Colorado Creek Trail: This is my favorite winter ride for a few reasons. It's the perfect length for a short winters day ride (2 hr. or less if you hammer, 3-4 hr. if you enjoy the scenery). Chena Valley can be windy and it is usually blowing out of the east, (coming from the hot springs ) but as the trail runs along the east side of the Colorado Creek valley it's protected, so don't let a stiff head wind on the drive out discourage you. In midwinter, with the sun low on the horizon, you get pretty good exposure until the last mile or so of trail. By far, the best thing about this trail is the flat out fun of it. In the 5.8miles into the cabin, there's only a half mile of level trail. The parking area is at 31.5 ml. Chena Hot Springs Rd. Within a couple of minutes of the trailhead, you hit a steep short hill which can be ridden (I've made it once in a mess of tries ), and continues with a good middle ring climb up to the Chena Hot Springs Winter Trail (CHSWT). This is by far the hardest hill. Cross the CHSWT and gently climb to 1 ml where the trail splits. Go left ( I've seen my buddy Jack up to his crotch in a puddle here in summertime). The trail goes through a small patch of birch which can form a graceful tunnel with fresh snow, then gently rises through a short open area before dropping to the first overflow; it's flat here and if conditions are right, can be ridden. You can also find water up to your knees, so take care. The next half mile you rise and drop though spots of overflow that traverse a hillside, so are sloping and very difficult, until you cross Colorado Creek at 2.5 ml. Now the trail continues rising and becomes more open around 3 ml. Nice views in this area. At 3.7 ml, in an open spot, there might be trails going left and right, but the main trail is well traveled and marked. It drops a little to more overflow then between miles 4 and 5, the trail veers right towards the head of the valley. This is the straightest section of trail and is big-ring fun coming down. Past 5 ml it slowly falls until the last creek crossing, then it's just a short climb to the cabin at 5.8 ml. Distance 11.6 ml; elevation gain 600+ ft.

Four Mile Ridge-Stiles Creek Cabin Trail. This trail starts with the Colorado Creek Trail and then splits off to make a 20 ml loop, climbing and following Four Mile Ridge for about 14 mls. You have two choices from the Colorado Creek Trailhead: you can go in about half a mile and go right on the Chena Hot Springs Winter Trail (CHSWT) for 4.5 mls and turn left ( it's marked ), or follow the Colorado Creek Trail to 1 ml where you go right (it's marked ). This trail can also be accessed via the shooting range at mile 36.4 Chena Hot Springs Road. From there, you go left on the (CHSWT) for half a mile or less, then turn right on Stiles Creek Cabin Trail (marked). I recommend going the 1 ml Colorado Creek Cabin route. This trail is usually well used and well packed to the cabin at 8 ml. If you choose to do the loop, be prepared; the trail east of the cabin is not used as often and prone to drifting over in spots for at least 6 mls until it drops off the ridge. When the trail splits at one ml, it begins a .6 mile climb to the ridgetop, gaining 300+ ft. I usually walk my bike on a longer climb like this. It can be ridden but in winter you really work extra hard on little ring climbs (steering and getting enough traction without spinning rear tire into trail ), besides getting sweaty on the start of a winter ride probably isn't a good idea. Once on top, this trail is a blast with great views. For the next 6.5 mls, the trail goes up and down with another 400 ft. elevation gain overall. At 7 ml there's a good view of the Tors and the Alaska Range. Just before 8 ml you can test your descending skills with the drop to the cabin. If you do the loop or turn around here, be ready to enjoy some wonderful downhill runs as you lose that hard won altitude. Be warned, on hard braking descents like this your rims will get hot enough to melt snow even in sub zero temps. This leads to icy rims which can lead to an unwanted rush when you next hit your brakes and there's nothing there. Ride the brakes hard until you feel them working, this usually takes only a few seconds. With all the climbing, this trail is physically and technically challenging but very rewarding. Distance 20 ml; elevation gain 1000+ ft.

East Fork Trail. Pullout and gravel pit-trailhead at ml 45.5 on the right side of the road going away from town. This trail is pretty flat and follows a Cat trail back to a mine some 30 mls in. It crosses East Fork about 3 mls back then veers towards the ridge to the south. The trail runs along the ridge for 2.5 mls. Around 6.3 ml you get into a heavily forested area where there's a funky trappers bridge that crosses Munson Creek. I went a couple of mls past the bridge. Later I found out that past the bridge there were unposted wolf traps right in the trail. This trail was well packed and fast. Lots of traps along trail past the East Fork crossing. Distance to bridge and back 12.6 mls; elevation gain under 100 ft.

Angel Creek Cabin Trail. Parking at 50.5 ml on left. Leave trailhead and turn left on Chena Hot Springs Winter Trail (CHSWT), then turn right on the Angel Creek Cabin Trail within a few hundred feet. As the trail heads up the valley, it climbs steadily. You go through a couple of open areas that can drift in. There is a state parks cabin at 3.6 ml. About a half mile past the cabin there is some overflow. Within a mile or so you'll pass an old shack. The trail continues climbing until 6.6 ml where you turn left to the second state parks cabin. The cabin is .2 ml after this turn. If you're lucky the snowmachiners will have a trail busted in past this turn Last year I made it a couple of miles further up the valley. have two choices from the Colorado Creek Trailhead: you can go in about half a mile and go right on the Chena Hot Springs Winter Trail (CHSWT) for 4.5 mls and turn left ( it's marked ), or follow the Colorado Creek Trail to 1 ml where you go right (it's marked ). This trail can also be accessed via the shooting range at mile 36.4 Chena Hot Springs Road. From there, you go left on the (CHSWT) for half a mile or less, then turn right on Stiles Creek Cabin Trail (marked). I recommend going the 1 ml Colorado Creek Cabin route. This trail is usually well used and well packed to the cabin at 8 ml. If you choose to do the loop, be prepared; the trail east of the cabin is not used as often and prone to drifting over in spots for at least 6 mls until it drops off the ridge. When the trail splits at one ml, it begins a .6 mile climb to the ridgetop, gaining 300+ ft. I usually walk my bike on a longer climb like this. It can be ridden but in winter you really work extra hard on little ring climbs (steering and getting enough traction without spinning rear tire into trail ), besides getting sweaty on the start of a winter ride probably isn't a good idea. Once on top, this trail is a blast with great views. For the next 6.5 mls, the trail goes up and down with another 400 ft. elevation gain overall. At 7 ml there's a good view of the Tors and the Alaska Range. Just before 8 ml you can test your descending skills with the drop to the cabin. If you do the loop or turn around here, be ready to enjoy some wonderful downhill runs as you lose that hard won altitude. Be warned, on hard braking descents like this your rims will get hot enough to melt snow even in sub zero temps. This leads to icy rims which can lead to an unwanted rush when you next hit your brakes and there's nothing there. Ride the brakes hard until you feel them working, this usually takes only a few seconds. With all the climbing, this trail is physically and technically challenging but very rewarding. Distance 20 ml; elevation gain 1000+ ft.

Chena Hot Springs Winter Trail. You can get on this trail at 26.6 ml and go all the way to the hot springs. I've ridden parts of this trail, and because of heavy use, it always seems to be well packed. Watch for dog teams. Parts of this trail cross private property. There are also areas of overflow. Being well packed and generally level, this is a good trail for people new to winter biking. After a snowfall, this trail is usually the first in the area to be broke open. Distance 30+ mls; elevation gain less than 500 ft.

These trails are maintained by the users for the most part. Trail conditions can change on a daily basis. Always use utmost care around overflow. On all rides be prepared in case you get wet. Contact State Parks at 451-2695 for trail condition and stop by their office for maps and more information.