Colorado Trail - Swan Mountain

Pedal south on the bike path toward Breck, and head east across HWY 9 at the first traffic light. This is Tiger Run Road. Pedal past a golf course on the right, then enter the Swan River valley drainage. Pavement gives way to dirt. Settle in for an easy multi-mile cruise up river until reaching the North and Middle Forks Road junction. Turn right and ride until the Colorado Trail crosses the road. Turn left on the singletrack. (If you pass by "Good Times, Snowmobiling tours" you're about 300 yards too far.) Climb this gentle grade past the few camp areas sprinkled about. Keep going into the treeline. Keep eyes left until seeing a Forest Service marker for the Colorado Trail cutting back at a hard angle. Settle into your granny gear because you now have about a 1000ft singletrack climb. All rideable. Out into the logging clearings near the top, you can see Keystone Resort's Outback chairlift up at the snowline sitting off across Keystone Gulch. Once at the top, you traverse around the north of those tree covered hills that earlier you had been looking up at from the dirt road, now far below. Keep left at the next two intersections (The signed West Ridge loop trail climbs up, then descends back into the Keystone Gulch. Fun, but not as fun as what you are going to do.) As soon as you pass the second intersection, hang on for some fast tight smooth singletrack. This next section contains some memorable riding through the forest with a series of switchbacks. Continue on some more awesome singletrack until coming out onto a doubletrack. Stay on the singletrack, cross the little creek, and motor up the other side for another 3+miles of great riding. The main trail is easily identified, although there are several side options. The final descent switches back and forth into the Tiger Run Resort mobile home park. Shamble back out to HWY 9, cross over to the paved bike path, go right a short distance until you see your vehicle at Gold Hill. Rated as advanced for distance covered and climbing, otherwise intermediate ability terrain.