Marshall Mesa

Marshall Mesa is a great trail that has a lot of different types of terrain. It starts off with a short, rocky section (fairly large, fixed rocks), then you can veer left onto the Marshall Valley Trail or right onto the Coal Seam trail. These two trails are linked by the Community Ditch trail, so you can loop it from either direction. The trail has a little bit of everything, it has sections that are wide hardpack, rocky, off-camber, some single track, and gravel. The Community Ditch trail is the highpoint, so you have to climb up one way and down the other, I prefer the more gradual climb up the Valley Trail and the fast, steeper ride down the Coal Seam. In general a pretty good beginner trail, nothing is too difficult. There is a bridge with a fairly large step-up, but it is very manageable, and a couple of gates that you can fit though, you just need to push open/closed. If you want to extend your ride, from the junction of the Coal Seam trail and Community Ditch trails, you can go through new the tunnel under highway 93 and take the Community Ditch trail over to Dowdy Draw trails and eventually hook up to the Flatirons Vista trail as well. There are accessible bathrooms at the trailhead and handicapped parking spots. If your vehicle is not registered in Boulder County there is a fee to park (but there is a gravel parking lot right outside the gates of the trailhead). Note: pictures are not mine, but represent the trail fairly well.