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Summit County Bike Trails: Peru Creek

Peru Creek jeep road passes remnants of many impressive mines before ending in a scenic high alpine cirque.

Know Before You Go: This valley contains a lot of private land; respect all “No Trespassing” signs. The final section is above timberline; be prepared for weather changes. Expect jeep traffic, mainly on weekends. Most historic buildings are private and fragile; please view them from a distance.

Parking: From I-70 drive east on Hwy 6, passing through Keystone. Turn right onto Montezuma Road and drive 4.5 miles. After crossing the Snake River, turn left and park at the Peru Creek trailhead.

Description: Ride up Peru Creek Road. Cross Peru Creek and climb gradually up the left side of the valley. Pass a private residence and then the Lenawee Trail at 1.6 miles. Drop into a meadow and pass a fork on the right. Shortly after, on the left, the spur for Chihuahua Gulch appears at 2.2 miles. (Advanced riders can explore a couple miles up this rugged drainage.) A steep creekside climb brings you to timberline and into a large hillside meadow. A spur on the right leads to the crumbling Pennsylvania Mine. Continue on the main road and curve left, passing the Shoe Basin Mine at 4.7 miles. Beyond this point the road gets steeper and rougher, changing to a more difficult rating. Ascend past several spurs, including a fork to the right for Argentine Pass Trail. The main route remains obvious as it climbs steeply, switchbacks left and reaches a junction near the head of the basin. Take the left fork and pedal almost a mile to a pristine alpine pond. The road dead ends nearby at a miner’s shack. Return as you came.


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