- Created: September 15, 2019 10:39 pm
- Updated: September 15, 2019 10:40 pm
- Distance Instructions
- Distance 12 miles
- Time 0 s
- Speed 3 mph
- Min altitude 0 ft
- Peak 0 ft
- Climb 3524 ft
- Descent 3484 ft
Golden Stair to Mt Esther Trail
This ride is not for the weak! I should also note that there are no stairs on Golden Stair, and there are on Mt Esther Trail. This trail has 3700 ft of climbing. Also, the next time someone tells me there's no technical riding in Woodland Park, I'm taking them here. This is one killer trail. There really isn't a good place to park to do this trail, so I recommend parking in Green Mountain Falls and either riding up to Golden Steps trailhead, or down to the Mt Esther trailhead. You have to have guns to do this ride. It's not for the weak. You start with a 1500ft climb over 2.5 miles either way you go.
Getting There
- Take HWY 24 from Colorado Springs to the Post office at the west end of Green Mountain Falls.
Trail Description
You can either take Mt Esther trail to the east or Golden Stair to the west. This paragraph will describe the Golden Stair Route. Ride was out of GMF toward HWY 24. Take a left just before you reach the highway. This is the bike trail. Ride to Crystola Bar and Grill and go left at the bar. Ride up Crystola Canyon Road one half mile and across the creek to the left. Ride past the pin that says no motor vehicles. This will start your climb. Stay on the main trail. You will know you're on the right trail because you will keep riding up. When your each the top you will come out on a dirt road in Ranch Estates. Go right and keep climbing. You will get a short downhill just before you reach Edlowe Road. Go left on Edlowe until you see the gate for Catamount. Go around the gate. You can ride here, but no motor vehicles are allowed. Climb up the dirt road. When you crest, you want to take the road down. Ride all the way to the lake, taking a left on the trailhead. Keep along the lake until you reach the spillway. Cross the bridge and ride through the gate (a cable really) climbing up the road until you get to a hairpin turn back toward your left. This will take you to the lower Catamount Res. Follow the single track until you reach the dirt road again. Take a right. Be careful, you will be going against one way traffic. You will ride about a mile before you see a dirt parking area on your left. Take the left and ride up through the overgrown trail in the trees. Once you come out, go right. Continue down, following the Ring the Peak trail. You will have to step over another cable here as well. Follow the road until you see the trail pin on your left near the bottom. From here you climb again through single track and jeep road. Follow the trail until you get to a turnoff single track on your left. If you see Pikes Peak Highway, you have gone too far. Head down Mt Esther Trail to Chapita Park. Once you hit the road, just find a way down to the main road and follow the street near the school. This will lead you back to where you parked.
1. 502
2. 503
3. 504
4. 505
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6. 507
7. 508
8. Crystola Bar and Grill
9. Start
10. End
Golden Stair to Mt Esther Trail
This ride is not for the weak! I should also note that there are no stairs on Golden Stair, and there are on Mt Esther Trail. This trail has 3700 ft of climbing. Also, the next time someone tells me there’s no technical riding in Woodland Park, I’m taking them here. This is one killer trail. There really isn’t a good place to park to do this trail, so I recommend parking in Green Mountain Falls and either riding up to Golden Steps trailhead, or down to the Mt Esther trailhead. You have to have guns to do this ride. It’s not for the weak. You start with a 1500ft climb over 2.5 miles either way you go.
Getting There
- Take HWY 24 from Colorado Springs to the Post office at the west end of Green Mountain Falls.
Trail Description
You can either take Mt Esther trail to the east or Golden Stair to the west. This paragraph will describe the Golden Stair Route. Ride was out of GMF toward HWY 24. Take a left just before you reach the highway. This is the bike trail. Ride to Crystola Bar and Grill and go left at the bar. Ride up Crystola Canyon Road one half mile and across the creek to the left. Ride past the pin that says no motor vehicles. This will start your climb. Stay on the main trail. You will know you’re on the right trail because you will keep riding up. When your each the top you will come out on a dirt road in Ranch Estates. Go right and keep climbing. You will get a short downhill just before you reach Edlowe Road. Go left on Edlowe until you see the gate for Catamount. Go around the gate. You can ride here, but no motor vehicles are allowed. Climb up the dirt road. When you crest, you want to take the road down. Ride all the way to the lake, taking a left on the trailhead. Keep along the lake until you reach the spillway. Cross the bridge and ride through the gate (a cable really) climbing up the road until you get to a hairpin turn back toward your left. This will take you to the lower Catamount Res. Follow the single track until you reach the dirt road again. Take a right. Be careful, you will be going against one way traffic. You will ride about a mile before you see a dirt parking area on your left. Take the left and ride up through the overgrown trail in the trees. Once you come out, go right. Continue down, following the Ring the Peak trail. You will have to step over another cable here as well. Follow the road until you see the trail pin on your left near the bottom. From here you climb again through single track and jeep road. Follow the trail until you get to a turnoff single track on your left. If you see Pikes Peak Highway, you have gone too far. Head down Mt Esther Trail to Chapita Park. Once you hit the road, just find a way down to the main road and follow the street near the school. This will lead you back to where you parked.