Sophia May
Colorado Mountain Biking Vacation – Colorado’s vast and varied terrain is bisected by the Rocky Mountains, allowing for spectacular views of the famous 14ers and alpine downhills that define the term “self-made.”
Split in two by the Rocky Mountains, Colorado offers a wide variety of riding experiences. In the Midwest around Fruita, you’ll find desert terrain with plenty of early dry season singletrack. In the eastern plains, you’ll also find some of the best mountain biking trails in Colorado. But the heart of the country is inland, especially near the Front Range and Central Rockies, which offer the vast majority of the more than 8,000 miles of trails, with the famed mountain town of ‘Crested Butte boasting 750 miles of trails. It’s so wide and varied that you feel like you’re mountain biking in New Zealand.
Colorado Mountain Biking Vacation
With its beautiful canyon and mountain backdrops, Colorado mountain biking is one of the best places you’ll find anywhere in the United States.
The Best Bike Rides In Boulder
When you think of things to do in Colorado, skiing and hiking might come to mind, but mountain biking has a rich history as locals helped create a new sport in far-flung places. Along with early riders in California and British Columbia, Crested Butte was instrumental in the genesis of mountain biking.
Back in the 70’s it was a very happy cycling community tinkering with old bikes and road bikes to find better replacements than “cantilever” as they traversed rugged mountains and off-road terrain.
As an Aspen native, I may be biased, but the Rockies and Western Slopes offer some of the best mountain biking travel in the country. Resorts looking to accommodate off-season recreationalists have stepped up their game, creating miles of trails, world-class bike parks and incredible downhill accessibility. Snowmass, Crested Butte, Breckenridge and Vail resorts have been developed with exciting trails for different skill levels and goals.
Whether you’re looking for some fun riding or a little riding, Breckenridge and Snowmass offer some of the best mountains in Colorado for beginners, and if you’re new to the sport, here’s A great place to take a guided mountain bike tour. Snowmass Bike Park also features express lifts to get your adrenaline pumping. However, the Front Range shouldn’t be overlooked as it’s easy to access, varied for skill levels, and the downhill trails offer plenty of bragging rights.
Multi Day Custom Mountain Bike Tour
To mix metaphors, you have to take turns to get the best. We detail some of the best mountain biking trails in Colorado.
See Crested Butte in all its glory on 700 miles of singletrack. Crested Butte, a former coal mining town about 200 miles from Denver at an elevation of 8,850 feet, is considered the birthplace of modern mountain biking.
The road to Crested Butte is said to have not been paved until the early 1980s. Local gearheads build heavy but durable bikes with knobby and fat tires to navigate the potholed roads caused by extreme weather changes in the mountains. This early mountain biking became the preferred mode of travel, and a new obsession was born.
With over 700 miles of single track, Crested Butte is one of the birthplaces of modern mountain biking. Photo licensed under CC BY 2.0 by TRAILSOURCE.COM
Mountain Bike This Summer On Your Summit County Vacation
In 1976, Crested Butte riders opened the first mountain bike shop in the United States. Local obsessions are no longer hidden in the mountains. Beginning in 1976, a group of local hardy riders decided to cycle the 12,075-foot Pearl Pass, covering 40 miles, and visiting their neighbors in Aspen. Pearl Pass tours are now available each September. Crested Butte is also home to America’s first mountain bike club, the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association, founded in 1983.
This bike-loving mountain town of 2,500 has about 3,500 bikes and seven bike shops. Crested Butte is also surrounded by plenty of singletrack and great off-road trails to ride. Spend a day exploring the MTB trails, or add a multi-day tour for added adventure. Crested Butte offers great outdoor activities and incredible access to a range of cross-country (XC) mountain biking trails. You may want to stay here year-round, as the terrain offers many activities.
The beauty of the terrain here sets it apart from other mountain biking destinations. Wildflower-covered valleys leading to dense aspen groves, then climbs, exits and into high mountains, then horrific wild descents – all good.
For starters, Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s Evolution Bike Park is a great place to go if you want to improve your skills for a day. You acclimate to the altitude, know the terrain, and find plenty of turns to keep you on your toes.
Bentonville Singletrack Tour
Here you’ll find 25 miles of open mountain biking trails. These 5 trails are built for downhill mountain biking and remain closed to uphill riders and all other trail users so that the descents are uninterrupted. If you want a fast and smooth trail for jumps, Timeline is sure to pick the most popular trails on the mountain.
Considered by many to be one of the prettiest bikes in Colorado, the 401 loop offers some of the best alpine mountain biking. It’s just over 14 miles high, enough to stop you.
Views of the Elk Mountains, miles of aspen forests and clear alpine lakes make it a seasonal favorite. You’ll gain more than 2,200 feet on the ascent, but the descent through fields of wildflowers will make every foot worth it. While some say there are better trails in the area, I recommend everyone must ride. at least once.
If you’re in Crested Butte, this trail is a local favorite and a great ride. This trip can also be a shuttle if you want to reduce the approximately 1,500 feet of elevation gain and approximately 8 miles of dirt road trekking. If you choose to skip the first section, fear not, the journey really begins when the trail starts seven miles downhill. The downhill singletrack is smooth, with lots of technical and rocky areas that get rockier and looser the further you go down. The fun really begins when the trails level out. The nearly three-mile-seven descent is exhilarating, as fluid as the best mountain bikes in the Northeast Kingdom, and really the best.
Boulder Mountain Biking Trails
Everything is fine. So not one trace, but an astonishing combination of four will do. This route takes you from Reno to Flag to Bear and then to Deadman’s Gulch for a fun mountain bike ride. What this combo offers is three uphill climbs for a total gain of 3,326 feet, three rewarding descents and finally about 30 turns straight to the handlebars. The ride features deep forest terrain, open meadows like mountain biking in France, and a few hiccups, all in the tranquility of Crested Butte.
Wildflower-covered valleys lead to dense aspen groves, then climbs, exits and into high mountains, then frantically grab the handlebars to descend – all good.
Thanks to its 800 miles of trails, Breckenridge’s mountain roads offer something for all abilities from first-time riders to challenging routes. This beautiful resort town will also have access to berms, switchbacks and miles of bike lanes. As with Breckenridge’s skiing options, beginners will love the great outdoors.
If you are ready, you will never lose to a challenge. In fact, you can tackle a challenging but beautiful section of the Colorado Trail’s 33-mile singletrack before getting off at Blake.
Best Downhill Bike Parks In Colorado
Breckenridge is hard to see – with 800 miles of mountain bike trails, it’s a great place for beginners to learn and explore.
Kid-friendly, engaging, and challenging when needed – Breck brings the whole package. It’s a biker town through and through, and there are rides to prove it.
Another must-see for mountain biking here is the Wellington Bike Park. For kids riding, this is where it sits. It’s a free-to-enter area with a Strider track, three runners, and a jumpable skill area. You can get all this without leaving the city.
Speaking of towns, Breckenridge is a designated Gold-rated bike-friendly community, which the U.S. Cycling League sees as a testament to the area’s amenities and dedication to supporting communities on two wheels—tired or not.
Colorado Mountain Biking: Fruita Vs. Hartman Rocks
Beginning at 10,500 feet, the Peaks Trail is a Colorado classic loved by locals and tourists alike. The summit is the perfect mix of thrilling descents and leisurely cruises. The route is front and rear, comes in a variety of colors, and can go uphill and downhill.
The journey from Breckenridge to Frisco has you doing some moderate climbing until you reach the plateau and reach an altitude of 1,000 feet. If riding both ways, be sure to rest early
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