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Colorado Trail: Holy Cross and Mount Massive Wilderness Bypass (Leadville Bypass)
Mountain Biking Trail
Hard
21.04 mi
1,035 ft
A lengthy road bypass around the Holy Cross and Mount Massive Wilderness areas.
The Colorado Trail (COT) is widely regarded as one of the very best long distance mountain bike trails in the world. Running for 535 miles between Denver and Durango, the trail crosses high alpine mountain passes and drops into beautiful valleys as it traverses the most beautiful portions of the state of Colorado. The COT forms one third of the Triple Crown of Bikepacking, along with the Arizona Trail and the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.
The COT bike route has to bypass around both the Holy Cross and Mount Massive Wilderness areas before regaining singletrack off of Half Moon Road. While this is a lengthy road bypass, it does offer the benefit of passing through the town of Leadville, providing a perfect resupply opportunity. Alternatively, if no supplies are required, a shorter route skips the town of Leadville and continues south through the valley.
Leadville offers a full complement of amenities, including Cycles of Life—a full service bike shop. Written by Greg Heil
The Colorado Trail (COT) is widely regarded as one of the very best long distance mountain bike trails in the world. Running for 535 miles between Denver and Durango, the trail crosses high alpine mountain passes and drops into beautiful valleys as it traverses the most beautiful portions of the state of Colorado. The COT forms one third of the Triple Crown of Bikepacking, along with the Arizona Trail and the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.
The COT bike route has to bypass around both the Holy Cross and Mount Massive Wilderness areas before regaining singletrack off of Half Moon Road. While this is a lengthy road bypass, it does offer the benefit of passing through the town of Leadville, providing a perfect resupply opportunity. Alternatively, if no supplies are required, a shorter route skips the town of Leadville and continues south through the valley.
Leadville offers a full complement of amenities, including Cycles of Life—a full service bike shop. Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| N Poplar St Climb | 1.19 mi | 269 ft | 4.3% |
| Halfmoon Dirt to Mt Massive TH | 4.11 mi | 413 ft | 1.9% |
| Forest Road 110 Climb | 0.45 mi | 384 ft | 15.8% |