Horse Gulch

Horse Gulch - Durango, CO

Distance: 20 miles. Time: 4 hrs. Undulating Desert Ride.

Horse Gulch is the name for a group of trails in the hills on the East side of Durango just beyond Fort Lewis College. Unlike the West side of Durango, Horse Gulch offers miles of desert-style riding accessible right from town. We rode from our guide's house, across the Animas River, through downtown Durango and on up to the East side of town onto 3rd Street which eventually turns into the unpaved Horse Gulch Road at the intersection of Eighth and 3rd Streets. The ride starts at the dirt parking lot where you pedal up the fire road up onto a large desert valley with many trail junctions to choose from. We decided to cross the valley on Meadow Loop and climb up Telegraph Trail. This climb is fairly challenging but there is an old telegraph post at the top which served Durango in a time past. At the top is a nice view looking back down over the meadow and the town to the West.

From Telegraph, we drop down a ridge line and follow some unknown routes along some pretty thick brush as we come upon an old car in the middle of "nowhere", which strangely seems to fit in. I thought to hop my bike up onto the hood and ride across, but thought better of taking the risk in such a remote place.

We rode back towards Telegraph but cut off onto some runs called Sidewinder which were very fun, gradual downhill undulations giving plenty of air. It seemed these could go on forever, but for the climb back out.

Then we climbed back onto the ridge at Telegraph and dropped down Anasazi Descent which was very tight, roller coaster-like single track bench cut into the side of the many hills and hemmed in by desert brush.

After this descent, we rode Stacy's Loop and Cuchillo which were large loops of undulating dirt and fleck stone zips winding in and out of short Pinyon Pine, Junipers and other desert shrubs.

Once out of Horse Gulch the streets in town will take you to Nini's Taqueria on Main Avenue for the best damned burrito and margarita.

Ride Images

Trailhead at Horse Gulch

On the way up Horse Gulch Road

The Old Telegraph Pole