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 [+]
    • 55 in Trail Running
    • 5 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
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 17 rides
  • 18 miles avg distance
All
  • 161 rides
  • Last: Sep 19, 2026
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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

view (1,655)
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      Directions to ponderosa-loop trailhead (40.187320, -105.294820)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      14 more »
      mtb
      307 |
      May 8, 2023 @ 11:53am
      May 8, 2023
      mtb
      217 |
      May 7, 2023 @ 2:11pm
      May 7, 2023
      mtb
      291 |
      Oct 2, 2020 @ 6:39pm
      Oct 2, 2020
      mtb
      286 |
      Oct 2, 2020 @ 6:40pm
      Oct 2, 2020

      Videos

      2 more »
      Ponderosa Loop - Clockwise
      mtb
      14:18 | 70 | Mar 14, 2026 , Lyons
      Dodging Snow Melt on Ponderosa Loop - Assegai...
      mtb
      0:42 | 226 | Mar 22, 2024 , Lyons

      Trail Lists

      Routes with this trail

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      237
      Lil' Burrito Featured
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      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

      Jeffbard
      Awesome trail! A lot of work put into excellent rock work! Must ride trail system!
      provin1327 provin1327
      Such a fun trail. You have to work for your speed at the beginning and some of the corners are a bit flat and loose but they have more grip than you think. Definitely best when ridding clockwise.
      DanceFace
      I ride this trail a few times a week for a lunch break. This is not a black. I'd give it a blue-green rating. A few little spots, but pretty easy.

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      Nearby Trails

      Heil Valley Ranch

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      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ 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.
      ▼ 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 1,142 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 1,655 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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