Trek Trails at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park
We're stoked to have Phase 2 of Trek Trails at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park now open! It's been an 8-year effort to get to this point, but thanks to the Trek Foundation providing a cool $250k in 2023, we're now opening the first bike-specific trails! And there's more to come!
It's been a massive construction effort from the fall of 2023 to 2024, but thanks to the expertise of trail building crews of Flowride Concepts, McGill Trails, Colorowdies, and Renegade Trail Crew, we're thrilled to offer you some incredible trails. Most of the trails will be rated blue and black level, with some double-black technical and pro-rated trail features on the more advanced lines. It's also been a massive win for us to create dedicated wooden features on public lands. On top of the amazing new trails, in July 2024, the Argo Mine and Mill confirmed their funding to construct a 1.2-mile gondola (known as the Mighty Argo Cable Car) that will serve as lift access to the top of the trail system. This will include an upper landing area with a viewing deck, pedestrian plaza, and food and beverage options. We'll be sure to update you all as those plans develop.
The total master-plan for this park is a whopping 28 miles. Please remember to be a good ambassador for the mountain biking community while you’re in Idaho Springs. This is a small town, and your behavior will be noticed! The new trails and increased ridership will significantly impact local residents and businesses, and we want to ensure it’s a positive experience for everyone. Making a great first impression is crucial to continuing the development of more trails at VCMP, giving you even more places to ride. If you love riding this trail system, and want to see more added to the park, then please consider supporting COMBA by either joining as a member or volunteering your time. It all helps
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KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Where can I park?
Trek Trails at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park does not have an official trailhead so you'll need to park at the various locations as shown on the map and ride through town to the trails. Here are two important tips that will help you find a good parking spot and get riding quickly:
1. Clear Creek Greenway connects all of the town’s key areas to the trails.
2. Colorado Boulevard offers the most convenient parking options.
Look for the following examples of signs to help guide you through town to parking, and for trail access.
What are the park rules?
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Park hours: 1 hour before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset.
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Dogs must remain on a leash at all times.
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Respect and keep distance from wildlife.
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No fires.
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No camping
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Pack out what you pack in
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No motorized vehicles (Class 1 eMTB allowed)
What are the trails like?
Phase two will see the opening of close to 12 miles of trails, including two bike-only directional trails. Drop Shaft is a blue/black rated trail with large berms, loose terrain and multiple jumps and rock features. We advise being comfortable riding a trail such as Hard Money at Maryland Mountain before you tackle this one. There are also black and double black rated alternative lines off Drop Shaft with mandatory drops and gaps. Check out this what to expect video from the coaches from RideReady as insight before you go. Hopper is the second bike-only downhill trail that is a blue rated jump and flow trail.
Can I shuttle?
Shuttling to the top of the park is possible, but please be aware of the following limitations:
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No parking is allowed on Virginia Canyon Road or Santa Fe Mine Road. Drop off is the only option.
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Miner's Point (the upper landing of the Mighty Argo Cable Car) is under construction and may be extremely busy or inaccessible at times.
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Please obey all speed limit signs, and be extra courteous in residential areas.
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See the map for access to the trail from a shuttle drop off.
Do I have to pay to use the park?
No, the park is completely free to use for all visitors. Once constructed, the use of the Mighty Argo Cable Car (if you wish) will have a fee.
How can I support future plans for this project?
The easiest way to support future plans for this trail system and all our work in general is to become a member! Our work has created brand new trail systems for riders in the Front Range that include Floyd Hill Open Space, Maryland Mountain, and now Trek Trails at Virginia Canyon Mountain Park. If you're a potential business partner and want to get involved, please reach out to us directly here.
I want to help dig trails, where can I do that?
Please check out our volunteer page where you can click the link to 'volunteer for COMBA trails' and find a Sign Up Genius page outlining all our volunteer opportunties. Look for Trek Trails @ VCMP in the main list. We'd love the extra help!
When will the Mighty Argo Cable Car be operational?
Construction work has begun already and will be an on going project while the trails are open. We anticipate there will be times where certain trails within the park will need to be closed to accommodate construction needs. Projected opening for the Mighty Argo Cable Car is Spring 2026.
When will more trails open?
We are actively looking to raise more funding to continue building trails through donations, grants, or sponsorships. We're currently raising funds for 'Myers Flyer', a black level trail where you can donate here to help get it built. As more funding becomes available, construction of Phase 3 and then 4 will commence, but we anticipate continuing to work there over the next two summers (2025 and 2026). Reach out to us here if you'd like to become a project partner!
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Virginia Canyon Mountain Park Project Stats
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Project Type: New trail system
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User Groups: Mountain bikers, hikers, trail runners
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Hiking Difficulty: Beginner to Intermediate
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MTB Difficulty: Intermediate to Expert
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Distance: Approx. 12-Miles (of 28 miles in master plan)
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Nature: Singletrack
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Status: Phase 2 open and fundraising and construction of Phase 3
Virginia Canyon Mountain Park Project Timeline
1999 - The property was endowed to the City by Clear Creek County under the Recreation & Public Purposes Act.
2005, 2008, 2017 - Various planning documents were created.
2018 - The City received a Great Outdoors Colorado grant to begin planning and design of phase one.
2019 - Final master plan was completed, prioritizing high-quality trail experiences and the start of construction.
2020 - COMBA helped secure CPW and GOCO grants totaling $350K for construction of Phase 1.
2021 (December) - Broke ground on Phase 1, completed and opened Spring 2022
2022 - COMBA helped secure an additional GOCO grant for $354K for bike trail construction
2023 - Awarded Trek Foundation grant for $250K, construction of the bike trails began in Fall 2023
2024 - Phase 2 completed and open Fall 2024. Funding for project partners the Mighty Argo Cable Car gondola confirmed.