None of the biking apps had much info on these trails, I don’t think many people ride here. So, we didn’t quite know what to expect. After an unexpected bike part blowup, we had to alter our planned route but still made a loop. I wouldn’t recommend this ride to people who like well groomed trails. If, however, you like a bit of adventure and have some good bike handling skills, this is for you.
Starting from the parking lot for the Mt Baldy Wilderness Trail we headed the opposite direction along the Railroad Grade Trail. This is very feint in places and probably gets more cattle traffic than anything. After crossing a few meadows and picking our way along some hillsides, we descended down to and crossed the stream.
From here the trail goes through previous burn but the forest is bouncing back beautifully. The trail is littered with little branches and sticks and this is what caused the blowup. As we wound down the mountain a stick got caught in Derek’s rear derailleur and jammed. It was bent pretty badly and after some cussing, manhandling and more cussing he got one of the gears in working order. It, unfortunately, was a hard gear which made the rest of the climbing VERY difficult. But let’s focus on the amazing views of the area!
The canyon walls are very dramatic and plunge down to the West Fork of the Little Colorado River in spectacular fashion. Aspen trees are thick up here and make for quite the colorful scene. As we descended further, Engelmann spruce and Douglas fir trees were thick on either side of the trail here. It’s steep and loose with rocks and would be nearly impossible to ride up. Good thing we were going down!
The trail drops you off on Main Street and we cruised downhill through the “town” of Greer. This is where we had to change plans. Derek was worried that heading back on West Fork Trail 94A would be too difficult with his only gear. So, we came back on a gravel road instead. This is a good option if you’re short on time too because it is faster riding.
Good thing for Amazon lockers! Derek was able to order a part and it will be delivered in a week.
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