North Table Mountain : Mountain Biking : MBPost

Overview

North Table Mountain is a joint effort Open Space Park, owned by Jefferson County Open Space and the City of Golden.

TH signage

There is also a popular climbing area on the south slopes of the mesa which is a joint partnership between City of Golden and Access Fund. It dries out early and has many miles of easily navigable trails for hikers and bikers. There is also a "downhill" on the east side which loops around north, then back up onto the mesa before heading back down to the TH. There are future plans within JeffCo Open Space to develop some trails and shut down others. The possibility exists of a small "bike park", which could possibly involve man made structures, jumps, ramps, see-saws, etc. COMBA is working on this with JCOS.

JCOS North Table Mountain

COMBA

Trail Description

Update 4/2012: A few trails have been closed and/or are now closed seasonally for wildlife protection and trail protection (mud bogs). In theory, this summer JCOS will be working on new trails and completing the loop trail. I haven't heard/seen any evidence of this as of yet.

The majority of the trails are singletrack, with some left-over double track. The track itself is a mixture of dirt, clay, and broken basaltic rock.

Old road

A few small spots of rock exist for jumps, etc, but overall, the entire park is non-technical.

Track

There is a fireroad that provides access from a COG lot on the west slopes. This fireroad

Fireroad

is an access road for the radio/power/whatever facility on the top of the mesa on the north end. Occasionally, JCOS or the service people drive up there.

The downhill trail

on the east slopes takes you way down for a long while, then bends north, then west, then eventually back south uphill to the main series of trails. There are only 3 public THs, and one neighborhood access to the north.

When you start from the neighborhood access, the first trail you will encounter on your right hand side about .05 miles up goes to the climbing area. Do not take it. Further uphill, you will cross another right hand trail, around .6 miles. Also goes to the climbing area - do not take it, either. Just about .1 miles past this, you will run into another right hand trail that goes steeply uphill

3rd class - not bikeable.

Do not take this one, either. Another .75 miles of nice flowing singletrack will take you to the fire road (see above), which is where you intersect the "official" TH that has parking spots and trash cans, etc.

Getting There

From I-70 westbound, take HWY 58 west to the Washington Street exit in Golden. Go right, head north until you get to HWY 93, turn right again (north). Take this to Pine Ridge Drive (on your right hand side). You will see the fire road snaking its way up the west slopes of NTM. Head in about a block, the small COG parking area is on your left. Please pick up your trash in this neighborhood access lot! (and everywhere else, too).

EDIT 5/10: To use the well maintainted (and not loose, crappy single track from Hwy 93/neighborhood access), Jefferson County Open Space is building a brand spankin' new lot immediately off of Hwy 93. Bathrooms will be installed in the near future. This is a much better bike access than the City Of Golden Lot (which is better for hiking than biking).

There is another TH on the south side off of 7th to Boyd to Peery, but it is a neighborhood access, and parking is very limited (although usually unoccupied).

"TH"

EDIT 10/08 - the city has added a portable restroom at this TH and also relocated the initial 500' or so, moving it just a bit (100')south.

The other access is where the climbers park on the south slopes, farther east of the previously mentioned TH. There are 2 large lots, but the trails that lead out from the lots are not particularly pleasant to ride - they are best left to hikers/climbers.

When to Bike

Mostly year-round. Not so good after heavy snowfalls, but NTM and STM dry out quicky and early in the year.

The tops of both NTM and STM can become quite hot during the middle of the day, especially during summer. Expect to see part of the large herd of deer on NTM (150+ strong), as well as fox, coyote, etc.

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