How to Mountain Bike The Buffalo Creek IMBA Epic Loop in Colorado

Fork in trail in Buffalo Creek trail system in Colorado

Tree with Colorado Trail sign embedded in bark

Denver has no shortage of great mountain biking, but Buffalo Creek is a local (and personal!) favorite. Just about an hour southwest of the city (traffic willing…), this trail system is packed with miles of mellow, flowy singletrack, plus a few pockets of unique rock features if you know where to look (👀 Black Jack). The Colorado Trail even passes through, adding to its bragging rights.

I’ve only ridden Buffalo Creek once, but I went all in with the 24.5-mile IMBA Epic Loop. While all-day XC grinds aren’t usually my thing (I prefer a little more variety and tech) I did really enjoy it and left wishing I had time to explore more.

If you’re planning a ride near Denver and want a taste of classic Colorado singletrack, here’s how to make the most of your Buffalo Creek adventure. whether you’re eyeing the full IMBA Loop or a shorter (and arguably more interesting) sampler.

The Buffalo Creek IMBA Epic Loop at a Glance

Location: Buffalo Creek, Colorado
Distance (full loop): 24.5 miles
Elevation gain: 2,927 feet
Elevation loss: 2,927 feet
High point: 8,050 feet

A rolling cross-country loop at elevation with great views, fast singletrack & fun downhill finish

Note: There are a lot of ways to ride Buffalo Creek, not just the IMBA Epic Loop. Personally, if I were to ride here again, I’d probably do a shorter ride and focus more on the ‘best’ of Buffalo Creek vs laying down the miles. I give a few other shorter route options below if that sounds more appealing to you, too.

Bridge over small creek at Buffalo Creek recreation area in Colorado

What I like about Buffalo Creek

Awesome views out over the Rocky Mountains
Super fun rock slab riding (depending on what trails you ride)
Tons of flow on the descents!
The opportunity to ride on a section of the 567-mile Colorado Trail

What I don’t

Loose, sandy soil in places
Pedaling at 8,000 feet…
Long rides here can feel a little monotonous

Photo out over front of mountain bike on rock slab trail in Buffalo Creek, Colorado

Quick Tips

For riding the Buffalo Creek Loop

e-bikes are not allowed.
Don’t underestimate the altitude. You’ll top out at just over 8K feet.
The full loop is a big day at almost 25 miles and 3,000 feet of climbing. Be prepared with lots of water and food.
It’s remote terrain. Don’t expect cell phone service (I didn’t have any with AT&T).
There’s no place to fill up water.
Watch out for hikers. Buffalo Creek is very popular with hikers and trail runners. Stay in control and practice good trail etiquette.

TWW Take

Please note that these are my personal opinions – you may argue otherwaaaaise! And if so, state your case (politely) in the comments 🙂

Fun-ness Factor

Trail Variety

Average Difficulty

Singletrack trail through wildfire burned area at Buffalo Creek in Colorado — You will pass through a significantly burned area as you climb up Nice Kitty

Preparing for your Buffalo Creek Rides: IMBA Loop & Other Options

The Full Buffalo Creek Loop

If you only have a day at Buffalo Creek and you want to cover as much ground as possible, the full 24.5 mile IMBA Epic Loop will deliver. I did this ride on my visit to Buffalo Creek and while I enjoyed it, I’m not exactly at XC ‘enthusiast’. If I went back, I’d probably do one of the below routes instead, which offer a bit more variety.

Alternative routes

Where to park: Here are the directions to the main parking area for Buffalo Creek. But depending on which route you do, there are several other parking areas.

Buffalo Creek IMBA Epic Loop Map

View the Buffalo Creek IMBA Epic Loop on TrailForks

Trail breakdown

The Buffalo Creek loop starts off along a mellow fire road leading out of the main parking area. The road is flat and a good warm-up spin for the legs. You’ll pass by Sandy Wash on the right, which is the exit at the end of the loop. A bit further on, you’ll see the entrance to Nice Kitty on the left.

Nice Kitty

Nice Kitty is the longest and steepest climb of the whole loop, but that being said, it’s not that bad (unless you aren’t yet adjusted to the elevation which starts at 6,700ft and ends at 7,600ft).

The first mile on Nice Kitty is the steepest and actually probably the most technical part of the ride with a few punchy boulders to get up and over and several steep pitches to grunt up. From there, the trail mellows out and switchbacks up the mountain through a huge burned area. Be sure to look back the way you came for awesome views!

Singletrack trail with Colorado mountains in distance and trail sign saying "Nice Kitty TR no. 768"

Buffalo Burn

After making it to the top of Nice Kitty, Buffalo Burn continues to the right at a slight incline to the Little Scraggy parking area. After spending most of the Nice Kitty climb out in the open through a burn area, Buffalo Burn heads back into the forest for a rolling pedal among the trees.

Colorado Trail

By far the largest portion of the Buffalo Creek Loop is spent on the Colorado Trail. The full Colorado Trail traverses the state from Denver to Durango and sections of it are actually part of the larger Continental Divide Trail that spans the length of the US from north to south.

This portion of the Colorado Trail is mostly rolling as you head out from the Little Scraggy parking area. There is one big climb followed by a super fast and fun descent down a wash. Like the rest of the loop, there are really no technical sections on the Colorado Trail. It’s mostly smooth, buff singletrack with rolling terrain.

Redskin Creek & Gashouse

After about 8 miles on the Colorado Trail, the loop turns off onto Redskin Creek. There’s an initial fun descent and then it’s a pedal up to Gashouse Gulch parking area. You can choose to stay on the trail or if you’re feeling the miles and elevation, the road leads to the parking area as well.

Gashouse is the final climb of the route and while it’s a 2.5-mile climb, the slope is very manageable and the pedaling is mellow (although there are a few rocky features that may cause your legs to groan).

Charlie’s Cut, Homestead, & Sandy Wash

Once you reach the top of the Gashouse climb, it’s time to descend! Don’t get too excited though, because there’s still a tiny bit more climbing throughout the descent, but for the most part, you can coast back to the car.

Charlie’s Cut to Homestead to Sandy Wash is a super fun and fast descent through the forest with lots of granite rock rollers, sandy corners, and great views out over the peaks. This is the reason you should ride the Buffalo Creek Big Loop clockwise. If you ride it counterclockwise you’ll have to climb this bomber descent!

Everything on this section is made to be rideable, so there should be no surprises (unless someone didn’t read this post and is riding the loop counterclockwise). The trail will spit you out on the fire road you pedaled in on and then it’s a quick, easy spin back to the parking area.

FAQs for riding Buffalo Creek

Got questions? I’ve got answers! Here are some helpful tips for planning your ride:

No, e-bikes are not allowed on the trails at Buffalo Creek.

It took me about 4 hours moving time to ride the full loop. I went at a moderate pace and stopped to take photos and eat snacks. I’d say give yourself 4-6 hours if you plan on doing the whole thing.

Overall, Buffalo Creek and the full IMBA Epic loop feature mostly cross-country terrain with very little tech. There are some punchy rock climbs at the start of the ride and the last descent has a few rock features that are all rollable but might need to be scoped out depending on your riding skills.

What makes this ride more challenging is the mileage and the altitude, not necessarily the technical features.

If you are looking for more of a challenge, consider doing the Little Scraggy or Black Jack routes instead.

No, there are no water sources at Buffalo Creek (despite the name…) Bring all that you need.

I rode the Buffalo Creek Loop in early October and the weather was perfect and the changing aspen trees were beautiful. But it can be ridden from late spring (depending on snow) to late fall (until the snow flies again).

For the most part. There are trail signs at each intersection, but no trail maps. I recommend having TrailForks downloaded to your phone.

I didn’t get any with AT&T.

Yes, the Buffalo Creek Campground sits on the Colorado Trail. It’s pretty primitive with only pit toilets— there’s no water or electricity.

Need gear recs?

Head over to my gear closet! I’m always testing out new pieces of bike gear and if I really like them, they earn a place on this page.

See my gear favorites

The Buffalo Creek IMBA Epic loop and trails are super fun and scenic cross-country rides. As far as ‘epicness’ goes, I wouldn’t say it’s the most epic of IMBA epics. There’s really nothing technical or difficult about this ride other than the miles and elevation.

I’m glad I did it once – and you should definitely ride it if you haven’t already – but if and when I return to Buffalo Creek I think I’ll choose to explore some of the other trails and loops in the area instead.

Have you explored the Buffalo Creek mountain bike trails outside of Denver? Have you done the IMBA Epic Loop? What did you think? Leave a comment below!