more stats
2.6 miles
Distance
269 ft
Climb
-269 ft
Descent
00:21:00
Avg time
6,602 ft
Altitude min
6,808 ft
Altitude max
6,604 ft
Altitude start
6,604 ft
Altitude end
-17.837%
Grade max
49.886%
Grade min
1 mile
Distance climb
1 mile
Distance down
1,408 ft
Distance flat
00:21:00
Avg time

Ponderosa Loop Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Heil Valley Ranch
    Lyons, Colorado
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Local Popularity
    40 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 35 in Trail Running
    • 25 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #105051 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #120375 in Trail Running
    • #114833 in Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Green
  • Physical Rating
    Easy
  • Trail Visibility
    Always easy to follow
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • Land Owner
    Boulder County Parks & Open Space

Fast and flowy through the trees. The Ponderosa Loop sits on top of a mesa and is accessible either from the south via Left Hand canyon and the Wapiti trail or from the north via Lyons and the Picture Rock trail. The Boulder Mountainbike Alliance has done extensive rock armoring on the trail to protect the natural habitat.

Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 1 rides
  • 17 miles average
6 Months
  • 19 rides
  • 18 miles avg distance
All
  • 160 rides
  • Last: Aug 25, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Ponderosa Loop Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Jul 11, 2026 @ 10:48am (America/Denver)
Jul 11, 2026
May 8, 2026 @ 1:20pm (America/Denver)
May 8, 2026
Trail is open. Please update conditions if you ride.
May 2, 2026 @ 5:27pm (America/Denver)
May 2, 2026
 Very dry
Mar 13, 2026 @ 11:00pm (America/Denver)
Mar 13, 2026
 Downed tree about a quarter mile clockwise from the Wapiti junction
Dec 24, 2025 @ 8:22am (America/Denver)
Dec 24, 2025
Trail is open. Please update conditions if you ride
more »
Status:
on Jul 11, 2026
Dry
Avg: 3.94 (15 votes)
Your vote: 0

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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
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The colour categories are based on what percentage of users are riding a trail in its intended direction.
  • > 96%
  • > 90%
  • > 80%
  • > 70%
  • > 50%
  • < 50%
  • bi-directional trail
  • no data
Trail Last Ridden
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  • < 2 days
  • < 1 week
  • < 2 weeks
  • < 1 month
  • < 6 months
  • > 6 months
Trail Ridden Direction
The intended direction a trail should be ridden.
  • Downhill Only
  • Downhill Primary
  • Both Directions
  • Uphill Primary
  • Uphill Only
  • One Direction
Contribute Details
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  • Description
  • Photos
  • Description & Photos
  • Videos
Trail Popularity ?
Trailforks scans activity logs to determine which trails are ridden the most in the last 9 months. Trails are compared with nearby trails in the same city region with a possible 25 colour shades. Think of this as a heatmap, more activities = more kinetic energy = warmer colors.
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Jump Magnitude Heatmap
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BC Backroad Status

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Slope Aspect
Direction the slope faces
Flat N NE E SE S SW W NW
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        Directions to ponderosa-loop trailhead (40.187320, -105.294820)
        View on Discover Map

        Photos

        14 more »
        mtb
        305 |
        May 8, 2023 @ 11:53am
        May 8, 2023
        mtb
        215 |
        May 7, 2023 @ 2:11pm
        May 7, 2023
        mtb
        289 |
        Oct 2, 2020 @ 6:39pm
        Oct 2, 2020
        mtb
        282 |
        Oct 2, 2020 @ 6:40pm
        Oct 2, 2020

        Videos

        2 more »
        Ponderosa Loop - Clockwise
        mtb
        14:18 | 60 | Mar 14, 2026 , Lyons
        Dodging Snow Melt on Ponderosa Loop - Assegai...
        mtb
        0:42 | 174 | Mar 22, 2024 , Lyons

        Trail Lists

        Routes with this trail

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        237
        Lil' Burrito Featured
        ★ 5.0 • 41 miles • 4,953 ft • 26 • Out & Back •
        The Little Burrito (yes, the author knows that "Burrito" is Spanish for little donkey, so this is a...
        78
        Pondarosa Loop from Picture Rock Featured
        16 miles • 1,451 ft • 3 • Out & Back •
        Starting from Lyons, this ride starts out gentle and flowy on then progressively gets rockier. Start your...
        3.9 ★★★★★
        15 Ratings
        5 ★ 20%
        4 ★ 67%
        3 ★
        2 ★ 7%
        1 ★ 7%

        3 Reviews & Comments


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        Nearby Trails

        Heil Valley Ranch

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        Frequently Asked Questions About Ponderosa Loop

        ▼ Where is Ponderosa Loop located?
        Ponderosa Loop is located in Heil Valley Ranch, Lyons, Colorado, United States. It is part of the Heil Valley Ranch trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 40.18732, -105.29482.
        ▼ How hard is Ponderosa Loop?
        Ponderosa Loop is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Easy. The climb difficulty is rated Green.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Ponderosa Loop?
        Ponderosa Loop has 269 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 269 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 6,602 ft to 6,808 ft.
        ▼ Is Ponderosa Loop a point to point trail?
        Ponderosa Loop is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ How long is Ponderosa Loop?
        Ponderosa Loop is 2.6 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ Are dogs allowed on Ponderosa Loop?
        There is no information about dogs being allowed on Ponderosa Loop. Check with local trail managers or the trail page for the latest access rules.
        ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Ponderosa Loop?
        Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Ponderosa Loop are:
        • July (16 activities)
        • August (15 activities)
        • September (12 activities)
        Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
        ▼ How do I access Ponderosa Loop? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
        The closest parking and trailhead locations to Ponderosa Loop are: View all parking locations in the area.
        ▼ How long does it take to ride Ponderosa Loop?
        Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 22 minutes to ride Ponderosa Loop. The trail is 2.6 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
        ▼ How busy is Ponderosa Loop?
        Ponderosa Loop is a moderately popular trail. There have been 1,136 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 1,648 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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