12 Best Colorado Dirt Bike Trails

With its amazing mountain landscape and high-altitude passes to test your endurance and your head for heights, Colorado makes for an excellent destination for off-roading. Whether you tackle its trails in a Jeep, ATV, or dirt bike, there’s lots of varying terrain, and the diversity of landscapes makes for a great vacation destination.

You can get a bit of everything, from well-maintained easy trails to gnarly, rocky, steep sections that will test your bike and your skills to the maximum.

Where are the best Colorado dirt bike trails, and how can you make the most of riding in the Centennial State? Here are our top picks:

1. Rampart Range
2. Pole Creek Trail
3. Rainbow Falls OHV Area
4. Texas Creek
5. Stillwater Pass
6. Hartman Rocks
7. Pearl Pass
8. Wolford Mountain
9. Indian Creek Trail
10. Flat Top OHV Staging Area
11. Bocco Mountain
12. Bangs Canyon Trails

Read on to find out more about some of the best dirt bike trails Colorado has to offer.

12 Best Colorado Dirt Bike Trails

1. Rampart Range

Of all the dirt biking trails in Colorado, Rampart Range is probably the best known and most popular. That does mean it gets crowded in the summer, especially if it’s good weather.

It offers 200 miles of excellent trails and a great variety of terrain so that anyone can have a go at some fun riding. You can find Rampart Range just 35 miles southwest of Denver, nestled in the Pike-San Isabel National Forest.

2. Pole Creek Trail

Adventure riders love the Pole Creek Trail, which isn’t a go-to dirt bike trail as such, but a nice spot to get lost in the middle of the forest. At only 6 miles long, what makes this trail unique is that it’s less populated, so you can enjoy a ride in the middle of nature.

You’ll be able to reach the trailhead southwest of Pueblo and north of Gardiner in the San Isabel National Forest.

3. Rainbow Falls OHV Area

If Rampart Range has whetted your appetite for miles and miles of great Colorado dirt bike trails, you can stay in the region and explore the Rainbow Falls OHV Area, west of Castle Rock. There are some big hill climbs here, relaxed flat open spaces, and loose sections, which can increase the difficulty of your ride.

This is probably the second most popular dirt biking destination in Colorado after Rampart Range generally, and you’ll meet lots of other enthusiastic off-roaders, some on ATVs too. 

You’ll also be nearby the North Divide Trail System, a popular off-roading network with lots of fantastic single-track trails to enjoy.

4. Texas Creek

Another great place for dirt bike riding in Colorado is the smaller section at Texas Creek, open to ATV and dirt bike riders alike. Most trails are easy and intermediate, so it’s a great day out for beginners.

Texas Creek will also give you more variety in your riding: unlike the rest of the dirt bike tracks in Colorado, this is in a high desert! You need to be prepared for hot and dry riding without much water insight.

Because of the high altitude, these trails are only open in the summer and early fall before snow sets in.

5. Stillwater Pass

Head to the Arapaho National Forest to ride to Stillwater Pass, where you can find several miles of dirt bike trails in the middle of the wilderness. You might see bears and bobcats, especially on a later summer afternoon, so be careful with the wildlife!

The trailhead can be found north of Granby and northwest of Grand Lake. You’ll be sharing the trails with other OHVs, and it can be quite busy, so try and go during the week if you can.

6. Hartman Rocks

Hartman Rocks is another of the great Colorado dirt bike trails, very popular with its over 85 miles of trails maintained by Gunnison County. Go during the week if you can, and be aware you’ll be sharing the trails with other types of vehicles as it’s a multi-use area.

On the plus side, amenities, parking, and trails are all well-maintained, and the atmosphere is fantastic.

7. Pearl Pass

Located between Aspen and Butte, what a better way to venture into a 40-mile trail with rugged riding, where you’ll find yourself away from the whole world. It’s a very tough ride, definitely not recommended for beginners, and ideally done in a group.

Head to an adventure where you’ll be climbing to 12,705 ft. Because of the high altitude, it is only open in the summer and sometimes may stay closed if snow is still present on the trail, so it’s worth checking ahead.

8. Wolford Mountain

Going back to easier trails, the Routt National Forest offers some open areas, where within the Wolford Mountain section, you can find a network of marked and unmarked dirt bike trails. In total, there are around 120 miles of trails to explore.

This is another area closed during heavy snow, so it’s best to visit from April or early May. You can get onto the trails from Kremmling using these coordinates for the trailhead: N40 04.196 W106 21.560.

9. Indian Creek Trail

Another trail located in the Pike and San Isabel National Forests, this trailhead is in an excellent location to link with various others, such as Dodgeton and Baker Trails. There’s a loop trail that is low difficulty and is probably one of the most accessible dirt bike trails near Colorado Springs. 

10. Flat Top OHV Staging Area

Situated in the Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area, this dirt bike trail area is quite barren and different from the other typical mountain forest sections. Less technical trails await, with the opportunity to go fast and enjoy the views.

You can expect a very muddy ride here during rainy periods, so head over if you’re looking for that experience.

11. Bocco Mountain

Near Wolcott, Bocco Mountain Recreation Area has 18 miles of great single-track trails for challenging rides on your dirt bike. Enjoy unique scenery close to Vail and Eagle.

These trails are popular with the locals, too. Alongside the single-track trails, you can also try your hand at some shared OHV trails, where you’ll need to look out for Jeeps and ATVs. 

Closed from December to April, Bocco Mountain is a great summer destination.

12. Bangs Canyon Trails

Last but not least, head to Bangs Canyon for an all-sport package where you can indulge in dirt biking as well as hiking and climbing in some fantastic spots. The three sections for dirt biking are Tabeguache Trail, Billings Canyon Jeep Trail, and Third Flats ATV System.

As you can tell from their names, you’ll need to be careful to share with other vehicles. You’ll enjoy great views of the Grand Mesa and Grand Valley on these trails, with varying difficulty levels to suit any rider.

The motorized trails start at Bangs Canyon Trailhead, near Grand Junction.

Dirt Bike Rentals in Colorado

If you don’t have your own dirt bike or are just considering trying the sport, there are plenty of places you can rent a dirt bike before you commit to buying one. And what better terrain to test it than the stunning locations around Colorado Springs and beyond.

Here are some dirt bike rentals Colorado offers:

• Extreme Rentals in Lakewood, CO – offering all types of off-road vehicles, including some excellent dirt bikes for rent and discounts for several-day rentals, too.
• Adrenaline Driven Adventures in Grand Junction, CO, is a family-owned business that offers exciting tours on excellent trails or through the desert. You can rent UTVs, dirt bikes, and slingshots here.
• Mountain Moto in Denver, CO – an incredible array of dirt bikes and tours also available, and all within the Denver area. They also offer a lot of gear for those who are starting from scratch.

Conclusion – 12 Best Colorado Dirt Bike Trails

To recap, here are our top picks again:

1. Rampart Range
2. Pole Creek Trail
3. Rainbow Falls OHV Area
4. Texas Creek
5. Stillwater Pass
6. Hartman Rocks
7. Pearl Pass
8. Wolford Mountain
9. Indian Creek Trail
10. Flat Top OHV Staging Area
11. Bocco Mountain
12. Bangs Canyon Trails

Whether this is your first Colorado dirt bike riding experience or you’re a seasoned veteran of the mountain trails, there is so much variety in and around the mountain resorts that you can always find new places to explore.

These top 12 Colorado dirt bike trails are all popular destinations for riding through incredible scenery, challenging terrain, or unusual locations. Don’t forget to check the status of the trails, look into what dirt bike rental offers are on at the moment, and head out with an open mind to have the time of your life.