more stats
1.5 miles
Distance
3 ft
Climb
-1,027 ft
Descent
00:17:04
Avg time
-1,025 ft
Altitude change
596 ft
Altitude min
1,622 ft
Altitude max
1,622 ft
Altitude start
597 ft
Altitude end
-13%
Grade
-70%
Grade max
12.7%
Grade min
138 ft
Distance climb
1 mile
Distance down
200 ft
Distance flat
00:17:04
Avg time

Top Chief Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
  • Riding Area
    Nevis Range Trails
    Nevis Range
  • AKA
    Red Giant
  • Difficulty Rating
    Black Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black (3 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    70 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 70 in E-Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #3822 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #2450 in E-Biking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    DH, AM
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • Season
    May-Sept
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • TTFs on Trail
    Bridge, Drop, Jump, Rock Face, Skinny
  • Ride in Rain
    Yes
  • Year Opened
    2009
  • Land Owner
    Forestry and Land Scotland

Board walk top section with fast sections and tight corners. Mid section along the ridge contains some board walk and natural bed rock with small features. Lower ridge line involves steep technical sections and an optional drop some technical bed rock sections that are both steep and rough. Bottom of the track opens up into fast flowy corners with loose surface and some jumps and features.

Was called the Red Giant, has now been renamed and regraded black as of the 2018 season

Access Info

Trail is assessed from Gondola Uplift and trail head can be found next to the Quad Chair Uplift

Bike Park

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 17 rides
  • 15 miles avg distance
All
  • 170 rides
  • Last: Sep 5, 2026
c1c2c3c4
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
update trails status or condition

Top Chief Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Sep 6, 2026 @ 10:50am (Europe/London)
Sep 6, 2026
Trail is currently closed
Apr 24, 2026 @ 10:37am (Europe/Isle_of_Man)
Apr 24, 2026
Aug 14, 2024 @ 10:48am
Aug 14, 2024
Jun 5, 2023 @ 3:28am
Jun 5, 2023
 could do with a shower to tighten up the loose sections
Jun 2, 2023 @ 4:13am
Jun 2, 2023
more »
Status:
on Sep 6, 2026
Avg: 4.1 (32 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (4,202)
close
      Directions to top-chief trailhead (56.836180, -4.993560)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      36 more »
      mtb
      300 |
      Sep 18, 2021 @ 3:38am
      Sep 18, 2021
      mtb
      199 |
      Sep 4, 2023 @ 3:16am
      Sep 4, 2023
      mtb
      171 |
      Jul 30, 2022 @ 1:30pm
      Jul 30, 2022
      mtb
      203 |
      Jul 30, 2022 @ 1:29pm
      Jul 30, 2022

      Videos

      14 more »
      Fort William (Nevis Range) - Top Chief
      mtb
      15:39 | 852 | Aug 11, 2022 , Nevis Range
      Can I manage Top chief from top to bottom...
      mtb
      17:43 | 366 | Jul 12, 2022 , Nevis Range
      youtuber Fort William Downhill is scary! | Top Chief...
      mtb
      17:26 | 533 | Oct 13, 2021 , Nevis Range
      Top Chief, Fort William - October 2021
      mtb
      282 | Oct 10, 2021 , Nevis Range

      Routes with this trail

      43
      Nevis Exploration
      19 miles • 2,714 ft • 3 • Loop •
      Created this route to take you from the top of Nevis Range Gondola all the way out to the impressive sight...
      36
      Fort William SES 2016 Route
      17 miles • 3,512 ft • 1 • Out & Back • Race •
      2016 Fort William Scottish Enduro Series, http://scottishenduroseries.co.uk

      Links

      4.2 ★★★★★
      32 Ratings
      5 ★ 50%
      4 ★ 28%
      3 ★ 13%
      2 ★ 3%
      1 ★ 6%

      Reviews / Comments

      No reviews yet, be the first to write a review or ask a question.
      Use trail reports to comment on trail conditions.


      We hope you've been enjoying Trailforks!

      Create a FREE account to view all trail reviews and much more.

      Create a Free Account

      Nearby Trails

      Nevis Range Trails

      • By OwenL67 & contributors
      • #18708 - 27,845 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Top Chief located?
      Top Chief is located in Nevis Range Trails, Nevis Range, United Kingdom. It is part of the Nevis Range Trails trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 56.83618, -4.99356.
      ▼ How hard is Top Chief?
      Top Chief is rated as Black difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 13%.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Top Chief?
      Top Chief has 3 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 1,027 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 596 ft to 1,622 ft.
      ▼ How long is Top Chief?
      Top Chief is 1.5 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Top Chief?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Top Chief. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Top Chief?
      Top Chief is best visited during: May-Sept.
      ▼ How do I access Top Chief? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Top Chief are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Top Chief?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 22 minutes to ride Top Chief. 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 Top Chief?
      Top Chief is a very popular trail. There have been 2,728 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 4,202 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

      Hit the Trail

      Open in App

      Get this trail on your phone instantly.
      open trail in app

      Download Trail

      Save to wishlist, Garmin & download.
      save the trail

      Find Related Routes

      Find routes and users activities that include this trail.
      find routes for this trail

      You must enter a description before submitting.