In summer, Ski Town, USA turns into Bike Town, USA. Whether your preferred ride is a cruise along the Yampa River, cross-country mountain biking on Mt. Werner and Howelsen Hill or letting gravity guide you over 2,000 feet of downhill drop in the Steamboat Bike Park, you’ll find unlimited summer fun, for every age, in Steamboat.
This Rider’s Guide will give you info you need to plan a day, or longer, at Steamboat Bike Park.
PHOTO CREDIT: ©2015 Steamboat Ski Resort/Larry Pierce
Recommended Trails
For a quick overview of the mountain, we turned to Trevyn Newpher, the Steamboat Bike Park Manager and a professional downhill racer.
Novice/First Time Bike Park Rider
Start with Tenderfoot, a top-to-bottom green trail with 2,200 feet of descent over nearly 6 miles. True first-time riders will find it challenging and may wish to start with a lesson.
Intermediate/Experienced Bike Park Rider
Combine Upper Rustler’s Ridge to Cow Poke to Gunsmoke to E-Z Rider for a potpourri of popular old and new blue and green flow trails.
Advanced/Expert Bike Park Rider
For some challenging flow trail fun, ride Flying Diamond to Tenderfoot.
For more of a “tech” ride, take Rawhide to Wrangler Gulch and then choose between Buckin’ Bronc or Bull Rider, two advanced flow trails to the base.
Don’t Miss Trail
Rustler’s Ridge is the park’s most popular blue trail, offering hundreds of berms and many rollers, jumps and drops along the way. Lap it all day long and never get bored.
Best Jump Line
Flying Diamond is one of most advanced and fun trails on the mountain. Offering the largest jumps and highest speeds, it’s an Expert-only trail. Be sure you have built your skills before you take on the Diamond! Remember, always Pre-ride then Re-ride before you Free-ride.
Best Flow Trail
Rustler’s Ridge, the park’s most popular trail and a “don’t miss” pick is a favorite flow trail, too.
Best Single Track
Check out Pioneer, a recent addition to the mountain. Pioneer is a single track multi-directional trail that takes you on a 3 ½ mile ride into the outskirts of the ski area. Enjoy awesome views and great terrain.
What Makes Steamboat Special
In addition to world-class road biking, mountain biking and downhill biking, there are over 150 natural mineral springs in the Steamboat Springs area. Revered by the native Ute Indians for their medicinal powers, the springs caught the attention of three French trappers in 1865. One of the trappers thought he heard the “chug-chug” sound of a paddle wheel steamer. Instead, it was a bubbling mineral spring.
PHOTO CREDIT: ©2015 Steamboat Ski Resort/Larry Pierce
Trails, Lessons & Rentals
Miles of Trail
Over 50 miles of downhill and freeride (XC) mountain biking trails, with nearly 20 miles of DH specific routes.
Vertical Feet
2,200 vertical feet beginning at Thunderhead (9,080 feet). You can also ride uphill on XC bikes to either Rendezvous Saddle (9,325’) or Four Points Lodge (9,716’)
Trail Breakdown
Steamboat Bike Park has 15 DH trails, with 6 green, 4 blue, 4 black and 1 double black trail. There are an additional 12 XC trails, including 1 green, 7 blue and 4 black.
Number of Lifts
1 – the Gondola in Gondola Square.
Lessons
If you’re comfortable on a bike, but have never downhilled, start with Bike Park 101 for ages 8 and up. Group and private progression lessons are available for riders ages 13 and up who want to build and refine their DH skills. Other offerings include Gravity Girls women’s clinics on Thursday evenings and Gravity Groms camps for kids and teens.
Equipment Rental Prices & Packages
Bike rentals are available for a full day or three hours. Rent a Premium full day package including protective gear, a helmet and a lift ticket for $148 (ages13 and up). Or rent a bike by itself for $102.
Regular DH rentals, including tickets and protective gear, are less expensive and available for everyone, including kids ages 8 and up. Cross-country and enduro bike rentals are also available.
Protective gear, including helmets, goggles, pads, full body armor, gloves and shoes, can be rented a la carte.
Types of Bikes
Premium Downhill: Norco, Intense, Scott. Standard Downhill: Norco, Scott, Specialized. Cross-Country: Specialized. Cruiser: Kona and Scott.
Bike Park Pricing
For single day riding, check out Steamboat Bike Park lift tickets on Liftopia.com.
For unlimited riding, season passes are $269 for ages 13 and up. All passes are discounted for children ages 12 and under.
PHOTO CREDIT: ©2015 Steamboat Ski Resort/Larry Pierce
More Resort Info and Extras
Other Summer Activities
Popular summer activities include hiking, scenic gondola rides, disc golf and the resort Adventure Zone with kid’s activities including bungees, climbing walls, a ropes course, panning for gemstones and more.
Off the resort, enjoy horseback riding, an alpine slide, paddle boarding, floating the Yampa River and the local botanical gardens.
Where to Stay
The Steamboat Springs area has a wide range of lodging from camping and value-priced motels to luxurious condos. Book online at steamboat.com.
Where to Eat
Paramount is an on-mountain favorite, while hungry diners seeking hand-made breakfast and lunch target Freshie’s in town. For unique dining, venture to Laundry, a “Top 100 Restaurant for Foodies” featuring creative and filling American cuisine at reasonable prices.
On-Mountain Lunches
Steamboat has three on-mountain spots for lunch in summer: Gondola Joe’s, the Oasis Sundeck and Bear River BBQ. Expect to spend between $10-15 per person.
Best Value Play for Food and Drinks
Score ½ price appetizers and discounted drinks at Mahogany Ridge Brewery’s late-night happy hour, 10 p.m. – midnight. Too tired from biking to stay up? Mahogany Ridge has $1 tapas and drink specials from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m.
PHOTO CREDIT: ©2015 Steamboat Ski Resort/Larry Pierce
Best Place for a Beer
Check out Slopeside on mountain or Sunpies in downtown Steamboat Springs.
Best Nightlife
Enjoy live music and dance into the night at Schmiggity’s.
Where to Park
Find plentiful free parking in the Gondola Square parking structure near the base area.
Where to Recover and Relax
Steamboat Springs has, not surprisingly, outstanding options for soaking and relaxing. For a more natural experience, check out Strawberry Hot Springs, a family friendly springs high in the Colorado forest just 7 miles from town. Old Town Hot Springs, on Steamboat’s main street, offers a variety of hot pools, a climbing wall and a water slide.
Airports
The Yampa Valley Regional Airport is just 40 minutes west of Steamboat. Denver International Airport is approximately 3.5 hours away.
Physical Presence
Steamboat Ski Resort, 2305 Mt. Werner Circle, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
Social Presence
Instagram: @steamboatresort; Facebook: @steamboatbikepark; Twitter: @skisteamboat
Sources
Nicole Miller, Digital Communications Manager, Steamboat Resort/Steamboat Bike Park, Trevyn Newpher, Steamboat Bike Park Manager.
What? No Video? Is the JV Team at Bat?