Hiking
Horse Gulch Trail System
The in-town classic east of downtown. Hikers and mountain bikes share a web of loops a few minutes from Main Avenue.
- Length
- About 27 miles of trail in the system
- Elevation gain
- Climbs run from about 60 to 1,670 feet
- Difficulty
- Advanced, Beginner, Expert, Intermediate
- From Durango
- 1.2 miles
Getting there
Horse Gulch Parking Lot The Horse Gulch/Telegraph Trailhead sits just off 8th Avenue and 3rd Street. If you are coming from the south, turn east off of 8th Avenue onto 3rd Street, by the Horse Gulch Health Center and Sonic. There is a paved parking spot at the trailhead and a gate which leads you to the beginning of the trail system.
The trails
Each path in the system has its own tile. Length and climb sit underneath. Hover a tile for what the trail actually does. Pick a rating to see only those.
Beginner
- BeginnerCuchillo TrailCuchillo Trail is a 2.5-mile moderate loop option which can be reached from Mike’s Trail and meets back with...
2.5 Miles · 580 Feet of climbing
Cuchillo Trail is a 2.5-mile moderate loop option which can be reached from Mike’s Trail and meets back with...
- BeginnerHorse Gulch RoadThe Horse Gulch Road is a non-motorized use, 4.1-mile easy trail that provides access to the Horse Gulch trails.
4.1 Miles · 1100 Feet of climbing
The Horse Gulch Road is a non-motorized use, 4.1-mile easy trail that provides access to the Horse Gulch trails.
Intermediate
- IntermediateHalf Ridge TrailIn 2022, the local trail group, working with the City of Durango, created this one-mile contour trail and it joins...
1.4 Miles · 436 Feet of climbing
In 2022, the local trail group, working with the City of Durango, created this one-mile contour trail and it joins...
- IntermediateRidgeView (formerly SkyRaider)Completed in 2020, RidgeView joins Powerline Trail to Raider Ridge .
0.9 Miles · 469 Feet of climbing
Completed in 2020, RidgeView joins Powerline Trail to Raider Ridge .
- IntermediateDrop Over TrailDrop Over Trail joins Cuchillo Trail to the Horse Gulch Road.
0.1 Miles · 60 Feet of climbing
Drop Over Trail joins Cuchillo Trail to the Horse Gulch Road.
- IntermediatePautsky PointPautsky Point is an optional trail extension at the top of Telegraph Trail.
0.2 Miles · 210 Feet of climbing
Pautsky Point is an optional trail extension at the top of Telegraph Trail.
- IntermediateEZ TrailEZ is named after local the local trail group hero Ed Zink (1947-2019); a multi-generational Durango native who...
0.3 Miles · 70 Feet of climbing
EZ is named after local the local trail group hero Ed Zink (1947-2019); a multi-generational Durango native who...
- IntermediateCap’s TrailCap’s Trail is a moderate trail which parallels Horse Gulch Road.
0.4 Miles · 107 Feet of climbing
Cap’s Trail is a moderate trail which parallels Horse Gulch Road.
- IntermediateZip Line TrailZip Line Trail is a moderate 0.7-mile trail which parallels the bottom of Horse Gulch Road and connects into...
0.7 Miles · 155 Feet of climbing
Zip Line Trail is a moderate 0.7-mile trail which parallels the bottom of Horse Gulch Road and connects into...
- IntermediateSugar TrailSugar Trail is a 1.5-mile moderate trail, accessed from a few miles up the Horse Gulch Road.
1.6 Miles · 572 Feet of climbing
Sugar Trail is a 1.5-mile moderate trail, accessed from a few miles up the Horse Gulch Road.
- IntermediateStacy’s LoopStacy’s Loop is a popular trail that can be reached from Meadow Loop Trail.
1.1 Miles · 143 Feet of climbing
Stacy’s Loop is a popular trail that can be reached from Meadow Loop Trail.
- IntermediateMeadow LoopMeadow Trail is a 1.15-mile loop and it joins from the Horse Gulch Trail.
1.2 Miles · 265 Feet of climbing
Meadow Trail is a 1.15-mile loop and it joins from the Horse Gulch Trail.
Advanced
- AdvancedMilky Way TrailMilky Way Trail joins lower Horse Gulch trails to Raider Ridge.
0.6 Miles · 365 Feet of climbing
Milky Way Trail joins lower Horse Gulch trails to Raider Ridge.
- AdvancedFlame Out TrailFlame Out Trail is a short but difficult trail spurring off of Half Ridge trail, near the bottom of Horse Gulch Road.
0.2 Miles · 310 Feet of climbing
Flame Out Trail is a short but difficult trail spurring off of Half Ridge trail, near the bottom of Horse Gulch Road.
- AdvancedSend It (formerly Anasazi) DescentSend It Descent is a technical one-way trail which starts at the top of Telegraph Trail.
0.6 Miles · 500 Feet of climbing
Send It Descent is a technical one-way trail which starts at the top of Telegraph Trail.
- AdvancedRocky Road TrailRocky Road joins Horse Gulch Road to Hyper Extended Ridge and Extended Ridge trails.
1.3 Miles · 590 Feet of climbing
Rocky Road joins Horse Gulch Road to Hyper Extended Ridge and Extended Ridge trails.
- AdvancedBen’s Down N Out TrailBen’s Down n’ Out Trail is a 0.46-mile difficult connector trail between Raider Ridge (between Extended Ridge and...
0.5 Miles · 367 Feet of climbing
Ben’s Down n’ Out Trail is a 0.46-mile difficult connector trail between Raider Ridge (between Extended Ridge and...
- AdvancedRaider Ridge TrailsRaider Ridge is a long, difficult and beautiful ride or hike.
4.8 Miles · 1670 Feet of climbing
Raider Ridge is a long, difficult and beautiful ride or hike.
- AdvancedMike’s TrailMike’s Trail can be reached from Stacy’s Loop to add an additional 1.15 miles of difficult trail to a ride, hike...
1.2 Miles · 265 Feet of climbing
Mike’s Trail can be reached from Stacy’s Loop to add an additional 1.15 miles of difficult trail to a ride, hike...
- AdvancedTelegraph TrailTelegraph is one of the routes people use most in the Horse Gulch trail network.
2.7 Miles · 680 Feet of climbing
Telegraph is one of the routes people use most in the Horse Gulch trail network.
Expert
- ExpertMedicine TrailMedicine Trail is a progressive trail located off Horse Gulch Road; lined with rocks, it heads down and to your...
0.4 Miles · 240 Feet of climbing
Medicine Trail is a progressive trail located off Horse Gulch Road; lined with rocks, it heads down and to your...
- ExpertCharmed (Formerly Snakecharmer)Charmed is a progressive-style riding trail built in 2013.
0.6 Miles · 376 Feet of climbing
Charmed is a progressive-style riding trail built in 2013.
Where it is
The pin marks the trailhead. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Trail layout
Trail layout from OpenStreetMap. The line is the mapped path that matched this name. A large system may show one path, not every loop. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Length and climb come from Durango Trails. A system with several trails lists each one above.