Pinkerton--Flagstaff

Total Miles
8.2

Elevation

3,127.77 ft

Duration

0.75 Hours

Technical Rating

7

Difficult

Best Time

Summer, Fall

Trail Overview

Pinkerton-Flagstaff is a really challenging and scenic single track through the San Juan National Forest that rides through a series of climbs, ridgelines, and descents, with amazing views of the La Plata Mountains. The south end starts off with a rocky steep climb up the mountainside that is troughed with lots of loose rock and ruts. It side-hills along the edge of the mountainside, with bigger embedded boulders in the trail. It makes several tight switchbacks up and continues climbing up the rutted, rocky, and loose hill. It's really steep with ledges, so it's hard to maintain traction, but you have to maintain momentum coming into the ledges. It gets up to an amazing ridgeline with awesome views. It continues side-hilling on a shelfy slope below the ridge, and on the narrow top of the ridge. It descends to the saddles in between each ridgeline, some of the descents being really steep and rutted. There are bigger embedded boulders making steep 1-foot tall ledges. Near the north end, it goes through a large burn area from a fire in 2018, with potential for big trees down across the trail. It ends at the intersection with Dutch Creek, which you can take back south to make a loop.

Photos of Pinkerton--Flagstaff

Pinkerton--Flagstaff
Pinkerton--Flagstaff

Difficulty

This is a more advanced single track due to really steep hill climbs and descents that are rocky and rutted with rock ledges, several rock obstacles, tight switchbacks, and narrow side-hilling throughout the entire route. This trail will require some technical skill. The difficulty of this trail can also drastically change with new hazards in the burn area.

Technical Rating

7

Status Reports

There are no status reports yet for this trail.

Access Description

The Lower Hermosa Campground and staging area is accessed at the north end of Country Road 201, north of the town of Hermosa.

Popular Trails