more stats
3.3 miles
Distance
427 ft
Climb
-323 ft
Descent
00:45:09
Avg time
103 ft
Altitude change
9,965 ft
Altitude min
10,392 ft
Altitude max
9,971 ft
Altitude start
10,072 ft
Altitude end
0.6%
Grade
-21.4%
Grade max
20.4%
Grade min
2 miles
Distance climb
1 mile
Distance down
1,329 ft
Distance flat
00:45:09
Avg time

G.E.M. Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Buffalo Pass
    Steamboat Springs, Colorado
  • AKA
    Buff Pass NEPA #18
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (1 vote)
  • Local Popularity
    60 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 5 in Trail Running
    • 50 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
  • Global Ranking
    #98119 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #137623 in Trail Running
    • #131891 in Hiking
    • #1628 in Horseback
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T2 Mountain Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Blue
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • Year Opened
    2019
  • Land Owner
    USFS

Fun trail that has lots of nice flowing sections mixed with big granite boulders to climb and boost off of. High altitude riding through pine trees with multiple sweeping views

Trail Supporters
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 2 rides
  • 23 miles average
6 Months
  • 29 rides
  • 23 miles avg distance
All
  • 111 rides
  • Last: Sep 27, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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update trails status or condition

G.E.M. Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Aug 7, 2026 @ 8:20am (America/Denver)
Aug 7, 2026
 All clear. Excellent climbing low-use alpine singletrack
Jun 21, 2026 @ 10:53pm (America/Denver)
Jun 21, 2026
 About 13 trees in trail. 7 large ones, but there are walk around for all of them.
Jul 26, 2023 @ 7:00pm
Jul 26, 2023
 The snow has melted.
Jul 1, 2023 @ 7:24am
Jul 1, 2023
Jul 29, 2022 @ 7:03am
Jul 29, 2022
more »
Status:
on Aug 7, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 3.92 (7 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (412)
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      Directions to g-e-m trailhead (40.519730, -106.739460)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      2 more »
      mtb
      167 |
      Jul 4, 2020 @ 10:06pm
      Jul 4, 2020
      mtb
      252 |
      Sep 27, 2019 @ 1:29pm
      Sep 27, 2019

      Videos

      2 more »
      youtuber Flash of Gold to the gnarly Grouse Trail! |...
      mtb
      40:54 | 76 | Aug 30, 2026 , Steamboat Springs
      GEM Trail
      mtb
      618 | Dec 10, 2019 , Steamboat Springs

      Routes with this trail

      13
      Billy GEM
      ★ 3.0 • 11 miles • 1,274 ft • 5 • Out & Back •
      Higher elevation loop on Buff Pass

      Trail Products

      3.9 ★★★★★
      7 Ratings
      5 ★ 14%
      4 ★ 57%
      3 ★ 29%
      2 ★
      1 ★

      2 Reviews & Comments

      gravitygrinder
      What does G.E.M. acronym represent? Heard several versions. Anything official?
      matthelm1 matthelm1
      Rode it yesterday... definitely a blue and marked as such. Great alpine scenery and nothing too technical.

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      Nearby Trails

      Buffalo Pass

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      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is G.E.M. located?
      G.E.M. is located in Buffalo Pass, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, United States. It is part of the Buffalo Pass trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 40.51973, -106.73946.
      ▼ How hard is G.E.M.?
      G.E.M. is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 0.6%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for G.E.M.?
      G.E.M. has 427 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 323 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 9,965 ft to 10,392 ft.
      ▼ Is G.E.M. a point to point trail?
      G.E.M. is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is G.E.M.?
      G.E.M. is 3.3 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on G.E.M.?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on G.E.M.. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ How do I access G.E.M.? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to G.E.M. are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride G.E.M.?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 41 minutes to ride G.E.M.. The trail is 3.3 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is G.E.M.?
      G.E.M. is a moderately popular trail. There have been 421 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 412 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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