more stats
1.5 miles
Distance
3 ft
Climb
-1,027 ft
Descent
00:17:04
Avg time
-1,025 ft
Altitude change
596 ft
Altitude min
1,622 ft
Altitude max
1,622 ft
Altitude start
597 ft
Altitude end
-13%
Grade
-70%
Grade max
12.7%
Grade min
138 ft
Distance climb
1 mile
Distance down
200 ft
Distance flat
00:17:04
Avg time

Top Chief Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
  • Riding Area
    Nevis Range Trails
    Nevis Range
  • AKA
    Red Giant
  • Difficulty Rating
    Black Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black (3 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    80 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 75 in E-Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #3822 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #2450 in E-Biking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    DH, AM
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • Season
    May-Sept
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • TTFs on Trail
    Bridge, Drop, Jump, Rock Face, Skinny
  • Ride in Rain
    Yes
  • Year Opened
    2009
  • Land Owner
    Forestry and Land Scotland

Board walk top section with fast sections and tight corners. Mid section along the ridge contains some board walk and natural bed rock with small features. Lower ridge line involves steep technical sections and an optional drop some technical bed rock sections that are both steep and rough. Bottom of the track opens up into fast flowy corners with loose surface and some jumps and features.

Was called the Red Giant, has now been renamed and regraded black as of the 2018 season

Access Info

Trail is assessed from Gondola Uplift and trail head can be found next to the Quad Chair Uplift

Bike Park

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 1 rides
  • 11 miles average
6 Months
  • 4 rides
  • 16 miles avg distance
All
  • 162 rides
  • Last: Jun 21, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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update trails status or condition

Top Chief Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Apr 24, 2026 @ 10:37am (Europe/Isle_of_Man)
Apr 24, 2026
Aug 14, 2024 @ 10:48am
Aug 14, 2024
Jun 5, 2023 @ 3:28am
Jun 5, 2023
 could do with a shower to tighten up the loose sections
Jun 2, 2023 @ 4:13am
Jun 2, 2023
Sep 1, 2022 @ 12:56am
Sep 1, 2022
more »
Status:
on Apr 24, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 4.1 (32 votes)
Your vote: 0

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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
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Slope Aspect
Direction the slope faces
Flat N NE E SE S SW W NW
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        Directions to top-chief trailhead (56.836180, -4.993560)

        Photos

        36 more »
        257 |
        Sep 18, 2021 @ 3:38am
        Sep 18, 2021
        162 |
        Sep 4, 2023 @ 3:16am
        Sep 4, 2023
        156 |
        Jul 30, 2022 @ 1:30pm
        Jul 30, 2022
        186 |
        Jul 30, 2022 @ 1:29pm
        Jul 30, 2022

        Videos

        14 more »
        Fort William (Nevis Range) - Top Chief
        15:39 | 727 | Aug 11, 2022 , Nevis Range
        Can I manage Top chief from top to bottom...
        17:43 | 269 | Jul 12, 2022 , Nevis Range
        youtuber Fort William Downhill is scary! | Top Chief...
        17:26 | 436 | Oct 13, 2021 , Nevis Range
        Top Chief, Fort William - October 2021
        269 | Oct 10, 2021 , Nevis Range

        Routes with this trail

        43
        Nevis Exploration
        19 miles • 2,714 ft • 3 • Loop •
        Created this route to take you from the top of Nevis Range Gondola all the way out to the impressive sight...
        36
        Fort William SES 2016 Route
        17 miles • 3,512 ft • 1 • Out & Back • Race •
        2016 Fort William Scottish Enduro Series, http://scottishenduroseries.co.uk

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        Nearby Trails

        Nevis Range Trails

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        Frequently Asked Questions About Top Chief

        ▼ Where is Top Chief located?
        Top Chief is located in Nevis Range Trails, Nevis Range, United Kingdom. It is part of the Nevis Range Trails trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 56.83618, -4.99356.
        ▼ How hard is Top Chief?
        Top Chief is rated as Black difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 13%.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Top Chief?
        Top Chief has 3 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 1,027 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 596 ft to 1,622 ft.
        ▼ How long is Top Chief?
        Top Chief is 1.5 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.

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