Friday, August 7, 2009

Great Places to Ride Your Bike in Colorado

By Pat J Williams

Ever dreamed of going on a Colorado biking adventure? The multiple beautiful mountain ranges in the state are the perfect place for adventurous bikers to test their skills and enjoy the great outdoors. But even less seasoned bikers will find great trails in Colorado suitable for their skill levels. Check these out.

Three trails combine to create a long, technical trail encompassing 21 miles. Located near Buena Vista, the Colorado Trail, Chalk Cliffs, and Cottonwood Pass Road have some sections suitable for inexperienced riders, but a good part of the path is uphill with steep inclines. Your reward for braving the trek? Enjoy the hot springs located midway on the trail and give yourself a relaxing break. The Colorado Trail also has restrooms by their parking area.

Nature lovers will really enjoy the Monarch Crest trail-a 28-mile journey that gives you spectacular views of the Continental Divide. Located not far from Salida, this is a great scenic spot. Utilizing the shuttle to the higher elevation-12,000 feet-is recommended.

If you want to challenge yourself with rocks and roots to navigate, steep inclines, difficult descents, and maybe even an odd encounter with a cow, bear, deer, or elk, you'll love the White Ranch Park trail. It's 19 miles long and is great for intermediate bikers because you can choose from different loops with different levels of technical difficulty.

The Bear Creek Loop near Glenwood Springs is a 20-mile loop. It starts out with a 10-mile climb before following the rim of the Glenwood Canyon at about 1700 feet above the Colorado River. Aside from the awesome views, theres also fast banked corners and wide open stretches where you can build up quite a bit of speed. This is followed by a tricky downhill section that is lots of fun. Watch out for some technical rocky sections and some fast bermed corners. You can buy a map of this area for only $1 at the Chamber of Commerce.

Even more difficult is the Searle/Kokomo Pass. Located in the vicinity of Dillon, this 18-mile section is shorter than some of the other trails, but extremely tough. The 12,300-foot altitude makes breathing a challenge, and the trek is demanding. But if you can handle the thin air and tough terrain, you'll be treated to some beautiful scenery-like native wildflowers and pristine ponds. And the downhill stretches are an exciting plus.

The Double Top Trail near Crested Butte is an extremely difficult 32-mile loop. At an altitude of 11,700 feet, dehydration can become a problem, so ALWAYS carry plenty of water. This epic trail is for bikers are in good shape and can handle very technical trails. If this is you, then you are in for an incredible ride!

For fun, exercise, and a unique adventure, you can't beat biking on any of Colorado's many exciting trails. Take it slow, play it safe, stay hydrated, let your body adjust to the elevation, and ride with a group or a friend. And definitely plan to have a good time!

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