Trail of the Week: Grouse Trail System
Distance
- Mountain Bike Loop – 10.2 miles (Grouse Creek to Half Nelson, to Meadow Mountain, to Full Nelson, down Grouse Lake, climb Haymeadow, to Full Nelson, and across Full Nelson, down West Grouse Creek and back to the trailhead)
- Hiking Loop – 5 miles (Grouse Creek to Full Nelson, to Grouse Lake, and back to trailhead)
Activities: Biking, hiking, and trail running
Rating: Intermediate to advanced
Time: 1.5-2 hours
Elevation gain: 1,200 – 2,300 feet
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Type: Mostly Singletrack with some doubletrack
Season: Late Spring. Best from mid-summer to late fall
Local tip: The VVMTA, Town of Minturn, and USFS expanded the parking lot in the spring of 2026. Instead of parking at the Grouse trailhead, start your day across the street by parking at Vail Mountain Coffee & Tea and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee.
Parking: Park at the Grouse trailhead on Highway 6 and 24, about 0.50 miles from I-70.
Description: The Grouse trailhead offers many different short or long loop options and continues to get better. Hikers and trail runners enjoy access to the Holy Cross Wilderness via either Grouse Lake (4 miles) or West Grouse Creek (8 miles) trails. Hikers and trail runners can enjoy these trails as out and backs or utilize the Full Nelson trail to create a shorter, 5-mile loop.
Mountain biking in the Grouse area provides many opportunities for short lunch rides or longer, epic rides. Riders can experience all of the trails in the area from the Grouse trailhead. In 2022, the VVMTA extended the Full Nelson trail to connect West Grouse Creek with Grouse Lake. They also extended the Full Nelson trail connecting Haymeadow to Grouse Lake trail. From this intersection down, Grouse Lake is open to bikes. Above this intersection is wilderness and closed to bikes. Haymeadow is an old doubletrack road with no shade, so plan your ride accordingly. All other trails in the area are shaded in dark pine and aspen stands.
The suggested loop for all Grouse trails is to head up West Grouse Creek from the trailhead, turn right onto Half Nelson, connect to and head up Meadow Mountain, turn left onto Full Nelson, down Grouse Lake, climb Haymeadow, connect to and across the Full Nelson trail, and then back across Full Nelson, down West Grouse Creek and back to the car. Both West Grouse Creek and Grouse Lake offer some fun, rocky, fast, and technical downhills. Please be aware of hikers and yield accordingly.
For a long, epic loop, add on the rest of Meadow Mountain, Whiskey Creek, and Everkrisp, completing what is locally known as the “Meadow Mountain MEGA”. This is a 20-mile and 4,500′ ride.
