Welcome! Sign in or Register
TC Homepage : Trail of the Month July 30, 2010
Trail Information | Trail Photos | Durango Hotels | Archive
 
Telegraph Trail - La Plata County
Written By: Justin Crawford
Posted: June 15, 2004
 
Click to Enlarge

In 2003, teams at Fort Lewis College in Durango won national championships in both Cyclocross and Mountain Bike events. Apparently, those folks know how to ride the dirt.

For the sake of science, we here at Trailcentral decided to go down to Durango recently and see what makes the locals rip so well. After three days of investigation, we think we may know at least some of their secret: a plethora of beautiful, winding singletrack, both technical and smooth, with lung-bursting climbs and white-knuckle descents. Much of this top-notch trailage is within riding distance of town. Some of it is just about in town.

After a rough drive through Wolf Creek Pass construction zones, we dropped down into Durango through the rounded desert hills surrounding the town. The main street looked attractive, with several bike shops, a few coffee stores and an appropriate number of pubs. Our accommodations were spacious, if a bit odd: For some reason, the architect decided to put the living room and tiny kitchen on the second floor. We didn't care. Stripping and changing, we were on our bikes in minutes, and from the door of the condo it was a quarter-mile ride down College Drive to the first spin of the weekend.

Click to Enlarge

We turned left and rode uphill to the Power Line trail, which parallels power lines overhead. From the moment our tires touched the dirt, we knew we had some good times coming our way. Quick leaps up the mountain, sudden turns, enough rocks to keep it interesting and a handful of superb rolling jumps had us laughing by the first trail junction.

Power Line is one access point for Durango's Telegraph Trail System, an expansive network maintained by Trails 2000. Their Web site says the system is "30 miles or more, directly east & south of Durango." It is at least 30 miles -- we think it's more than 40 -- and is remarkable enough to be one of IMBA's official "Epic Rides".

There are dozens of trails in the system, almost all of them loops. Nearly every trail junction is marked with a complete map of the area. This was a mixed blessing for unfamiliar riders; though it was great to know at all times where we were, the sheer number of intersections and choices definitely interrupted our flow. Next time, of course, we'll know where we're going and will stop less often.

Click to Enlarge

Dropping off Power Line, we rode up Horse Gulch Road, the double-track artery of this trail system, to the famous Telegraph trail. It takes its name from an old telegraph line that it follows over a saddle between two peaks, and it is a smooth delight. It rambles around the feet of the hills, into groves of scrub oak, across hardpack shoulders, down into gullies and around big boulders.

After a challengingly loose section near the top of the saddle, Telegraph splits in several directions. Riders can go back down the front side of the hill, or take one of two trails down the back, or head up a steep-looking scramble to a scenic overlook. We chose to head down the back towards Sidewinder for some canyon-wall swerving. It was a good choice -- fast, with perfect berms at every corner.

Click to Enlarge

We climbed back up along Crites Connect, which was a steady, slightly technical ascent that dipped into some pine woods occasionally, until we reached the Telegraph saddle again. At this point we'd driven six hours, pedaled nine miles and climbed about two thousand feet, so we were feeling rather thirsty. We decided not to take the Anasazi Descent trail, which is steep and short, and buzzed back down Telegraph in the late afternoon sun.

Descending was so much fun, we wanted just a little more. We looped from the bottom of Telegraph up around Stacy's Loop. While we were straining up the short climb we were reminded of the brewery we'd seen in town, and we longed for a delicious beverage. But it wasn't far to the next trail junction, which was quickly followed by two others. The top of Stacy's Loop is a maze of intersections in loose scrub forests, three trails going up and three trails going down.

We surveyed the meadow below us, paths webbing out in every direction, and pointed our fronts along the north side of the Meadow Loop towards town. It follows a low ridge along the edge of a beautiful open field; for riders who like airtime, the trail offers a few nice jibs. It was a fantastic, thrilling descent.

In no time at all we had returned along Power Line to the condo. Not long after, our bellies full of homemade baked ziti, our beers empty, we were asleep.

Back to Top
 
Comments Powered By Intense Debate
*Annonymous comments are allowed or you can login using your Intense Debate email/password.
 
If you liked this write-up, please read the other Trail of the Month reviews.
October 2000 - Elk Meadow - Jefferson County Photos | Trail Info | Review
February 2001 - Hall Ranch - Boulder CountyMap | Photos | Trail Info | Review
March 2001 - Green Mountain - Jefferson CountyMap | Photos | Trail Info | Review
May 2001 - Horsetooth Park - Larimer CountyMap | Photos | Trail Info | Review
June 2001 - Walker Ranch - Boulder CountyMap | Photos | Trail Info | Review
July 2001 - Coney Flats - Boulder County Photos | Trail Info | Review
August 2001 - John's Loop - Summit County Photos | Trail Info | Review
September 2001 - Waterton Canyon - Douglas CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
October 2001 - Chrystal Larson Trail - Hinsdale County Trail Info | Review
November 2001 - Jamestown Loop - Boulder County Trail Info | Review
December 2001 - The Best of the Year Review
March 2002 - Rabbit Mountain - Boulder CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
April 2002 - Matthews/Winters Park - Jefferson CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
May 2002 - Steve's Loop - Mesa CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
June 2002 - Summit Trail - Larimer CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
July 2002 - Sourdough Trail - Boulder CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
August 2002 - Boonedoggle Trail - Summit CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
September 2002 - Heil Valley Ranch - Boulder CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
October 2002 - Cemetery Loop - Gilpin CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
November 2002 - Rustlers Loop - Mesa CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
December 2002 - Year in Review Review
March 2003 - Palmer Park - El Paso CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
April 2003 - Edge Loop - Mesa CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
May 2003 - Young Gulch - Larimer CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
July 2003 - Ceran St. Vrain - Boulder CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
August 2003 - Old Fall River Road - Larimer CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
October 2003 - Kenosha Pass - Park CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
December 2003 - Apex/Chimney/Lookout - Jefferson CountyMap | Trail Info | Review
May 2004 - Amasa Back - Moab, UTMap | Photos | Trail Info | Review
June 2004 - Telegraph Trail - La Plata County Photos | Trail Info | Review
July 2004 - Sol Vista Trails - Grand County Photos | Trail Info | Review
August 2004 - Scout Trail - Garfield County Photos | Trail Info | Review
September 2004 - Tour de Front Range Photos | Review
October 2004 - Denver Velo Swap - Denver County Review
November 2004 - Fruita in Fall - Mesa County Photos | Review
January 2005 - Green Mountain - Jefferson CountyMap | Photos | Trail Info | Review
May 2005 - Devil's Backbone - Larimer CountyMap | Photos | Trail Info | Review
June 2005 - Mountain Lion Trail - Jefferson CountyMap | Photos | Trail Info | Review
August 2005 - San Juan Mountains - La Plata County Photos | Review
September 2005 - Tour de Front Range 2005 Review
November 2005 - White Ranch - Jefferson CountyMap | Photos | Trail Info | Review
December 2005 - Waldo Canyon - El Paso County Photos | Trail Info | Review
January 2006 - North Table Mountain - Jefferson CountyMap | Photos | Review
February 2006 - Indoor Trainer Photos | Review
March 2006 - Marshall Mesa - Boulder CountyMap | Photos | Trail Info | Review
April 2006 - Mount Elbert - Lake CountyMap | Photos | Trail Info | Review
May 2006 - Sedona, AZ - Coconino CountyMap | Photos | Review
August 2006 - Dyke Trail - Gunnison CountyMap | Photos | Review
September 2006 - Spanish Creek - Gallatin County, MT Photos | Trail Info | Review
December 2006 - Gregory Canyon - Boulder CountyMap | Photos | Trail Info | Review
March 2007 - Amasa Back - Grand County, UTMap | Photos | Trail Info | Review
February 2008 - Betasso Loop Trails - Boulder CountyMap | Photos | Trail Info | Review
March 2008 - Mt. Bierstadt - Clear Creek CountyMap | Photos | Trail Info | Review
Search
Web TrailCentral.com