Review Date
December 30, 2005

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Aerobic Difficulty
 2 of 5

Technical Difficulty
 2 of 5

Ridden Trail:
Once a week

Reviewed by: never ,  Cross Country Rider

Summary:
This trail is a 30 second ride from by house and I usually ride it 4-7 times a week. Over the summer, it's usually dry, hardpack with numerous creek crossings. This year (2005) was extremely wet and the creek was flowing all year long (usually dries up in normal years). Generally the trail drains well and can be ridden after a rain (this year was an exception though!). But with the onset of winter and thawing, it is extremely messy right now (end of December). Normally during the winter, the trail is still fun to ride but regular foot traffic can make it packed and slick in some sections.

I find the trail fun though not very challenging but I do regularly pass people having issues with some sections. It is fairly twisty and you can get quite a bit of speed in most sections which makes it enjoyable. The creek crossings are also fun because they usually have a steep climb or drop on either side. Plus you can push yourself on a climb out of the valley and ride on the flatter sections up top, then take a fast descent back into the valley.

Overall, I really enjoy the trail and ride it a lot. It's great because it is so close to my house and I can go out with my dog. The route is fairly short but there are a number of loops you can do. When I go out, I ride it for 1-2 hours and never get bored.

Photos of this trail can be found here:
http://members.shaw.ca/ehartman/

Recommended Route:
There are a number of ways to go but the most fun singletrack is along the creek, from the Tuscany Blvd. bridge, down to Tuscany Hill at Stoney Trail. There is one main trail and it is the most fun. But there are other options, there are several hills to climb out of the valley along the way, as well as at the end. Out of the valley, on the NE side is a plateau with a bunch of singletrack/doubletrack trails. They are fairly flat and not too exciting but they offer the opportunity to mix up the route a bit (though there is one singletrack that runs along the wire fence which is fun - lots of ups and downs). Plus, when you are up top, you can choose from a number of steeper descents to get back into the creek valley. Basically, just ride it and don't be afraid to check out all of the side paths. I'm still finding new variations, especially along the valley walls (though they aren't travelled very often).

Other recommended trails in the same area:
If I want to trail ride on my commute to work, I like to ride this trail from north to south, then it's a quick ride on paved bike paths to Bowmont Park which as a lot of fun singletrack, then on bike paths, cross the Bow River and ride in Edworthy Park (bunch of singletrack with some fun climbs and descents). Those are the most enjoyable trails I ride in the immediate area (i.e., 10 km radius).