Cougar Ridge
Cougar Ridge is the summer Minturn Mile — a backcountry descent from Vail Mountain's Back Bowls into Minturn that echoes the winter ski route. Starting from the Grand Traverse, riders leave resort property and descend 4 miles and 2,000 feet, opening with mellow meadows and pine forest before the 2020 Forest Service partnership reroute added 1.75 miles of fast, flowy trail. Near the bottom, a turnoff reaches Lionshead Rock, the landmark overlooking Minturn. The trail then meets Game Creek, offering a road spin into town or a climb back up Game Creek Trail.
5 mi
2,800 ft descent
1 hr
Advanced
Highlights
- Descent from Vail's Back Bowls
- Lionshead Rock viewpoint
- 1.75 miles of 2020-built flow
- Game Creek Trail connection
Trailhead & parking
Grand Traverse access, Vail Mountain
Ride it as a big loop or a shuttle: park at the Vail Village or Lionshead garages, or the Forest Service lot outside Minturn on U.S. Highway 24.
Directions- Season & conditions
- Best midsummer and fall.
- About this data
- Distance, net elevation change (-2,800 ft), rating, time and parking are from the article. Coordinates approximate the Grand Traverse access above the Back Bowls.