Lifes Adventures
Mountain Biking--Vail Mountain
As the host of two previous Mountain Bike World Championships, Vail’s trails suit the amateur and the seasoned professional. Families can ride the gondola, explore the forests and enjoy a mountaintop barbeque. Downhill junkies can ride uphill then seek out the most technical terrain for going down. Equipment is available for rental or purchase at local shops.
Beginner Trails
Eagle’s Loop: 1 mile. Great for the beginner biker with scenic vistas and access from the Eagle Bahn Gondola.
Upper Fireweed: 1.2 miles. A beautiful bike trail for beginners from Adventure Ridge to Mid-Vail.
Cub’s Way: 1.5 miles. Gravel road connecting Fred’s Lunch to Lion Down.
Village Trail: 7 miles. Longest and most pleasant route on the mountain – a winding gravel road that traverses the mountain in a descent.
Intermediate Trails
Gitalong Road: 5 miles. An alternative to Village Trail with a pleasant winding gravel road most of the way (high traffic).
Fred’s Lunch: 3.2 miles. An alternating single and double track path that leads from Mid-Vail down the mountain, providing spectacular views.
Grand Traverse: 5.3 miles. Vail’s signature trail crossing the Back Bowls, starts easy and becomes more difficult, accessed from Adventure Ridge or the Wildwood connector.
South 6 Escape: .75 miles. This single-track off Village Trail is a challenging option for intermediate bikers.
Lion Down: 6 miles. Downhill all the way from Adventure Ridge on this beautiful, winding single-track through groves of Aspen trees.
Advanced Trails
Mid-Vail Escape: 2.2 miles. Challenging single and double track that takes you from the top of Kloser’s Klimb to Mid-Vail with spectacular views of the Gore Range.
Kloser’s Klimb: 2.4 miles. A grueling 1,000 foot climb from Adventure Ridge to Patrol Headquarters.
Onza Alley: 4 miles. Most difficult loop with single-track, 4x4 roads, step descents and a 1,000 foot climb.
The following are downhill biking trails:
Lower Fred’s Lunch: . 8 miles. Single and double-track free-ride experience Downhill trail with technical elements “most difficult”
Magic Forest: 1.2 miles. Starts at Adventure Ridge and works its way down to Cubs Way. This single track winds its way through the woods with several drop-offs and challenging terrain features. “most difficult”
Mane Lane: .6 miles. Formerly a part of the Lionshead Loop, nice challenging single track with some technical elements. – “most difficult”
’94 Downhill: 3.8 miles. The 1994 World Cup Downhill race course is a difficult combination of steep descents and technical single track that begins at Mid-Vail and ends in Vail Village. – “experts only”
Old Nine Line : .75 miles. Very steep and technical with varied terrain and lots of rhythm. Downhill gear necessary. “experts only”
Golden Peak (GP) Loop: Closed for construction
*PLEASE NOTE: The above downhill bike trails are not for hiking and cross-country biking. Downhill bikes, downhill equipment and pads are highly recommended for use on downhill-specific trails. These are not the same as cross country trails and they require the use of different equipment and skills.
return to
Mountain Biking Overview