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  • Ideal
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Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
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The intended direction a trail should be ridden.
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Trail Popularity ?
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Trailforks users anonymized public ridelogs from the past 6 months.
  • mountain biking recent
  • mountain biking (>6 month)
  • hiking (1 year)
  • moto (1 year)
Activity Recordings
Trailforks users anonymized public skilogs from the past 12 months.
  • Downhill Ski
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      The Horse Gulch/Telegraph Trail System is the perfect trail system for all levels and user types. Located right in-town, it is a local favorite for hiking and mountain biking, and with so many different connecting trails it’s easy to go for a quick ride or turn your hike into a longer adventure.

      It accommodates beginners or advanced users, short rides, long rides, quick trail runs, dog walks, and more. You can start this trail any time of day, but plan ahead and make sure you are done before dark. In the summer months these trails are mighty hot so bring lots of water. The climb up the road is the hardest part for beginners, but once you arrive at the Meadow you are greeted with rewarding 360 degree views and wide open space vistas.

      The trailhead features a self-service bike repair station with all tools for changing a flat, adjusting brakes and derailleurs, etc. You’ll start with a half mile climb that many people just walk up. But this walk/ride is worth it. Once up in the meadow, there are signs giving variations of different rides. For rides involving the whole family, or less experienced riders, it is suggested to stick to the “meadow loop.” It is relatively short and flat. There are many options for longer rides. The trail is very well marked with trailhead signs at major intersections.

      History of Horse Gulch
      Durango native Daryl Crites, then president of Goff Engineering and longtime Trails 2000 board member, kicked off the preservation of the Horse Gulch area. In the early 1990s, he approached Noel Pautsky, the owner of the vast area east of Durango, about preserving its many trails with permanent easements. Pautsky agreed, and Crites went to work surveying all of the trails, including Crites Connect, Telegraph and Anasazi Descent. Pautsky eventually gifted the easements to La Plata County.

      That initial partnership laid the groundwork for a series of recent open space purchases in Horse Gulch by the City of Durango. In addition, Trails 2000 facilitated an easement opening legal access to Raider Ridge in 2009. The acquisitions have promised that the trail network and the pristine high desert surrounding it will be preserved for perpetuity and enjoyed by Durangoans and visitors for generations to come.
      Horse Gulch google parking directions
      Links
      Activities Click to view
      Region Details
      • 2
      • 6
      • 17
      • 11
      • 3

      Region Status
      Open as of Apr 9, 2022
      Local Trail Association

      Stats

      Avg Trail Rating
      Trails (view details)
      39
      Trails Mountain Bike
      39
      Trails Horse
      1
      Trails Hike
      39
      Trails Trail Running
      39
      Total Distance
      33 miles
      Total Descent
      7,398 ft
      Total Vertical
      1,531 ft
      Highest Trailhead
      7,944 ft
      Reports
      448
      Photos
      146
      Ridden Counter
      19,273

      Photos of Horse Gulch Mountain Bike

      0 |
      Mar 14, 2023 @ 7:52am
      Mar 14, 2023
      0 |
      Mar 14, 2023 @ 7:52am
      Mar 14, 2023
      0 |
      Mar 14, 2023 @ 7:52am
      Mar 14, 2023
      trail: Snake Charmer
      266 |
      Dec 12, 2018 @ 11:09am
      Dec 12, 2018
      trail: Snake Charmer
      190 |
      Dec 12, 2018 @ 11:09am
      Dec 12, 2018
      trail: Telegraph
      122 |
      Oct 30, 2018 @ 7:50am
      Oct 30, 2018
      trail: Snake Charmer
      989 |
      Sep 20, 2013 @ 10:50am
      Sep 20, 2013
      trail: Telegraph
      150 |
      Sep 5, 2013 @ 6:53am
      Sep 5, 2013

      Videos of Horse Gulch Mountain Bike

      The Lookout from the Telegraph Trail
      trail: Telegraph
      | Jun 30, 2022
      Medicine down to the electric slide.
      trail: Medicine
      3:00 | 371 | Jan 18, 2018
      Potato strapped to helmet
      trail: Medicine
      2:27 | 206 | Nov 27, 2017
      a day in the life of a freerider
      trail: Telegraph
      3:39 | 109 | Sep 30, 2017
      RAW plose trail
      trail: Telegraph
      2:10 | 57 | Sep 30, 2017
      testing out some drone footy
      1:00 | 287 | Sep 25, 2016
      Trek Test Bike Development
      2:06 | 170 | Jul 15, 2015
      Anasazi to Meadow
      trail: Telegraph
      5:34 | 199 | Jun 30, 2014

      Recent Trail Reports

      statustraildateconditioninfouser
      Telegraph
      Feb 20, 2023 @ 10:22am
      Feb 20, 2023
      Snow CoveredHike Packed at lower elevation, but as you get...Yaelpedroza
      Horse Gulch
      Feb 4, 2023 @ 2:56pm
      Feb 4, 2023
      Snow CoveredSnow covered. Fat bike rideable in the...spokesmanmtb
      Snake Charmer
      Dec 15, 2022 @ 10:36pm
      Dec 15, 2022
      Drymbeiser4
      Rocky Road
      Nov 19, 2022 @ 7:06pm
      Nov 19, 2022
      DryCbake
      Half Ridge
      Nov 19, 2022 @ 6:15pm
      Nov 19, 2022
      IdealCbake
      Flame Out
      Nov 19, 2022 @ 10:15am
      Nov 19, 2022
      IdealCbake
      Half Ridge
      Nov 19, 2022 @ 10:15am
      Nov 19, 2022
      IdealCbake
      Skyline
      Nov 9, 2022 @ 11:47am
      Nov 9, 2022
      Freeze/thaw CycleExtensive Mud if not frozenjasbushey
      Powerline (Durango)
      Nov 9, 2022 @ 11:46am
      Nov 9, 2022
      Freeze/thaw CycleSpots of mud at noon. Get it early.jasbushey
      Mike's
      Nov 8, 2022 @ 3:02pm
      Nov 8, 2022
      WetMuddy in the shadowsBjepson

      Activity Feed

      usernameactiontypetitledate
      user #1522536mmmarchmanwishlistrouteDurango Derby Stage 1 and 1 more
      Mar 23, 2023 @ 8:21am
      10 hours
      user #218700sebstawishlisttrailSnake Charmer
      Mar 21, 2023 @ 5:38pm
      2 days
      user #2741002tashmoreATgmailDOTcomwishlistrouteDurango Derby Stage 1 and 1 more
      Mar 19, 2023 @ 3:38am
      Mar 19, 2023
      user #2931442veloveritaswishlistrouteDurango Derby Stage 1
      Mar 18, 2023 @ 8:18am
      Mar 18, 2023
      user #2741002tashmoreATgmailDOTcomwishlistrouteDurango Derby Stage 1
      Mar 18, 2023 @ 4:01am
      Mar 18, 2023

      Recent Comments

      usernametypetitlecommentdate
      user #571098roxtartrailMedicineAgree, not a double black but a very fun black
      Jan 12, 2023 @ 8:59am
      Jan 12, 2023
      user #954877jasbusheytrailHyper Extended RidgeThis comment was valid when Hyper, Extended...
      Dec 2, 2022 @ 6:39am
      Dec 2, 2022
      user #1630544spokesmanmtbtrailSnake CharmerThis trail has rock rolls, berms, jumps, drops...
      Oct 31, 2022 @ 6:56am
      Oct 31, 2022
      user #1630544spokesmanmtbtrailHalf RidgeIs this trail is NICE! Great condition and...
      Oct 30, 2022 @ 7:26am
      Oct 30, 2022
      user #954877jasbusheytrailHalf RidgeI've only ridden this trail uphill, but its...
      Oct 26, 2022 @ 7:59am
      Oct 26, 2022

      Nearby Areas

      namedistance
      Fort Lewis College 4 3 21.1 km
      Grandview Ridge 17 1 11.7 km
      Three Springs 13 42.3 km
      Overend Mountain Park 6 15 7 12.4 km
      Animas City Mountain 8 5 23.5 km

      Local Badges


      Activity Type Stats

      activitytypetrailsdistancedescentdescent distancetotal verticalratingglobal rankstate rankphotosreportsroutesridelogs
      Mountain Bike3933 miles7,398 ft18 miles1,532 ft
      #373#187146448814,732
      Horse13 miles810 ft
      #1,6341271
      Hike3933 miles7,398 ft18 miles1,532 ft
      #249#144448293
      Trail Running3933 miles7,398 ft18 miles1,532 ft
      #248#142448538
      • By canadaka Trailforks & contributors
      • Admins: Trails 2000, SWCCA
      • #19233 - 8,332 views
      • horse gulch activity log | embed map of Horse Gulch mountain bike trails | horse gulch mountain biking points of interest

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