Pipeline

Rundown:
Pipeline Loop takes riders on a tour up to Hardscrabble Mountain starting and ending in Eagle Ranch.

Distance:
12.5 miles

Difficulty Level:
Medium

Vail Velo Members Rating:
Elevation Profile:


Season:
April 15 - December 15

Directions:
Drive west on Interstate 70 to Exit 147 (Eagle). Go right through the roundabout and then turn left on Capitol St. Drive 0.75 through Eagle to an intersection with Brush Creek Rd. Continue straight through the stop sign and down the hill. Go past the Capital Hill Movie Theater and take a left onto Sylvan Lake Road. Then take the next right onto Eagle Ranch Road. Drive a short distance and look for Brush Creek Elementary on the right. Parking is available here.

Description:
From Brush Creek Elementary, ride about 1.25 miles on Eagle Ranch Rd to Haystacker Dr. Turn right and ride the paved bike path. After 0.5 miles the path will bend right. Continue straight and look for the Mayer Gulch Trail. This section of the ride climbs gradually through sagebrush for about 1.5 miles. The trail will change from tight singletrack to open doubletrack before coming to an intersection with another doubletrack. At the intersection turn left and ride 0.35 miles to Hardscrabble Rd. Turn right here and take the road about 5.0 miles up to Hardscrabble Mountain. The route travels through many areas of oakbrush before reaching the aspen and pine forests. As the road levels out and nears a livestock corral, look for a small rock formation on the right. Take this to start the Pipeline trail. The first section immediately dives into an aspen grove and then crosses a creek. As the trail continues, it weaves through the trees and crosses the creek again before coming to an intersection with a doubletrack. Turn right at this junction and ride 2.85 miles down Third Gulch. The doubletrack exits on Fourth of July Rd. Ride to then end of the road and turn left on Eagle Ranch Rd. Ride 1.15 miles back to Brush Creek Elementary.



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