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Breckenridge Bike Guide: Sallie Barber trail (video)

The view of the ride along Sallie Barber Road in Breckenridge.
Explore Summit file
Trail Fast Facts

Distance: 9.5 miles

Rating: Easy/advanced

Time: 2 hours

Elevation: 9,600-10,685 feet

Type: Loop, dirt road, trail

Season: June to
mid-October

Parking: Gondola lots in Breckenridge

Expect traffic on lower French Gulch Road, which is surrounded mainly by private land for the first few miles. Please respect all “No Trespassing” signs. Most historic buildings are private and fragile and are recommended to be viewed from a distance. Beautiful stands of aspen in French Gulch make this a spectacular fall ride.

From Main Street, turn east onto Wellington Road and climb out of town toward French Gulch. Stay straight through several four-way intersections. When the road reaches a three-way intersection, stay straight/right and continue uphill until the road turns to dirt. This is French Gulch Road. Wind along the left side of French Gulch, passing below the Wellington Mine on the left at about 2.6 miles.

Ride past the remaining buildings of the Lincoln City town site at 4.1 miles. The road narrows, passing a fork to Humbug Hill on the left (this steep jeep road accesses several riding options). Just beyond this spur, take Sallie Barber Road, which forks right and drops to a stream — the French Gulch and Pass ride continues up the main road. Climb for roughly a mile to the high point and Sallie Barber Mine. Continue on the main road, which descends a steep, rough section as it heads back toward Breckenridge.



The road finally levels and contours through the trees past several side roads. Bear right (downhill) on the singletrack Barney Ford Trail, then take another right 100 yards after a downhill, follow signs 1.5 miles down this fun singletrack. Cross the paved Summit County Road 503, and follow signs for Moonstone Trail, then take Carter Park trail back to Carter Park in town. 

SallieBarberRoad_Trail-Map-ExploreSummitBikeGuide2020

The Sallie Barber Road and Trail as described is a great winter fat-bike as it packs out very quickly due to the local hut traffic that goes up Sallie Barber Road.



— Scott Reid

This is best ridden as a gravel or fat-bike route if you are just on Sallie Barber Road, though a full loop should be done on a mountain bike. Sallie Barber does get used in many of the loops to access stuff, including in the Sidedoor and Slalom areas of Breckenridge. You get a lot of vert by going up it, and there’s a cool mine view at the top.

— Camden Latimer


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