a shortcut to the left about a mile down which leads you to a bridge over Slate river. Continue passed bridge until you see a sign for lower and upper lower loop. I liked continueing onto upper lower loop which followed the Oh-be-joyful creek (rapids), then up high overlooking the Slate river valley toward town. I'm not much of a climber and actually liked this trail connected to the upper lower loop more than 401.
| ThankI got 8 stitches on this trail but would go back in a heartbeat! The most amazing views you'll find in CO
| ThankThey have expanded this trail and it is almost 4 miles. This trail is hard to find, tucked away off Saddle Ridge Road. You'll want to start on this end unless you want to climb up switchbacks. It is curvy, flowy fun for a couple miles and then you have to continue on a boring fire road. The scenery is still good. The section after the fire road is a blast though. You're then dumped out onto Slate River Road. You can try to find your way to Lower Loop trail or go back downtown.
| ThankThis is a great trail that is usually tacked on to other rides in the area down around town and up on the mountain. Depending on what direction you come from it can be a tough climb or an easier ride. Coming from west to east you gain elevation over a number of switchbacks that climb a good bit. After about 10 minutes of tough climbing the trail flattens out and takes you into some aspen groves. The scenery is great, and can be a little intimidating for a beginner because it is cut into the side of a steep hill. The trail weaves through the trees and open hillside before dumping you out on pavement about halfway between town and the resort. * Review edited 8/21/2012
| ThankBeautiful trail. Aspen groves opening into great views. One of the prettiest trails I've ridden. Not very technical, but since it's all built onto a pretty steep mountainside, there is some danger there for a nervous beginner. I would give it a 5 if it was a little longer and a complete loop.
But, we rode it as a counter-clockwise loop with the Lower Loop trail, and riding up the road from Crested Butte to the top of Lupine. Perfect mtn biking morning, IMO.
| ThankExcellent addition to the area and helps connect some of the other trail systems
| ThankIt'd be 5 stars if it wasn't for the gates and gravel road at the bottom.
Intermediate difficulty.
| Thank