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G Hill Trails

On the northwest corner of Gunnison is a low hill festooned with a "G." This is the site of a trail system, new in 2023, with 6.5 miles of singletrack. The trails are easy both aerobically and technically. The expected riding season will be mid-April through November.

Looking northeast toward the hill as we ride the main loop counterclockwise. Trail review by Bruce on May 1, 2023.

The trails were purpose-built for mountain biking. The system has a two-way trail leading from the trailhead over the ridge to a loop in the valley to the west. The loop seems designed to be done counterclockwise. A downhill trail leads from the ridgeline back to the parking area. More trails are planned.

Turns are nicely banked. Many soft areas have been reinforced with crushed rock.

Elevation change is minimal, with 100 feet of climbing to get over the ridge and 100 on the way back. At this time, the trails do not have official names. There are no trail signs.

Unfortunately motocycles discovered the western side of the loop and have already done considerable damage through irresponsible riding. Hopefully, trail signs and education will stop this.

About as close to technical as this area gets. We're dropping down through a rock outcrop on the eastern side of the loop, heading north.

 
Trailhead
At US-89 (Main Street) in Gunnison, go west on 300 North. Turn right (north) on 200 West. The road will turn to gravel, and a short bit later (0.4 miles from 300 North), a road turns left into a gravel parking area. The outgoing trail is just up the dirt road from the parking area, on the right as you go uphill from parking. The trail that crosses the wash into the west side of parking is the returning downhill trail.

At the trailhead parking, looking west. You can make out the uphill trail to the right of my car.

 
Ridge Trail (not the official name)
The "Ridge Trail" will take you across the hill to the main riding loop. In the parking area, go uphill (west) on the dirt road for around 50 feet and spot the outgoing trail on your right. The trail will wind back and forth across the slope as it gradually climbs to the ridgeline. It will be 0.6 miles to the top, where you'll hit a dirt road.

The trail leading to the loop is across the road, slightly uphill. Around 30 feet up the dirt road, the downhill trail forks off to the left.

Heading uphill as we begin the ride. No shade here, so in the summer, pick your riding time wisely.

The descending portion of the ridge trail starts at the dirt road on top of the ridge and descends 0.6 miles to a trail fork with the main loop. The orientation of the fork suggests that the trail-builders intended for you to keep straight and ride the loop counterclockwise.

Descending to the west after crossing the ridge.

 
Main West Valley Loop (not the official name)
At the trail fork where the "Ridge Trail" ends, keep straight. The singletrack will head north and east before looping back to the west and southbound. At mile 0.9, there's a soft new trail on your right (see below). For now, keep straight and cross the dirt road just ahead.

Looking south as we ride past a few rocks.

The trail will turn downhill and wind around until it drops you onto a dirt road at mile 2.2 of the loop. Keep straight and left on the dirt road.

After just 1/10th mile on the doubletrack, turn left onto a smaller dirt road that climbs toward the hill. After another 0.4 miles, fork right on an even-smaller dirt road. In another 1/10th mile (mile 0.7 from the singletrack, mile 2.9 of the loop), turn left onto singletrack.

Doubletrack heading back toward the hill. Looking east. (This photo is of an alternate doubletrack that will take us up to the main loop near where the northern alternate loop forked away.)

The loop singletrack will now turn back to the north. In 0.2 miles it will cross a dirt road at the base of the mountain. (This is the dirt road you were climbing before you forked to the right.) You'll now enter the most technical terrain of the ride, but it's none too techy.

Looking southwest at a slope we just descended on the eastern side of the loop.

Keep working north on the singletrack, and cross a second dirt road at mile 0.7 from the doubletrack, mile 3.6 of the loop.

Nice fast banked turn!

At mile 4.1 of the loop, you'll arrive back at the loop fork, where keeping straight give you another lap, and a hard right turn takes you home.

Heading north toward the loop fork to complete the loop.

 
Northern Loop Option (not the official name)
This trail is still new and hasn't had the riding lines and finish work completed. It's soft, but is rideable. At mile 0.9 of the main loop when riding clockwise (see above), this trail forks away on your right, just before the loop crosses a dirt road.

You'll make a backwards "S" ride down and to the north for 1.4 miles. The singletrack will then end on a dirt road. If you keep straight and left, this road will take you to where the main loop dumps onto doubletrack in 0.7 miles, forming an alternate version of the loop ride.

Westbound. In this photo, you can see how crushed limestone/dolomite has been added to firm up the riding surface of an area of soft soil.

 
Son of a Gunnison DH (not the official name)
This easy downhill flow trail starts at the doubletrack on the ridgeline where the outgoing trail from parking crosses. It's just 30 feet uphill from the trail crossing, on your left.

Ready to drop into the downhill.

The downhill is technically easy, with around 120 feet of elevation loss over its 0.5 miles. You'll finish at the western edge of the parking lot.

Cruising on down.

A look at the G Hill trails (before they even have names)...

 If the above video does not appear on your browser/device, you can watch it on YouTube by clicking here.
  

Getting there:
At US-89 (Main Street) in Gunnison, go west on 300 North. Turn right (north) on 200 West. The road will turn to gravel, and a short bit later (0.4 miles from 300 North), a road turns left into a gravel parking area. The outgoing trail is just up the dirt road from the parking area, on the right as you go uphill from parking. The trail that crosses the wash into the west side of parking is the returning downhill trail.

Note! The names shown on the map are NOT official. Names (and trail signs) are still pending.

No bathrooms, water, or services at trailhead.
Commercial campgrounds in Gunnison.

Riding resources for this trail:
GPS track files (right-click and "Save as..."):
      Multi track GPX file
Lodging, camping, shops:   Links to south Utah Co resources

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