USFS National Forest System Trails · Pike and San Isabel National Forests · Colorado · Updated June 2026
Horse Ranch (USFS trail 1397) is a 4 mi trail in Pike and San Isabel National Forests, Colorado. Mountain-bike use here is accepted but discouraged in USFS data, with Class 1 e-bikes also designated.
Can I bike Horse Ranch?
| Use | Status | Season on record |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain bike | Accepted but discouraged | — |
| Class 1 e-bike (pedal-assist, 20 mph) | Allowed | year-round |
| Class 2 e-bike (throttle, 20 mph) | Allowed | year-round |
| Class 3 e-bike (pedal-assist, 28 mph) | Allowed | year-round |
Zooming out: across Pike and San Isabel National Forests, 51% of rideable trail miles are open to mountain bikes — a Bike Access Grade of B.
Watch Pike and San Isabel National Forests for access changes
Email me when USFS mountain-bike or e-bike designations change for trails in Pike and San Isabel National Forests. Free, unsubscribe anytime.
About this trail
Horse Ranch (USFS trail 1397) runs 4 mi through Pike and San Isabel National Forests in Colorado. This profile summarizes what the official US Forest Service trail record says about riding it: how long the trail is, what it's built on, how steep the route grades out, and which forms of bike use the agency has designated. The tread is mapped as native material. Based on slope, this is a Easy trail (grade band +5-8%); that reflects gentle gradient and is not the same as a technical MTB difficulty rating. Note that mountain-bike use here is discouraged in USFS records — confirm with the ranger district before riding. The record additionally permits Class 1, Class 2, Class 3 e-bike use; recall that Class 1 is pedal-assist, while Class 2 adds a throttle and Class 3 a higher cutoff speed. The route is mapped as USFS Trail Class 2 on the agency's 1-to-5 development scale, where 1 is the most primitive, minimally maintained tread and 5 is the most developed. For day-of certainty on closures or seasonal orders, check directly with the ranger district, since this reflects the USFS data as of the latest refresh.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you mountain bike on Horse Ranch?
- Mountain-bike use on Horse Ranch is discouraged in USFS records, though Class 1 e-bike use is designated. Confirm current rules with the managing ranger district.
- Are e-bikes allowed on Horse Ranch?
- Class 1, Class 2, Class 3 e-bikes are designated on Horse Ranch in the USFS data.
- How long is Horse Ranch?
- Horse Ranch measures about 4 mi in total, summed across its mapped National Forest System segments.
- What is the surface of Horse Ranch?
- USFS data records the tread surface of Horse Ranch as native material.
- How difficult is Horse Ranch?
- Its grade-based difficulty is Easy (grade band +5-8%), derived from USFS slope data. This reflects steepness, not technical mountain-bike difficulty.
How we read this data
Grade-based difficulty above is the USFS grade (route steepness), not a technical mountain-bike rating — a gentle-grade trail can still be rocky or technical, and vice versa. Bike and e-bike status come verbatim from the USFS managed-use fields for this trail; we never infer access we can't cite. See our methodology for how the dataset is built and what each field means.
Where it is
Approximate location of Pike and San Isabel National Forests (USFS trail geometry isn't mapped).
Where to stay near Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Find hotels, cabins, and vacation rentals near Pike and San Isabel National Forests — plan your ride.
Top-rated places to stay near Pike and San Isabel National Forests
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Riding Pike and San Isabel National Forests?
Trail-access updates and trip ideas by email.