Front Range Fatbiking
Find out what you need to know to have fun on your fatbike in the snow
Fatbiking Etiquette
Get the guidelines and best practices for fatbiking etiquette, Front Range fatbiking trails, fatbiking gear, safety and events to join the fun. We’ll keep adding more tips and resources in our blog.
Fatbikes yield
- To cross-country skiers
- To snowshoers
- Even when pedaling uphill
When off your bike
- Walk off the center of the trail on the uphill side
- Roll your bike in the middle of the trail
When to ride
- After a snow if the trails are packed
- If you are riding your bike at the proper PSI and staying upright
When not to ride
- If the trail is too soft or wet and you are leaving a deep rut or having trouble riding, which will create icy holes and bumps when the weather turns colder making fatbiking and skiing difficult and dangerous for others
Front Range Fatbiking Trails
Any open trail can be ridden in winter conditions, check out this compilation of crowdsourced data from Front Range Fattys and NoCo Fatbiking for snowpacked winter trails above 8,000 feet. Rider maintained trails create more fatbiking opportunities!
Rollinsville
TRAIL: MOFFAT ROAD (Rollins Pass)
Trailhead Location: Rollinsville
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: Non-groomed Jeep road with light 4X4 and snowmobile/ski/snowshoe traffic. Best as an early winter or late spring season fatbike ride.
Notes: Avalanche risk exposure is low on Moffat Road up until Yankee Doodle Lake, and then it becomes higher as you climb around steeper slopes near treeline. The risk is typically high past Needle Eye Tunnel, a hard place to access on a fatbike since it’s not well traveled in winter.
Nederland
TRAIL: SOUTH SOURDOUGH TRAIL
Trailhead Location: Nederland
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: Heavy snow area. Needs heavy foot/snowshoe/ski traffic to get a good base. Best a few days after heavy snow. Snow can get very deep. Has less traffic than the core Brainard Lake trails. Also used by snowshoers and skiers and can get well packed, but may also be soft and loose, especially in the more open areas.
Notes: From the south trailhead, Sourdough climbs steadily for 3.5 miles and 1,300 feet of elevation gain. The next 2.5 miles to Brainard Lake are rolling downhill. Makes a great out-and-back from the south trailhead or a big shuttle ride all the way to Peaceful Valley.
TRAIL: MUD LAKE
Trailhead Location: Nederland
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: High foot traffic area all season. Expect well packed snow.
Notes: Shorter trail with connection options to Caribou Rd up to 505 to Rainbow Lakes Road.
TRAIL: WEST MAGNOLIA
Trailhead Location: Nederland
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: Some well packed short sections of trail by neighborhood dog walkers but most trails do not see much winter use. The area is permitted to have winter grooming on the roads but a significant snowfall and lots of volunteer time is needed to make this happen. The clear-cut sections make the area prone to drifting leaving either bare earth or deep, unpacked snow. Best place to start is the Peak to Peak and Magnolia Rd trailhead and the trails north of Haul Rd. Groomed route is a 4 mile figure-8 on camping access roads.
Notes: Hit or miss, mostly miss. Best in mid-winter when it’s been a few weeks since a significant snowfall.
Brainard Lake
TRAILS: BRAINARD LAKE ROAD and LEFTHAND PARK RESERVIOIR ROAD
Trailhead Location: Brainard Lake Recreation Area
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: Very well packed, a great first fatbike experience choice!
Notes: Lots of good riding to connect in this area as it is heavily trafficked. Here’s a beginner route suggestion starting on Brainard Lake Road.
TRAILS: WALDROP
Trailhead Location: Brainard Lake Recreation Area
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: Heavy snow area. Needs heavy foot/snowshoe/ski traffic to get a good base. Best a few days after heavy snow. Snow can get very deep. Waldrop is usually one of the first and best packed singletrack trails.
Notes: Lots of good riding to connect in this area as it is heavily trafficked. Ride out to Brainard Lake as an out-and-back or make a loop with Snowshoe or SSV/Sourdough.
TRAILS: SNOWSHOE
Trailhead Location: Brainard Lake Recreation Area
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: Heavy snow area. Needs heavy foot/snowshoe/ski traffic to get a good base. Best a few days after heavy snow. Snow can get very deep. Has less traffic than Waldrop and more open spaces prone to drifting, especially by the campground.
Notes: Trail has some rolling hills, some quite steep.
TRAILS: SOURDOUGH (SOUTH)
Trailhead Location: Brainard Lake Recreation Area or Sourdough Trailhead (Rainbow Lakes Road 298)
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: Heavy snow area. Needs heavy foot/snowshoe/ski traffic to get a good base. Best a few days after heavy snow. Snow can get very deep. Has less traffic than the core Brainard Lake trails. Also used by snowshoers and skiers and can get well packed, but may also be soft and loose, especially in the more open areas.
Notes: From the south trailhead, Sourdough climbs steadily for 3.5 miles and 1,300 feet of elevation gain. The next 2.5 miles to Brainard Lake are rolling downhill. Makes a great out-and-back from the south trailhead or a big shuttle ride all the way to Peaceful Valley.
TRAILS: SOURDOUGH (NORTH)
Trailhead Location: Brainard Lake Recreation Area (or Beaver Reservoir Road or Peaceful Valley)
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: Heavy snow area. Needs heavy foot/snowshoe/ski traffic to get a good base. Best a few days after heavy snow. Snow can get very deep. From the Brainard trailhead it is usually well packed to the South St Vrain trail. Past that, it gets less traffic and conditions are more iffy. Can be ridden down to Beaver Reservoir Road or all the way to Peaceful Valley.
Notes: Awesome downhill to South St Vrail trail! Can be ridden down to Beaver Reservoir Road or all the way to Peaceful Valley. The total Sourdough trail is 13 miles, making it a great shuttle or a mega out-and-back ride. From Brainard Lake, the trail descends nearly 2,000 feet and climbs 600. The section between South St Vrain and Beaver Reservoir Road is the least traveled and the most open, trail is not always great in the winter.
TRAILS: SOUTH ST VRAIN
Trailhead Location: Brainard Lake Recreation Area (or Beaver Reservoir Road)
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: Heavy snow area. Needs heavy foot/snowshoe/ski traffic to get a good base. Best a few days after heavy snow. Snow can get very deep. One of the lesser trafficked trails in Brainard Lake but is a smoking downhill when it’s good. After the “staircase section” the trail is a road for a bit and can get very drifty in windy conditions.
Notes: Awesome shuttle ride from Brainard Lake! Nearly all downhill from Sourdough, or work a little taking Waldrop to the lake, then catch South St Vrain. The section from the lake to Waldrop is lightly trafficked and may not be packed enough for bikes.
TRAILS: LITTLE RAVEN EXTENSION
Trailhead Location: Brainard Lake Recreation Area
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: Little Raven trail is ski only from Nov 15 – April 30 but the extension trail is open year round. One of the lesser trafficked trails in Brainard Lake but is a fun downhill when it’s good. Best ridden as a loop going up Lefthand Park Reservoir Road and down Little Raven Ext.
Notes: Because of lower traffic in general and the bottom end of the trail ending close to the parking lot off of Sourdough trail, Little Raven Extension seems more prone to deep post holing than other trails at Brainard.
General Notes: Little Raven and the CMC Ski trail are closed to bikes November 15 – April 30. See Trailforks for more route suggestions.
Peaceful Valley
TRAIL: BUCHANAN PASS
Trailhead Location: Peaceful Valley
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: Very high traffic from the trailhead. First ½ mile or so stays very well packed. From the intersection of Middle Saint Vrain heading west is one of the first trails in the area to get packed in. Frequently rideable up to Timberline Falls. Out and back is about 7.5 miles round trip. Beyond that can be hit or miss depending on traffic. Many fat bikers carry snowshoes to work on packing this area in so it can be looped with Coney Flats or Middle Saint Vrain.
Notes: Heavy moose activity.
TRAIL: NORTH SOURDOUGH TRAIL
Trailhead Location: Peaceful Valley
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: Usually the 2nd trail from Peaceful Valley to get packed in. Usually requires 2-3 days after heavy snow to get packed in from foot/snowshoe/ski traffic. Once established it gets fast and fun. Later in the season after more traffic and deeper snow base, rideable trail may continue south of Beaver Res road (inconsistently).
Notes: Early in the season this trail is used to connect to Beaver Reservoir road up to Coney Flats and/or descend Cutoff Trail.
TRAIL: BEAVER RESERVOIR CUTOFF TRAIL
Trailhead Location: Peaceful Valley or Beaver Reservoir Road
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: Usually the 3rd trail from Peaceful Valley to get packed in. Usually requires 2-3 days after heavy snow to get packed in from foot/snowshoe/ski traffic.
Notes: Great little trail to make a 5 mile loop with Sourdough – normally ridden up Sourdough, up Beaver Reservoir Road and down Cutoff. Warning, Beaver Reservoir Road is exposed and often very windy.
TRAIL: CONEY FLATS
Trailhead Location: Near Beaver Reservoir | Ward
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: Popular ski and snowshoe area due to easy access and relatively mild elevation gain. Can get very well packed later into the season and the base stays well established. Snowmobilers occasionally access this trail making for great fat biking!
Notes: If conditions allow makes for a long loop when connected with Buchanan Pass. Best to start at Peaceful Valley → Beaver Reservoir Cuttoff → Coney Flats → Buchanan Pass (Coney Buchanan Loop).
TRAIL: MIDDLE SAINT VRAIN
Trailhead Location: Camp Dick (near Peaceful Valley)
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: Snowmobilers occasionally access this trail making for great fat biking! Not very popular until snowmobiles pack it in. Can be very well packed.
Notes: If conditions allow makes for a long loop when connected with Buchanan Pass. Best to start at Peaceful Valley. Ride west towards Camp Dick. Descend down Buchanan Pass
General Notes: See Trailforks for more route suggestions.
Jamestown
TRAIL: CERAN ST. VRAIN
Trailhead Location: Jamestown
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Heavily trafficked and popular trail throughout the season. Expect well packed snow until hitting Miller Rock.
Estes Park
TRAIL: HERMIT PARK
Trailhead Location: Estes Park
Traffic/Trail Condition Expectations: Rideable by fat bike during light/moderate snow and only in the early season. Very light/minimal traffic. Best to ride after a few inches of snow. Mixed conditions possible (snow + dirt). Expect to break trail.
Notes: Hermit Park closes in the winter. Seasonal closure is weather dependent from around December through March. This is a fee area ($6 as of this writing).
Evergreen
TRAIL: ELK MEADOW OPEN SPACE
Trailhead Location: Evergreen
Traffic/Trail Conditions: High foot/snowshoe/ski traffic all season.
TRAIL: ALDERFER / THREE SISTERS / DEDISSE
Trailhead Location: Evergreen
Traffic/Trail Conditions: High foot/snowshoe/ski traffic all season.
TRAIL: CUB CREEK
Trailhead Location: Evergreen
Traffic/Trail Conditions: 1700 ft elevation gain in 4 mi. Most of the trail is tree covered with a north-facing-ish angle so it stays snow covered much longer than other trails. Lots of hiker traffic packs the trail down, but the trail itself doesn’t see much use at any one time. Usually rideable after a big snow in three days or so after the hikers have gone through and packed it down a bit.
Notes: There’s a viewpoint to the north at 3/4 of the way up around 3 mi that a lot of hikers stop at, so that last mile often takes a lot longer to get packed. It’s rare that North Elk Creek trail is packed enough to ride the whole way, but there’s been accounts of people riding it in winter.
Conifer
TRAIL: MEYER RANCH PARK
Trailhead Location: Conifer
Traffic/Trail Conditions: High foot/snowshoe/ski traffic all season.
TRAIL: FLYING J RANCH
Trailhead Location: Conifer
Traffic/Trail Conditions: High foot/snowshoe/ski traffic all season.
Notes: Less than 4 miles of trail, but very beginner friendly.
TRAIL: STAUNTON STATE PARK
Trailhead Location: Conifer
Traffic/Trail Conditions: High foot/snowshoe/ski traffic all season.
Notes: Can be icy/muddy at bottom and deep at the top but winter grooming keeps the trails in good shape all-around.
Pine
TRAIL: STAUNTON STATE PARK
Trailhead Location: Conifer
Traffic/Trail Conditions: High foot/snowshoe/ski traffic all season.
Notes: Can be icy/muddy at bottom and deep at the top but winter grooming keeps the trails in good shape all-around.
TRAIL: BUFFALO CREEK
Trailhead Location: Pine
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Low traffic area and not consistently snow packed. This area is popular for fat bike riding year round. In the winter it will likely be mixed conditions (snow + dirt), but do not expect true snow packed trails. NOT rideable in heavy snow.
Notes: Not a true “fatbike” destination – although great riding and rideable in all but the heaviest of snow.
Geneva
TRAIL: GENEVA CREEK
Trailhead Location: Geneva Park Campground
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Pretty flat for the most part with a few small climbs. Beautiful area and a lot of fun. Usually has plenty snow even if it hasn’t been seeming to snow closer to the metro area.
Notes: Park 7 miles north of Grant at the Guanella Pass winter road closure. Ride into the Geneva Park Campground – campsite 14 (sometimes 13). Should be able to follow the track from there. It’s a bit under 3 miles out and ends at the Shelf Lake/Trail 600 lot on road that the campground was accessed from. Out and back 5-6 miles total. Sometimes you can ride more on County Road 1038 but it doesn’t get much traffic.
Leadville
TRAIL: CMC TRAILS (Timberline Trails)
Trailhead Location: Leadville
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Groomed singletrack? Yes please! Park at the Dutch Henry Tubing Hill and hop on Mineral Belt to access the Colorado Mountain College Timberline Trails. Consistently groomed.
Notes: The Boulders trail continues on outside the grooming area to more trails that may or may not be packed enough for fatbikes.
TRAIL: MINERAL BELT TRAIL
Trailhead Location: Leadville
Traffic/Trail Conditions: This 11.6 mile non-motorized loop is a paved bike path in the summer and a groomed winter course the other half of the year. The trail is 10ft wide and is shared by skate skiers, classic Nordic skiers, trail runners and snowshoers. Consistently groomed.
Notes: The east side of the loop tours Leadville’s historic mining district. Would be a great first time fatbike choice, also good for kids and beginners (especially shorter out-and-backs).
TRAIL AREA: EAST SIDE MINING DISTRICT
Trailhead location: Leadville
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Groomed county roads winding through Leadville’s mining structures, with spectacular above-treeline views. Fat bike, cross-country ski, snowmobile, snowshoe. Check out the Evansville Loop and the Stumptown Loop.
TRAIL: TURQUOISE LAKE
Trailhead location: Leadville
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Turquoise Loop is a 14-mile loop of groomed roadway around the lake, with spectacular views of peaks, canyons, and the frozen lake itself. Also check out St Kevin’s loop to the north east of the lake. Open to fat bike, cross-country ski, snowmobile, snowshoe. Groomed twice a week. Parking at CR99 and 9.
Notes: Best ridden in the early morning before 9:30am to avoid snowmobiles.
TRAIL AREA: TWIN LAKES
Trailhead Location: Interlaken Trailhead (Colorado Trail segment 11.2)
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Foot packed traffic from Interlaken Trailhead to the Inter-Laken historic resort. Sees heavy winter traffic use from trailhead to historic site (about 2 miles out, 4 miles out and back).
Notes: Beautiful views of Twin Lakes and Mt Elbert.
TRAIL AREA: TENNESSEE PASS NORDIC CENTER
Trailhead Location: Ski Cooper
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Fatbikes have access to 16+ miles of nordic ski trails and 6 miles of snowshoe trails. $25/day trail pass fee.
Notes: Fatbike rentals start at $30/hour or $55/half day.
General Notes: Leadville is a must do! 20-40+ miles of groomers! Shout out to High Riders Snowmobile Club for keeping the East Side Mining District and Turquoise Lake area running smooth! Check in with Cycles of Life for conditions. Also see Leadville’s Grooming Report. Grooming schedules vary so it’s good to check in and find out what’s riding well.
Breckenridge
AREA: FRENCH GULCH
Trails: Turks Trail, B&B, X10U8, Minnie Mine, V3, Sallie Barber Road, Trail of Tears, Side Door (lower connection, not downhill trail), Prospect
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Heavily trafficked, more packed by French Gulch Road. Expect more unpacked conditions the higher you go. Can connect over to Carter Park.
AREA: CARTER PARK
Trails: Carter Park, Moonstone, Barney Ford, Jack’s Cruel Joke, Hermit Placer, Nightmare on Baldy
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Heavily trafficked and shuttleable! Can also ride between Carter Park and French Gulch trails.
AREA: WELLINGTON
Trails: Liesel’s Luge, Wellington
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Heavily trafficked neighborhood trails.
AREA: GOLD RUN
Groomed Trails: Gold Run Road, Fall Classic, Hard Luck, Slalom, Dry Gulch, Upper Flume to Middle Flume, and Tom’s Baby.
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Free groomed trails. See the Town of Breckenridge website for a complete list of trail conditions and grooming schedules.
TRAIL: ILLINOIS CREEK
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Heavily packed.
Notes: Park at the ice arena and say hi to Isak Heartstone, Breckenridge’s resident troll.
GROOMED TRAIL: RECREATION PATH
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Groomed regularly on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
AREA: GOLD RUN NORDIC CENTER
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Groomed nordic center. Day pass $27, Annual pass $160, punch passes also available.
Notes: Fatbike rentals are available by hour ($15) or half day ($30).
General Notes: See the Town of Breckenridge website for a complete list of trail conditions and grooming schedules. Also, Summit County Trail Conditions facebook group.
Winter Park / Fraser
AREA: ST LOUIS CREEK/ELK CREEK
Trails: Creekside, Chainsaw, Broken Spade, Iko, Northwest Passage, Givelo
Trailhead Location: Fraser
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Most heavily trafficked area all season long. Creekside, Chainsaw, Zoom, Leland Creek Road, Northwest Passage and Givelo are groomed. Fatbiking not allowed on Flume or Deadhorse Loop.
AREA: IDLEWILD/RENDEZVOUS
Trails: Yankee Doodle, Meadow, Serendipity, Ditch, South Fork, Crosstrails and others.
Trailhead Location: Winter Park
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Second most heavily trafficked area all season long.
AREA: VASQUEZ
Trails: Twin Bridges, Blue Sky (groomed), Little Vasquez Road, Chickadee, Tunnel Hill Road
Trailhead Location: Winter Park
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Little Vasquez Road and Blue Sky are consistently packed by snowmobiles (Little Vasquez & Tunnel Hill) and grooming (Blue Sky). Twin Bridges also good.
AREA: LELAND CREEK
Trails: Take D’ Leap, Sunset Pink, Sundog, Akima’s Way, Razzmatazz
Trailhead Location: Winter Park
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Can be good in low snow conditions, particularly early season. Much of area is clear cut and can be deep, drifty and unpacked mid-winter.
TRAIL: FRASER RIVER TRAIL
Trailhead Location: Winter Park/Fraser
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Groomed Rec path connecting Fraser and Winter Park.
TRAIL: GRAND PARK COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTER
Trailhead Location: Fraser
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Free groomed trail.
AREA: DEVIL’S THUMB RANCH
Trailhead Location: Tabernash
Traffic/Trail Conditions: groomed
Price: $30 weekdays/$40 weekend per day. Annual passes and 5 & 10 punch passes also available. Fat bike rentals available for lodging guests: $30 Half Day, $50 Full Day
Notes: See the Winter Park Fatbiking facebook group for more conditions.
Laramie, Wyoming
AREA: HAPPY JACK
Trails: Pole Creek, Middle Aspen, Aspen, Blackjack, Dilly Dally Alley, Snowshoe, Black Ice, Haunted Forest, Headquarters Trail, Express Trail, Crow Creek Loop
Trailhead Location: Laramie, Wyoming
Traffic/Trail Conditions: Groomed and heavily trafficked all season long. Rideable all season. View Happy Jack Fat Bikers, Happy Jack Recreational Area, Laramie Trail Conditions and Laramie Bikenet for conditions and information updates.
Notes: 12 miles of Snowdog-groomed singletrack. Well worth the drive!
Groomed Front Range Fatbiking Trails
From volunteer maintained to city groomed to Nordic centers, here’s options for Front Range (and adjacent) groomed trails open to fatbikes.
| Location | Trail Area | Grooming Report | Trail Mileage | Trail Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laramie, WY | Happy Jack | Grooming Report | 14 miles | Singletrack | $5/day parking |
| Nederland | West Magnolia | Grooming Report | 4.6 miles | Wide | Free |
| Conifer | Staunton State Park | Grooming Report | 30 miles | Singletrack | $10 day pass or Keep Colorado Wild $29 annual pass |
| Fraser | St. Louis Creek | Grooming Report | 7.9 miles | Wide | Free |
| Fraser | Leland Creek (Blue Sky) | Grooming Report | 1.4 miles | Wide | Free |
| Fraser | Fraser River Trail | Grooming Report | 6 miles | Wide | Free |
| Tabernash | Devil's Thumb Ranch | ? | Wide | $40 weekend/$30 weekday | |
| Hot Sulphur Springs | Pioneer Park | Grooming Report | 1 mile | Wide | Free |
| Breckenridge | Upper Blue Recpath | Groomed Monday & Thursdays | 9 miles | Wide | Free |
| Breckenridge | Gold Run | Grooming Report | 7.4 miles | Singletrack | Free |
| Breckenridge | Gold Run Nordic Center | Grooming Report | 8.5 miles | $27/day. Punch pass and annual pass available | |
| Leadville | CMC (Timberline Trails) | Grooming Report | 20 miles | Singletrack | Free |
| Leadville | Mineral Belt | Grooming Report | 11.6 miles | Wide | Free |
| Leadville | East Side Mining District | Grooming Report | 15 miles | Wide | Free |
| Leadville | Turquoise Lake | Grooming Report | 14 miles | Wide | Free |
| Leadville | Tennessee Pass Nordic Center | Grooming Report | 16 miles | Mixed | $25/day or $125 annual pass |
Willing to travel farther afield? Check out Crested Butte, Gunnison (Hartman Rocks), Steamboat Springs, and Cortez (Boggy Draw).
Fatbiking Gear
Equipment
TIRES
- SIZE – Are at least 3.8 inches wide, with 4.5+ inches recommended for Boulder County high country conditions
- PSI – Are set at an appropriate low PSI – no more than 8 PSI, some conditions may require 1-2 PSI. 4-5 PSI is a good place to start in BoCo
- FLOTATION – Allow you to travel over snow without leaving a rut deeper than one inch on a packed trail.
- TRACTION – Allow you to be able to safely control your bike and ride in a straight line.
LOW PRESSURE TIRE GAUGE – Most standard bike pumps and compressors can’t accurately measure fatbike tire pressures. A manual 1-15 PSI gauge is about $15 and a great addition to your pack.
FULLY RIGID BIKE OR HARDTAIL – Suspension is less important when fatbiking, especially if you’re riding on snow packed trails.
DROPPER POST – This will help you remount your bike and make descending and cornering that much more fun!
FRAME BAGS – These assist with carrying water, snacks, hot toddies, and more without the need for a backpack, which could make your back extra sweaty.
Equipment
WIDE TIRES – Tires should be at least 3.8 inches wide, with 4.5+ inches recommended for Boulder County high country conditions
LOW TIRE PRESSURE – Run your tires at less than 8 PSI. Some conditions may require 1-2 PSI. If you are slipping or sinking or leaving a rut, keep airing down. If you still can’t stay on your bike, it’s time to turn around… or strap on your skis or snowshoes and carry on.
LOW PRESSURE TIRE GAUGE – Most standard bike pumps and compressors can’t accurately measure fatbike tire pressures. A manual 1-15 PSI gauge is about $15 and a great addition to your pack.
FLOTATION – Make sure you can travel over snow without leaving a rut deeper than one inch on a packed trail.
TRACTION – Be able to safely control your bike and ride in a straight line.
FULLY RIGID BIKE OR HARDTAIL – Suspension is less important when fatbiking, especially if you’re riding on snow packed trails.
DROPPER POST – This will help you remount your bike and make descending and cornering that much more fun!
FRAME BAGS – These assist with carrying water, snacks, hot toddies, and more without the need for a backpack, which could make your back extra sweaty.
Clothing
Clothing
PLENTY OF LAYERS – Wear (and bring) a base layer, warm wool or down layer, and breathable water resistant shell.
HEAD – Stay warm with a helmet, skull cap or hat, and neck gaiter. Sunglasses or goggles are also useful.
HANDS – Wear winter cycling gloves or snowsports gloves. For very cold temperatures, consider pogies (shells that fit over your grips, brakes, and levers that create a pocket of warmth), heated grips, heated gloves, or chemical hand warmers to go with your gloves.
LEGS – Consider winter breathable pants or cycling-specific tights.
FEET – Think about riding in winter boots – and know that gaiters are key.
Safety
Be Aware and Be Prepared
Do not trespass
Know whether or not you are on private property. Obey all land manager rules. Some land parcels are closed to bikes whether you are riding on a trail or not.
Learn safe ice travel
Riding on frozen water can be extremely dangerous. Is the ice thick enough to support you? Take ice fishing picks and a length of rope when riding on lakes and rivers.
Understand changing conditions
New snowfall or warming temperatures can make the return trip much more difficult. Tire tracks can be covered, hard snow can turn to slush, and rivers can start to melt. Know the forecast and be aware of how changing conditions might alter the safe passage of your route.
Be prepared
Carry provisions in case you have to stay out longer than planned.
Let people know
Make sure someone else knows where you are going, when you left, and when you expect to return.
Understand packed trails
Postholing – leaving footprints or heel divots or deep tire ruts on a packed multi-use trail is poor winter trail etiquette and can be downright dangerous for other users like nordic skiers. Sure, every time it snows all users are going to pack the fluff back into the trail. But if you find yourself in soft or warm conditions and you can’t stay on your bike – put on snowshoes or turn around and come back when conditions are better. That innocent churned up soft snow can freeze when temperatures drop and create icy holes and ruts that can hang on for weeks.
Do not ride through sensitive wildlife habitats
This may be especially important in places where animals hibernate. Learn about the area you want to ride in before you ride there.
Do not disturb wildlife
Many species survive on minimal diets during winter. Stressors or the need to move quickly can deplete their energy stores.
Events
| Date | Event | Series | Race Format | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/7/2023 | Winterbike | Mass start | Copper Mountain | |
| 1/21/2023 | Colorado Cup | Leadville Winter Mountain Bike Series | Individual time trial with 30 second interval starts | Leadville |
| 1/21/2023 | Cottonwood Crusher | Mass start | Buena Vista | |
| 1/27 - 1/29/2023 | Fat Bike World Championships | Mass start | New Richmond, WI | |
| 2/2/2023 | Fatbike Fullmoon race | Mass start | Steamboat Springs | |
| 2/3/2023 | Alley Loop Fat Bike Race | Mass start | Crested Butte | |
| 2/4/2023 | Tennessee Pass Night Jam | Leadville Winter Mountain Bike Series | Mass start | Leadville |
| 2/4/2023 | Winter's Fat Classic | Mass start | Deadwood and Lead, SD | |
| 2/12/2023 | Snow Dawg | Laramie BikeNet members event | Mass start | Laramie, WY |
| 2/18/2023 | Frisco Freeze Fat Bike Race | Mass start | Frisco | |
| 3/4/2023 | Chubby Chaser | Mass start | Laramie, WY | |
| 3/4/2023 | Mineral Belt Mayhem | Leadville Winter Mountain Bike Series | Mass start | Leadville |
| 3/4/2023 | RTA Fatbike Bash | Mass start | Rico | |
| 3/5/2023 | Rat Bike Face | Mass Start | Glenwood Springs | |
| 3/10 - 3/12/2023 | The Drift | Mass start | Pinedale, WY | |
| 3/11/2023 | 28 Below | Mass start | Spearfish, SD | |
| 3/18/2023 | Fatty Patty | Leadville Winter Mountain Bike Series | Mass start | Leadville |
| 4/8/2023 | East Side Epic | Leadville Winter Mountain Bike Series | Mass start | Leadville |
Did we miss something? Wrong info? Drop us a line.
Additional Fatbiking Resources and News
Trailforks Winter Map
Did you know you can see summer and winter maps on Trailforks? This is especially useful for the Brainard Lake Recreation Area that has trails that only exist in the winter, and Little Raven trail changes from bike accessible in the summer to ski only in the winter.
How to Make More Fun (Fatbiking) Trails
Backcountry snow riding comes with rewards and challenges. Unlike groomed trails at a Nordic center, in the backcountry there are no hard and fast rules, but we can do a lot to “self-groom” a trail to be awesome (or trash it so it’s basically unrideable).
My 5 Year Journey to Falling in Love with Fatbiking
My first fatbike ride was in January 2014, but I didn’t fall with the sport and buy my own fatbike until January 2019. I’ll share what I did wrong and what I didn’t know so you don’t have to miss out on 5 years of fun.
Download our Winter Trail Etiquette poster. Trail organizations are welcome to download and use this poster for free – share the winter stoke!