Old Bulls Cutoff

Old Bulls Cutoff is a trail that is about a mile long and not much more than a well trodden game trail.  Why should you care?

You should care because Old Bulls Cutoff connects the Continental Divide Trail with the Ruby and Butler Creek Trails. This one mile section of trail can be used to ride two loops along the CDT; a Ruby Creek Loop and a Stevenson Trail to May Creek Loop.

The 14.8 mile Ruby Creek Loop is best ridden clockwise from Big Hole Pass. There is about 4200' of climbing and descending.

Stevenson to May Creek Loop is about 20 miles and can be ridden from the May Creek Campground. Also 4200' of up and down.

These two loops are tough with all that climbing but you will have earned access to some beautiful high-country.

Check the new Chief Joseph Tab above for more trails in the area and info on the USFS rental cabins.
Below is a Trailforks map of the area in question centered on the Old Bulls Cutoff.


Chief Joseph Pass mountain biking trails

Elk Creek MT

Top of the Hogan Cr Trail.

CDT becomes singletrack at Gibbons Pass.

Elk Creek has a good singletrack trail along it's length that can be ridden as part of two loops. If ridden up, the climb is relatively gentle.  If ridden down, it can be as fast as you want.  There are a few water crossings but overall this trail is A-1 fun.  Elk Creek flows into Trail Creek and is accessed from MT43 about 5 miles east of the Chief Joseph Pass.

The Hogan Loop climbs Elk Creek Trail, then joins Road 1295 for 1/2mi, descends Hogan Creek Trail then follows Trail Creek Road to complete the loop.  This loop is about 11 miles and has 1100' of vertical.  Ride this loop in either direction, but know that Hogan Creek Trail is steep.
--Download the Hogan Loop GPX file for your GPS here .--

CDT to Elk Creek is the other loop and is 20 miles with about 2000' of vertical.  This loop seems best to ride Trail Creek Road first, as a warmup, to Gibbons Pass.  Then join the Continental Divide Trail and finish by heading down Elk Creek Trail.
--Download the CDT - Elk Cr Loop GPX file for your GPS here .--

All of these trails were clear of deadfall with the exception of the mile long section of trail connecting the CDT to Elk Creek Trail.


Chief Joseph Pass mountain biking trails

       

This section of CDT passes through
areas recovering from the 2000 fires.

Elk Creek Trail

Primped and Pretty

Summer is here and we have been taking the tread up to the high country.  Like bears, many of these trails are a bit haggard after months of hibernation.  We like to clean the trails up so they are more fun for everybody.  Below are a few of the trails that have been cleared of deadfall so far.

To the north, Warm Springs Ridge has been cleared by the Bitterroot crew.

If you know of more cleared trails post a comment below...be a leader not a lurker!

We look forward to clearing some of the bigger rides...Three Mile Ridge, Twin Creek, Twelvemile.

For hikers, a corridor has been cleared through the impenetrable jungle that used to block Henry Creek a couple miles up.  There may be a few trees down, but at least you can get through now, making a hike to the top of Lake Mountain very possible.

Williams Summit - Powderhouse Gulch


Powderhouse Meadow is clear too.

Williams Summit - North Mocassin Trail


There is some deadfall early on here.  Left there to discourage the ATVs from riding where they are not allowed.

Wagonhammer Area - Carl Gulch



Still two large trees down.  We did not have a chainsaw.  The rest is clear.  Carl Gulch needs more riders, the grass is getting thick.  Burns Gulch is yet to be cleared this season.


Continental Divide Trail - Flume Creek Section

Three Mile Ridge

Three Mile Ridge is a great descent off of the Continental Divide Trail.  Starting as singletrack at the divide, the trail becomes a 4wheeler track and drops to Dahlonega Creek above Gibbonsville.

The CDT is in great shape from Chief Joseph Pass to Three Mile Ridge too.

This is another ride for the bucket list!  With rides like this so close to Salmon, Moab and Fruita seem further and further away.

CDT to Three Mile Ridge at EveryTrail


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