The Dutch Flat Trial is a little known trail that offers stellar mountain biking near Anthony Lakes. Taken as a downhill, it is phenominal. The problem is that if you want to DH only, you'll have to helicopter you bike in and drop it at the very top of the trail because it starts right at the wilderness boundary, at an intersection with the Elkhorn Crest Trail and Crawfish Basin Trail. The other approach is to ride it as an out and back. Even though the climb is strenuous, it offers several mellow sections and limited steep rocky areas that require walking. As you climb, your giddiness will build in anticipation of the awesomeness of this downhill. Alas though, the trail is shown here as a downhill only because it is stupid fun that way.
You will enjoy this scenic trip, which takes you within a quarter mile of the serene Dutch Flat Lake. (Note that this out and back to the lake is included on the map here). The trail surface is a mix of loam and some decomposed granite. Several granite babyheads litter the trail from start to finish, which adds to the fun of the ride. There are challenges along the way, including a granite sidewall on your descent that is perfectly formed for a high banking entry back onto the trail. There are several rocks and roots forming natural launch points and techie maneuvering. It is almost as if they were made for bikes, but obviously not because I couldn't find any tire tracks on this trail the first few times I visited it. The game changer is the recent work by the trail crews keeping it cut-out and fun.
The trailhead sign is mainly overlooked by people zooming up the road to Anthony Lakes. Look for the sign after a right hand bend on the lower portion of the Anthony Lakes Highway climb. Turn onto the dirt road to the left. The trailhead 1.2 miles up this dirt road, which is passable by most vehicles.
Trail Notes
- 0.0mi. Start at Dutch Flat Pass where the trail starts at the Elkhorn Crest Trail. A trail on the other side as the Crawfish Basin Trail. The trail starts as a series of technical switchbacks before it traverses across the mountain.
- 1.4 Trail intersection for Dutch Flat Lake and a short trail goes down to the lake. Go right if you want to visit the lake. Some more switchbacks will be coming that interrupt some good flowy trail.
- 2.4 Come to a meadow that is Dutch Flat. There are some campsites here. This begins a more mellow descent with more roots and turns with some rolling but consistent descending.
- 8.6 mi. There really isn't much to confuse you the rest of the way because there are no other trail intersections and it comes out right where the road ends at the trailhead.
