Gnarly, gnarly downhill! The Cornucopia Trail is for real DH riders because it is technical and angled at steep, steeper, and steepest. You get to traverse across the south face of Cornucopia Peak and then turn and plummet more-or-less straight down the mountain. There is plenty of loose rock and obstacles along the way, as the trail offers a mix of singletrack and abandoned mining roads as you drop down to the community of Cornucopia.
You have a short bit of uphill climbing to do from the Summit Point Trailhead on the Cliff Creek Trail #1885. It tops out on a beautiful meadow that you cross halfway and then find the Cornucopia Trail to the east. It travels over to Schneider Cabin, a first-come-first-serve shanty under Cornucopia Peak. Shortly after the cabin you go into DH mode.
You can make this a loop from the Halfway area by riding up Carson Grade to Summit Point.
Trail Notes
- 0.0mi At the Summit Point Trailhead start up the non-motorized road up the ridge.
- 0.6 A road intersection. You go straight onto the official trail. To the right goes up the ridge a short ways to Summit Point and the lookout. It would be worth going up to.
- 2.6 Trail intersection for the Cornucopia Trail 1868. Go right (east) onto the trail. The meadow is very open with good sight, but there are many cow trails that might cause some confusion. If you get lost anywhere, keep aiming for the base of where Cornucopia Peak meets the meadow.
- 3.0 Trail goes right by Schneider Cabin
- 3.3 Trail traverses the slope before it begins some switchbacks. If you get lost on some trails around the cabin, look for the trail traversing the ridge, as it should be quite visible beyond the cabin.
- 5.0 Trail meets the Jim Fiske Creek Trail/Road. Stay right, downhill.
- 5.6 Another road intersection. Stay right, downhill.
- 6.5 Come to the road in Cornucopia. Take a left (not right) to head back down the road toward Halfway.
