Round Trip Distance: 2.1 miles
Difficulty: Strenuous
MTB Skill level:
Elevation: 5101 - 5747 feet
Cellphone: 3-5 bars
Time: 1 hr.
Trailhead: Upper Tabeguache
Fee: none
Attractions: Scenic overlook
Eagle's Wing is located in the Lunch Loop Trails System in Grand Junction, Colorado. Its upper end begins off of the Tabeguache trail where it climbs along a rocky route to a point known as Eagle's Nest Rock overlooking portions of the Colorado National Monument and the BLM Bangs Canyon Management Area. From there the trail follows the rim for a while to where it makes a dramatic drop down a rocky slope. As the trail continues it has a mix of moderately difficult stretches that are punctuated with more advanced technical features. The trail eventually comes to an end at a junction with the High Noon and the Eagle's Tail trails.
Eagle's Wing begins about a quarter mile or so down the Tabeguache trail from Little Park Road.
As the trail begins it climbs up a moderate slope where it alternates between slickrock and gravely to rocky dirt track.
A profile map of the trail shows the gradual climb that it makes for the first 3/4 of a mile followed by the remaining downhill run. The steeper parts of the downhill tend to also be the most technical.
At the 0.45 mile point Eagle's Wing is met by the Lunch Line trail which begins off of Little Park Road. The Lunch Line can be used as an alternate route to the Tabeguache trail for getting to this point from the Upper Tabeguache trailhead.
The trail reaches the rim overlooking the part of the Bangs Canyon Management Area where the slickrock route the Ribbon Trail follows down to Andy's Loop can be seen below. The prominent outcrop here is known as Eagle's Nest Rock.
At the 3/4 mile point the Free Lunch, mountain bike only, trail branches off on the right.
After passing Free Lunch the trail travels below the rim for about a hundred feet where the views below are quite spectacular.
The climbing continues until the trail reaches its high point. For most of the climb the trail is rocky with some minor ledges.
As the trail descends it is still rocky and ledgy in places but gravity makes it much easier in this direction.
The trail continues staying mostly near the rim of the mountain with a short uphill section to mix things up a bit. Near the 1.3 mile point it comes to its big dramatic drop that takes it down to a saddle in the ridge.
At the 1.5 mile point the Eagle's Connector branches off on the right heading over to the Tabeguache trail near Widowmaker Hill.
The rest of the trail is a mix of relatively smooth track and big rocky sections.
There is one more spot where the trail makes another significant drop passing through some large boulders.
Eagle's Wing comes to an end at a junction with the High Noon and the Eagle's Tail trails. The High Noon trail leads over to the Tabeguache trail and beyond to the lower ends of Lemon Squeezer and Pucker Up coming to an end at Ravens Ridge and Moto. A short distance from this spot it is connected to by the upper end of Pet-e-Kes. Eagle's Tail continues downhill past Andy's Loop and the lower end of Pet-e-Kes until it reaches the Tabeguache trail not too far from the Tabeguache/Lunch Loop trailhead. So many options for so much fun. If you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is grab your bike or 'Take a hike'.
