North Elk Creek
The North Elk Creek Trail provides a critical connection between the 32 miles of singletrack at Staunton State Park and the Cub Creek Trail (located on US Forest Service property) in Evergreen. The trail was identified as one of the "Colorado the Beautiful's 16 in 2016” priority trail projects by then-Governor John Hickenlooper, and has the potential to grow to a mini-system of its own with 15+ miles by the time it's completed.
For riders craving a backcountry experience, North Elk will definitely deliver. The landscape consists of open meadows and streams surrounded by forested hillsides containing granite cliff bands and rolling peaks. Panoramic views of the Mt. Evans and Lost Creek Wilderness Areas, Pikes Peak, and Staunton State Park are visible along the trail route.
Currently, the trail is ridable, using the 2.8 miles of singletrack completed in Phase One, then riding along Forest Service Road 103 to complete the connection. Phase Two, which will complete the singletrack connection to Staunton, began in 2020 and will open in Summer 2021.
The North Elk Creek Trail represents a partnership between COMBA, the South Platte Ranger District, Staunton State Park, partners at the professional design and build firm, ContourLogic, Team Evergreen, Bailey Hundo, and Mile High Youth Corps to contribute funding, in-kind services, and labor to the project. COMBA has applied for and received three grants in recent years to keep this project moving forward, but financial support from riders can help the project continue to grow.
North Elk Creek Project Stats
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Project Type: Backcountry Trails
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User Groups: Mountain bikers, hikers, trail runners, equestrians
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Difficulty: Moderate
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Distance: 2.8 miles currently, 2.7 miles under construction. More potential for future phases.
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Nature: Singletrack
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Status: Phase One complete, Phase Two under construction
North Elk Creek Background & Timeline
2011 — The trail corridor was first assessed and mapped
2012 — Surveyed for biological and cultural resources
2013 — Environmental analysis was completed. Trail layout, flagging, and corridor clearing occurred in Summer 2013. The Southwest Conservation Corps, under the direction of the South Platte Ranger District, contributed three weeks of trail work, building approximately 0.70 miles of new singletrack.
2016 — Identified as one of the "Colorado the Beautiful's 16 in 2016” priority trail projects by then-Governor John Hickenlooper
2017 — COMBA awarded construction grant for Phase One
2018 — COMBA awarded planning grant for Phases Two and Three. Phase One singletrack completed
2019 — Phase One singletrack opened
2020 — COMBA awarded construction grant for Phase Two trails, construction begins
2021 — Planned: COMBA to apply for Phase 3 construction grant, Phase Two trails will open
