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.
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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. Blue Sky and Lost Creek Wilderness Areas, Pikes Peak, and Staunton State Park are visible along the trail route.
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Phase 1 of the North Elk Creek trail provided the key connection to Cub Creek, and Phase 2 brought an extension of North Elk Creek single track all the way to the Staunton Ranch Trail, as well as a new 3-mile trail called Rusty Buckle that connects North Elk Creek to the Borderline trail. Rusty Buckle is also the starting point for a loop back up along the ridge to Cub Creek to complete the full 15-mile loop. This is slated as the Phase 3 project and is currently awaiting forest service approval and grant funding.
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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 Background & Timeline
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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, North Elk Creek trail
2020 — COMBA awarded construction grant for Phase Two trails, construction begins
2022 — North Elk Creek Extension & Rusty Buckle Trail Opened!
