Colorado · Mountain biking · Trails near Nederland · Near Idaho Springs

Clear Cut Trail

0.3 mi
distance
44 ft
climb
Difficult
difficulty
Sep
best months

Is Clear Cut Trail open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 3 alerts for Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.

As of · Source: USFS · Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Clear Cut Trail is a short mountain biking route in the Boulder Ranger District of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in Colorado, managed by the Forest Service. It sits about 0.27 miles from the North Observatory and Handshake trails, which makes it an easy addition to a ride in this part of the district. The trail is a short climb of about 0.27 miles, with a total elevation gain of 44 feet. The steepest stretch comes early on, at about 7%, and the route ends with a slight drop of 55 feet. The start sits at roughly 8,680 feet, and the high point is about 8,687 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to ride. Typical averages from the nearby Coal Creek Canyon weather station show July highs around 73°F with lows near 48°F, while winter highs stay in the low 30s. West Magnolia campground is about 0.3 miles away, and Eldora Summer Slab, a climbing area, is about 1.3 miles off. Middle Boulder Creek, a canoeing spot, is about 1.6 miles away, and Kelly Dahl Campground is about 1.7 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    West Magnolia

    Campground

    Campground · 0.3 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Sundance Cafe

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 1 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Matt Golon, CC BY-SA 3.0 (commons)

More in Idaho Springs

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Sep

    Best time to visit Clear Cut Trail

    Best months: September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      33° / 16°

      10 wet

    2. Feb

      34° / 15°

      10 wet

    3. Mar

      41° / 20°

      11 wet

    4. Apr

      46° / 24°

      13 wet

    5. May

      55° / 33°

      14 wet

    6. Jun

      67° / 41°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      73° / 48°

      14 wet

    8. Aug

      71° / 46°

      15 wet

    9. Sep

      64° / 39°

      10 wet

    10. Oct

      52° / 30°

      8 wet

    11. Nov

      41° / 21°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      33° / 15°

      9 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Coal Creek Canyon, CO, 8 mi away at 8,950 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors