Until the snow starts to fly and it’s too cold to ride without ear flaps – usually sometime in November – the Bear Creek to Methodist Mountain Trail is a great way to get in that last uphill conditioning ride in Salida.
It’s also a fun, if slightly grunt-filled, way to get up high in the San Isabel National Forest, because this trail climbs alongside the Bear Creek drainage until it intersects with the Rainbow Trail. You will see the “S” marking the spot on the side of Tenderfoot Mountain in Salida and views of the Arkansas Valley and the magnificent Sawatch Range, and in the end you can head down into town for a cup of coffee at Bongo Billy’s Café at 300 W. Sackett Ave. in Salida.
The 3 miles of climbing at the beginning is the price to be paid for the downhill singletrack that will have you grinning ear-to-ear on the Rainbow Trail portion. There are a couple of exposed rocky parts through the pines, and the sheer drop-offs and wavy-gravy sections keep things interesting in the second half.
The final descent at Forest Road 108 is steep, loose and rocky for a couple of miles until it turns into a graded road.
Salida is 138 miles southwest of Denver via U.S. 285 and Colorado 291.
The ride
From the Salida Ranger station, be careful riding along U.S. 50 to County Road 101. Truckers and RV drivers busy looking at their egg McMuffins take up a big chunk of the narrow highway here, and you have nearly 4 miles to go.
Turn right onto C.R. 101 and start climbing; this is the low point of the ride. This section passes farms and private land and crosses from Chaffee County into Fremont County and turns from C.R. 101 into C.R. 49 (stay straight).
At about mile 7, you will go over a cattle guard to enter San Isabel National Forest and Forest Service Road 101.3. Keep climbing; you have 2 more miles of steep, hard-packed dirt covered with loose rocks left, with plenty of alternating shade on the tree-lined, four-wheel drive road.
Near 9.5 miles, the forest road ends at the obvious junction for the Rainbow Trail. This is a super spot for lunch and a breather in the trees, since the bulk of the climbing is behind you. Go to the right on the singletrack trail and follow the sign for Methodist Mountain.
For the most part, this is 6 miles of sweet, undulating singletrack, with alternating meadow and alpine environments. At around mile 15, you’ll hit F.S. 108; bear to the right and take the fast ride back down to U.S. 50 (you’ll bear right once more when F.S. 108 turns into C.R. 107). When you come to U.S. 50, hang left (west) to get back to your shuttle and finish the 20-mile loop.
The details
Getting to the trailhead: From Salida, drive through town to the USDA Forest Service Office, Salida Ranger District, to U.S. 50 near the junction of C.R. 107. Park your vehicle there and begin riding east on U.S. 50.
Hike statistics:
Difficulty: Moderate to advanced; technically moderate because of some rocky sections, while the beginning could be considered physically moderate to advanced depending on fitness level because of the sustained climbing.
Length: 20-mile loop.
Elevation gain: About 3,460 feet
Riding time: About 2 1/2 to 5 hours.
Trail use: Cyclists, hikers, dogs, camping, horses
