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Colorado has many places that road and mountain bikers enjoy riding and absolutely love. From the western slope to the front range, you’ll find mountain bike trails that will stun you with their expansive views and intoxicating nature. Here’s just a sliver of the magnificent mountain biking around Colorado’s Rockies — here’s our TOP 13 CHOICES.
– Researched & written by Mike Hamers
Trail Ridge Road is the highest continuous paved road in the U.S. It’s also the main road through Rocky Mountain National Park. Trail Ridge Road is one of “10 America’s Byways in Colorado” and a nationally designated “All American Road”.
The full route takes you from Estes Park to Grand Lake (48 miles one way), reaching an elevation of more than 12,000 feet. There is no loop; this is an out-and-back effort. Eleven miles of the road are above treeline, and the grades never exceed 7%. A word of caution: weather can be tricky this time of year. Check with the park before attempting this ride to learn about road conditions.
• TRAIL SURFACE: Paved
• LEVEL: Advanced
• WEBSITE: https://www.
If Trail Ridge Road sounded too tame for you, consider pedaling up Mt. Evans – the highest paved road in North America. If you start in Idaho Springs, you’ll climb from 8,700 ft to 14,240 ft over 49 miles. This is perhaps the best place in Colorado to catch a glimpse of the stately bighorn sheep. But never forget that the weather is volatile; be prepared for wind, rain, lightning, snow and hail any day of the year. The road is typically open the Friday of Memorial Day weekend through the first weekend in October.
• TRAIL SURFACE: Paved
• LEVEL: Difficult (it’s not steep but its length & altitude will work on many riders)
• WEBSITE: http://www.
The actual ride up Lookout Mountain itself is only a 5-mile climb from downtown Golden to Buffalo Bill’s gravesite at just over 7,000 ft. Though short, Lookout Mountain is famous for road cycling (you will probably see more bikes than cars on weekends) and is often tacked onto other rides west of Denver.
From the top, you can extend your route by riding through the quiet neighborhoods to CO 40, which gives you access to Evergreen, Morrison, and the Red Rocks area. Or descend Grapevine Rd south of I-70 for a few miles of gravel before arriving in Idledale.
• TRAIL SURFACE: Mostly paved
• LEVEL: Intermediate
• WEBSITE: https://
Turquoise Lake is a 780-Acre lake near Leadville that sits around 10,000 ft. The loop ride around the lake itself is a 15-mile loop with 1,300 ft of climbing on quiet roads. Average rider takes just under 6 hrs to complete. There are multiple parking options at picnic areas and campgrounds or start from downtown Leadville for a roughly 22-mile ride. There are a ton of campgrounds along the eastern edge of the lake as well. The prime season for the ride is between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
• TRAIL SURFACE: Single-track
• DIFFICULTY: Intermediate to difficult
• WEBSITE: https://leadville.
A Colorado Classic — We start high in the Rocky Mountains and only go up from there. Based at Copper Mountain Resort in the heart of the Rockies, the famous Copper Triangle is a cycling classic. This road ride is graced with breathtaking scenery, gorgeous roads and three climbs over 10,000 feet. The 79-mile loop crests three Colorado mountain passes – Fremont Pass (11,318’), Tennessee Pass (10,424’) and Vail Pass (10,662’) – for a total elevation gain of 6,500 feet. On average it’s a 14.5 hour ride.
• TRAIL SURFACE: Mostly paved
• DIFFICULTY: Intermediate to Advanced
• WEBSITE: https://www.
Monarch Crest is an IMBA Epic – a route designated as an extra-special mountain bike ride in the U.S. by the International Mountain Bicycling Association. Beginning at Monarch Pass, the route travels 35 miles to its endpoint in Poncha Springs. Ridden this way, you’ll gain 2,281 feet and lose 6,100 feet (so definitely do it this way and get a shuttle home!) on 85% singletrack, reaching a high of 11,900 feet shortly after beginning the ride. The average ride is 13 hours.
The official Epic combines three trails: Monarch Crest Trail (14 mi.), which follows a portion of the Continental Divide Trail; Silver Creek Trail (4.5 mi.); and Rainbow Trail (10 mi.). The full route includes 5 miles of pavement into Poncha Springs.
• TRAIL SURFACE: Paved 11.2 miles, Dirt Road 14.9 miles
• DIFFICULTY: Intermediate to Advanced
• WEBSITE: https://monarchcrest.net
The Buffalo Creek trail system, located an hour southwest of Denver, was built and is maintained largely by and for mountain bikers on U.S. Forest Service land. There are so many trails to choose from, it’s difficult to determine the exact number of miles you could ride in the system.
One of the best-known rides is the Buffalo Creek Big Loop, and IMBA Epic. This route is 24 miles with 2,700 feet of climbing and a high elevation of 8,000 feet. It’s mostly smooth singletrack with several lengthy climbs and descents plus a mix of pine forests and wide-open, scenic mountain views through forest fire burn areas. The Buffalo Creek area features everything from smooth dirt roads to intermediate trails with multiple optional lines to double-black diamond trails littered with bike-specific technical features.
• TRAIL SURFACE: Dirt — Singletrack mountain bike trail
• DIFFICULTY: Intermediate that beginners can ride much of. Some tech features.
• WEBSITE: https://www.trailforks.com/
The 401 Trail in Crested Butte is only 8.6 miles one way, but don’t let that fool you. Whichever way you’re traveling, there’s plenty of steepness (max grade 30%). But the effort is worth it on this classic, alpine singletrack ride well-known for its stunning views and high point of 11,300 ft. Add on Gothic Road to create a 13.7-mile loop ride.
To get to 401, you can drive from Crested Butte on Gothic Rd and park your car at the Copper Creek Parking lot. Be sure to stop by Gothic ghost town, while you’re in the area. It’s a 7.5 mile drive and from the parking lot, it’s a 4.5 mile climb with your bike to Schofield Pass.
• DIFFICULTY: Advanced
• TRAIL SURFACES: single track dirt, but the road up to Gothic is paved.
• WEBSITE: https://
With this National Recreational Trail, you will get to follow the route all through Leadville’s beautiful history. It is also the state’s highest paved path at 11.6 miles long and has access to the ADA route. It was designated as a “National Recreational Trail” two years after it was ongoing. Average ride time is 4 hours to complete.
• DIFFICULTY: Easy to Moderate
• TRAIL SURFACE: Dirt, some paved
• READ MORE: https://www.
If you are looking for a scenic bike trail in Colorado, the New Santa Fe Regional Trail will be the perfect choice for you. This 17-mile trail will take you on a journey through mountain trails, lakes, and the U.S. Air Force Academy based in Colorado Springs. Hikers and bikers alike love this scenic trail through the small town of Monument with its restaurants and shops.
• Trail end Points: County Line Rd (Palmer Lake Rec Area) and Woodmen Rd (Colorado Springs)
• DIFFICULTY: Easy
• TRAIL SURFACES: Crushed Stone, Gravel, Sand
• WEBSITE: https://www.traillink.com/
This 12.3 mile trail goes along the Poudre River, starting from the Watson Fish Hatchery to the Colorado State University’s Environmental Learning Center on East Drake. This trail takes a beautiful turn when it follows through small lakes, agricultural farms, wooded areas, and parks and ponds. A multi-use trail: Mountain Bike; Hike; Trail Running; Riding Area. Average ride time is 2 hours + 45 min.
• DIFFICULTY: Easy
• TRAIL SURFACE: Paved Asphalt, Concrete
• WEBSITE: https://poudretrail.
Next on the list is an award-winning trail attracting new bikers every day with its beauty. Head out on this 7.7-mile out-and-back trail near Golden, CO. The path gives bikers the ability to ride on non-motorized paths along Clear Creek Canyon, following gorgeous nature reserves. The terrain is complete with native grass, canyon walls, shrubs, trees, and water rushing down the valley’s bottom. Takes an average of 2 hours + 45 minutes to complete.
• Trail end Points: U.S. 6 and Big Easy Trailhead and U.S. 6 & Tunnel 1 and Clear Creek Trail (Golden)
• TRAIL SURFACE: Asphalt, Concrete (Trail Category: Rail-Trail)
• DIFFICULTY: Easy
• WEBSITE: https://www.jeffco.
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