Overview
Blackjack is the newest trail in the Front Range, and also our first "freeride" style of trail. It was built over the past two years by a partnership with Front Range Mountain Bike Patrol, COMBA (an IMBA partner), volunteers, and the USFS South Platte Ranger district.
Use at your own risk!
The trail consists of 12 "features", which can range from extremely technical
Steep hard start!
Between the features are fun slickrock playgrounds and the typical South Platte decomposed granite surfaces.
Smooth slickrock.
The split - more fun right.
Moab-like playground.
Trail Description
After the climb up from Raspberry Ridge,
Intersection and the start of Blackjack.
As with Raspberry Ridge, this is a technical trail with very technical features. One should definitely walk the feature before attempting to ride it.
Getting There
Accessed from the Raspberry Ridge trail off of Homestead. See the main Buffalo Creek page for detailed directions to reach both of those trails. NOT recommended for attempting to ride uphill from Sandy Wash. This is meant to be ridden downhill off of Raspberry Ridge.SHORTEST WAY THERE:
The shortest possible (and more importantly, least gain) route to access Blackjack is probably from the Miller Gulch Trailhead. From the TH, ride the Miller Gulch trail (old road) to Charlie's Cutoff, then up the short bit on Homestead to Blackjack. To return, take a right at the bottom of Blackjack and go back up hill to either Charlie's Cutoff or continue uphill on Homestead, returning to Miller Gulch.
Trail map showing the 543 TH and the route up Baldy to Miller to Charlie's Cutoff to Homestead to Raspberry Ridge/Blackjack and then down Sandy wash back to 543.
When to Bike
As on the main page for Buffalo Creek, this area can be brutally hot in the summer (start early!). Snowfall is usually light down in this area, so you can usually ride the entire area almost year round, barring heavy snowfalls.That said, riding the granite slickrock and features when they are wet/icy/snowy is not recommended, as they are very steep.
Who to thank?
FRMBP.orgVolunteers!!!
COMBA.org
South Platte Forest Rangers/USFS.
