[a2thak]

I am new to mtb but not to Durango. I have been riding Telegraph area (stacy's) as well as grandview area (sale barn), and have wanted to ride Overend more. I went out once and I'm pretty sure I picked the absolute wrong way to ride it.

Does anyone have any suggestions on which direction or which trails to ride out there? I do most my riding after work, so I am looking for ~1-1.5 hrs of riding. Also, starting behing the tech center would be ideal since it is closer to my house. The one time I went I started from the TH near Mana and went left at first but then I'm not really sure since I was just following people.

 

[shoulderfu]

Test trax will kick your ass w/all the punchy climbs.Part of the fun of riding there is learing all the little loops and putting them together-We all seem to have our fav loops.I would explore,get lost a little,and enjoy the experience.Honestly,it is marked so badly,and so hard to describe any route(s)
That being said,the tech center has direct access to the cemetery(spirit) trail.That is a good start.Another option is to take the trail that parallels highland N.That will connect w/the hidden valley loop,climbing to the top of a ridge,and then dropping to Snake pit/aka star wars.That drops you onto Slime gulch.I am sure others will chime in as well.

 

[Burrows]

We've got a loop we call "Ned's Nachos". Up hidden valley, down star wars, up hogsback, around ??? trail that drops you into slime gulch, up 8 bells? I think they call it now, around the dump, through spirit, back climb back up to falcon, decend, back up neds hill, engleharts to hidden valley = neds nachos.

 

[UserNameTaken]

The beauty of Overend park is that you can just go ride and link up different trails. There are lots of hills, but most of them are pretty short and they have been reworked over the last few years to make them more ride-able. I agree with shoulderfu - the best way to figure it out is to just go ride. After while the area will grow on you and you should figure out some enjoyable loops that work for you.

 

[ameybrook]

Best ride: Sailing Hawks loop (n/k/a Jacob's Cliffs) over to Hidden Valley entrance to TT. Up and over / down Star Wars / up and over down into dump / all of Spirit Trail.

 

[shoulderfu]

^^^^^ ^^^^^

That's a Fav of mine as well (with a secret trail or 2 thrown in )
Brilliant minds must think alike!

 

[slimat99]

I've been linking Sailing hawks and ned's too. Even found a cool log ride/drop near the top of a techy unmarked trail with a rock shelter equipped with a hammock at the top. I wonder who made that line?

OP, I would offer a link up with good flow but I'm still trying to figure out the best route myself. Like shoulderfu said, explore and figure out a link up that's fun.

 

[toweringhouse]

This is great stuff, folks. I grew up in Durango, near Turtle Lake, and rode TT a lot back then. I haven't been lately, but wish I could mount up and do it now (live in Boulder). I remember sliding around the shale, brakes locked, just sliding down and through gullies hoping not to seriously hurt ourselves.

Now, the references to Sailing Hawks loop and hook up to TT intrigue me. I know you could get to TT from the top of the Mountain View area, but is there a way to get there from up Junc Ck?

 

[shoulderfu]

No,you just take 25th to the neighborhood.Since your move,a new trail has been put in off Hidden Valley rd by the trailer park.It's a great meandering trail that puts you at the top of Star Wars.

 

[forkboy]

but is there a way to get there from up Junc Ck?

Not legally - that cuts through a peregrine falcon nesting area, and is designated "wilderness".

 

[lacticacidbath]

at test tracks it's all good if you remember a few keys:
-don't ever climb up Star Wars. go down it though, very very fast.
-avoid the hogsback (but the saddle loop that is off the maps is effn great)
-going up "neds" (suffer) is a must.
-when going around the dump go around the dump (looks like homesites now) instead of through the dump. there are some cheater trails but they eliminate some great riding.
-climbing "dew drop" is hike-a-bike and bells/roots is way better.

A good loop:
up hidden valley-grabens-down star wars-down gulch-up bells/roots-up browns-left on hogsfoot (around the dump)-sprit loop-up ella vita-down bells/roots-down gulch-up neds/suffer (all the way)-down hidden valley

 

[jhazard]

at test tracks it's all good if you remember a few keys:
-don't ever climb up Star Wars. go down it though, very very fast.
-avoid the hogsback (but the saddle loop that is off the maps is effn great)
-going up "neds" (suffer) is a must.
-when going around the dump go around the dump (looks like homesites now) instead of through the dump. there are some cheater trails but they eliminate some great riding.
-climbing "dew drop" is hike-a-bike and bells/roots is way better.

A good loop:
up hidden valley-grabens-down star wars-down gulch-up bells/roots-up browns-left on hogsfoot (around the dump)-sprit loop-up ella vita-down bells/roots-down gulch-up neds/suffer (all the way)-down hidden valley

Amazed every time I hit Star Wars to see either riders climbing it, or hikers climbing it...

 

[ds1bush9]

Adam, give me a shout sometime and I'll show you around the TT loops. I know pretty much all of it.

-Jason

 

[3blackbikes]

Haha. Well I made the noob mistake today. :madman:

I'm brand new to Durango and have been using my first week before starting work to check out the trails. And... thought Overend would make the perfect hard workout on the SS, so I started out, up Hidden Valley (awesome), down Star Wars (super awesome) and then... I made a right and went up and OVER Hogsback. Oopsie. Lesson learned. Picked it back up on Spirit but by then my quads and nerves were shot after HABing, so I headed home.

Next time I'll know better! Part of the fun of learning new trails is learning which trails not to do!

 

[shoulderfu]

When you get the the junction of Hogsback(near the top on the ridge),go rt instead of left towards the peak.After a short dh and a tough little climb(prob a push on a ss) there is an incredibly fun,sketchy DH that drops you back to slime gulch

 

[cbrossman]

Haha. Well I made the noob mistake today. :madman:

I'm brand new to Durango and have been using my first week before starting work to check out the trails. And... thought Overend would make the perfect hard workout on the SS, so I started out, up Hidden Valley (awesome), down Star Wars (super awesome) and then... I made a right and went up and OVER Hogsback. Oopsie. Lesson learned. Picked it back up on Spirit but by then my quads and nerves were shot after HABing, so I headed home.

Next time I'll know better! Part of the fun of learning new trails is learning which trails not to do!

Test Tracks sounds better and has history, I like Ned and all, but it has only been Overend for a couple of years now.

 

[lacticacidbath]

When you get the the junction of Hogsback(near the top on the ridge),go rt instead of left towards the peak.After a short dh and a tough little climb(prob a push on a ss) there is an incredibly fun,sketchy DH that drops you back to slime gulch

this ^^^

 

[a2thak]

Thanks for all the awesome input. I'm slowly starting to explore it and get to know this area better.

 

[forkboy]

When you get the the junction of Hogsback(near the top on the ridge),go rt instead of left towards the peak.After a short dh and a tough little climb(prob a push on a ss) there is an incredibly fun,sketchy DH that drops you back to slime gulch

That could use some bench-cutting. The traverse is a little more exciting than usual.