more stats
1.5 miles
Distance
42 ft
Climb
-467 ft
Descent
00:09:26
Avg time
-425 ft
Altitude change
6,040 ft
Altitude min
6,465 ft
Altitude max
6,465 ft
Altitude start
6,040 ft
Altitude end
-5.4%
Grade
-26.3%
Grade max
11.8%
Grade min
1,056 ft
Distance climb
1 mile
Distance down
1,496 ft
Distance flat
00:09:26
Avg time

Lightning Bug Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
  • Riding Area
    South Canyon
    Glenwood Springs, Colorado
  • Difficulty Rating
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (2 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    100 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 95 in E-Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #28507 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #14724 in E-Biking
  • State Ranking
    #376 in Mountain Biking · Colorado [+]
    • #155 in E-Biking
  • Trail Exposure
    Normal
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    Downhill Only[+]
    Popular Direction Shown
    • Downhill Only for E-Biking
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • Season
    Open all year, don't ride if muddy or wet!
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • TTFs on Trail
    Jump
  • Land Owner
    City Of Glenwood Springs

Feature-filled fun on a very bike optimized descent from the upper parking lot down to a mid-point of Tramway Trail, and then further yet to a finish lower down on Tramway. All features are rollable, but very much designed for big air at speed, so follow the signage directions to "pre-ride, re-ride, free-ride" before you go big on this trail.

In fact, the many jumps are well sculpted, and provide good training ground with the tabletops and step-up jump features. The larger double rollers require proper technique and real speed to hit the best sweet spot landing zones.

This trail is designed to be intermediate level and welcoming to a wide range of riders, but those new to bike park style trails may find it more challenging than a typical intermediate cross country style trail. If the features are too much, you can select to continue descending on the parallel, and much easier, Tramway Trail from the mid-point where the trails meet up at an intersection.

While most riders will climb Tramway Trail before descending this trail, you can also shuttle the trail between upper and lower parking lots if you have a couple cars.

Disclaimer

No uphill traffic!

Tags
JumpsRollersShuttle access

Trail Supporters

Local Trail Association

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 5 rides
  • 13 miles average
6 Months
  • 97 rides
  • 8 miles avg distance
All
  • 430 rides
  • Last: Oct 21, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Status:
on May 28, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 4.47 (13 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (2,608)
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      Directions to lightning-bug trailhead (39.531820, -107.420410)

      Photos

      5 more »
      mtb
      161 |
      May 26, 2020 @ 12:42pm
      May 26, 2020
      mtb
      179 |
      May 26, 2020 @ 12:41pm
      May 26, 2020
      mtb
      215 |
      May 31, 2018 @ 6:37am
      May 31, 2018
      report
      mtb
      196 |
      May 8, 2019 @ 1:31pm
      May 8, 2019

      Videos

      1 more »
      youtuber The REAL PBR // MTB The Lightning Bug Trail //...
      mtb
      12:48 | 1126 | Nov 6, 2018 , Glenwood Springs

      Trail Lists

      Routes with this trail

      8 miles • 1,600 ft • 7 •
      Fun medium sized loop with moderate climbing
      4.7 ★★★★★
      13 Ratings
      5 ★ 77%
      4 ★ 15%
      3 ★ 8%
      2 ★
      1 ★

      3 Reviews & Comments

      Joel-DH Joel-DH
      Lots of fun. Reminds me of a longer and steeper version of PBR out on 18 road. Very bermy and rolly.
      Sirhams
      Easy to shuttle and a great time full of amazing burms, doubles, and drops.
      provin1327 provin1327
      This trail is the roided up cousin of PBR. Tons of fun!

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      • By toddTF Pro Trailforks & contributors
      • #131065 - 3,412 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Lightning Bug located?
      Lightning Bug is located in South Canyon, Glenwood Springs, Colorado, United States. It is part of the South Canyon trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 39.53182, -107.42041.
      ▼ How hard is Lightning Bug?
      Lightning Bug is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 5.4%.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Lightning Bug?
      Lightning Bug has 42 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 467 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 6,040 ft to 6,465 ft.
      ▼ Is Lightning Bug a point to point trail?
      Yes, Lightning Bug is a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Only. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Lightning Bug?
      Lightning Bug is 1.5 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Lightning Bug?
      There is no information about dogs being allowed on Lightning Bug. Check with local trail managers or the trail page for the latest access rules.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Lightning Bug?
      Lightning Bug is best visited during: Open all year, don't ride if muddy or wet!.
      ▼ How do I access Lightning Bug? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Lightning Bug are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Lightning Bug?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 9 minutes to ride Lightning Bug. The trail is 1.5 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Lightning Bug?
      Lightning Bug is a very popular trail. There have been 2,419 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 2,608 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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