North Trail in Vail (Cougar Ridge)
Known as the summer Minturn Mile, Cougar Ridge is a rollicking backcountry descent from Vail Mountain's Back Bowls down into Minturn. It starts off the Grand Traverse with a left fork past the signs leaving resort property, then gives up 4 miles and 2,000 feet of descending — mellow at first through meadows and pine, then fast and flowy after the 2020 VVMTA and Forest Service reroute built by McGill Trails. Near the bottom, a turnoff leads to Lionshead Rock and its overlook of Minturn. The trail meets Game Creek, where you can spin into town or climb back toward Vail Mountain.
5 mi
2,800 ft descent
1 hr
Advanced
Highlights
- 2,000-foot backcountry descent to Minturn
- Fast, flowy rebuilt singletrack
- Lionshead Rock overlook
- Finishes near the Minturn Saloon
Trailhead & parking
Grand Traverse access, Vail Mountain
Park in the Vail Village or Lionshead garages, or at the Forest Service lot outside Minturn on U.S. Highway 24 — this one works best as a shuttle or big loop.
Directions- Season & conditions
- Best midsummer and fall.
- About this data
- Distance, elevation, time, difficulty and description are stated in the article. Coordinates from public map data.