Switzerland Trail: Dirt Life Shrugged

Trailhead coordinates: N40°01.521’ W105°25.526

Riding the Switzerland Trail was like reading Atlas Shrugged; it was long, Colorado played a central role and the railroad was part of the central theme.  The Switzerland Trail is an old railroad grade that was used to transport people, supplies and ore between Boulder and the surrounding mountain communities from 1883 to 1919.  Curiously the tracks were destroyed by major flooding which threw the GSL&P rail line into bankruptcy.  The once bustling communities along Wall Street and in Sunset still remain and this ride will take you on an intimate ride along one of Colorado’s storied railroad routes in and around Four Mile Canyon.

I took the abandoned railroad, now a fire road, from the trailhead off Sugarloaf Road, down to Sunset then up the north side to Gold Hill Road and back.  The first leg of the trail gets a lot of shade and with the recent snow fall there remained a layer of hard packed snow and ice.  I like to think I have good brake control but these skills were not enough to prevent me from losing control and sliding down 20 yards or so on a hard sheet of ice.  I was lucky to come away with just a couple of scrapes and bruises – rubbed a little Dirt on ‘em and I was good to go.

In 3.89 miles you come to the sleepy little ‘ghost’ town of Sunset Colorado.  An important stop during the mining days of Colorado, a shell of the town remains but you will undoubtedly find a community that holds on to its historic past.  A quick glimpse to the west at just the right time will show you how this town got its name.  The trail continues on the other side of the road and the climb is long and steady.  It’s not a difficult climb but it is continuous and seems rather lengthy.  You finally reach Gold Hill Road at 8.48 miles.  About a mile before you reach Gold Hill you’ll come across one of the most curious landmarks along this trail – a tall and lonesome chimney surrounded by well placed picnic tables.  Also reachable by car, this would make a delightful picnic spot with great mountain views all around you.  Unfortunately there is no camping here but campsites aren’t far off.  The views are great and at times you’re able to catch a glimpse of the Indian Peaks just piercing the landscape to the west.

The trail itself is pretty rocky but most rocks aren’t much larger than a softball.  The loose stuff is no problem but does make the ride a bit uncomfortable if you’re not used to it.  Parts of the trail are relatively smooth and if you’re lucky a little muddy.  This weekend involved a fair amount of hard pack snow but only on the first leg of the ride.  Climbing back up this section wasn’t much of a problem but you’ll learn quickly to stay away from the shiny stuff going and coming.  This picture shows one of the few smooth sections.

The descents are exhilarating but the steep drop offs and loose terrain can make this trail very dangerous at high speed.  Maintain control at all times, especially in winter conditions.  It was tiresome but not terribly difficult.  The trail is an old rail line so take a few minutes to appreciate the cuttings along the way – imagine what it must have been like traveling by train back in the late 1800’s for the first time through the Rocky Mountains.

For me, a thousand pages are hard to get through once but the Switzerland Trail could have been 1000 miles long and I would not hesitate to do it again.  View the trail profile at connect.garmin.com/activity/401587100 and check out the player section to see the route in action.

A great afternoon!  Wall Street has been devastated by the recent floods but they're working hard to repair this great scenic drive.  Thanks for clicking in and I hope to see you on the trail.

Alan - Dirt Life