Colorado Trail: La Garita Bypass (COT La Garita Bypass Lake City Creede)
Mountain Biking Trail
Hard
55.51 mi
5,188 ft
A road bypass around the La Garita Wilderness.
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 La Garita Bypass circumvents the 129,626-acre La Garita Wilderness section of the Colorado Trail, where mountain bikes aren’t allowed. The road bypass begins in Saguache Park and runs to the highway between Lake City and Creede.
If thru bikepacking the route, this is a good opportunity to drop into Lake City to resupply. While options in Lake City are limited and expensive, there is one small grocery store that provides all of the essentials. 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 La Garita Bypass circumvents the 129,626-acre La Garita Wilderness section of the Colorado Trail, where mountain bikes aren’t allowed. The road bypass begins in Saguache Park and runs to the highway between Lake City and Creede.
If thru bikepacking the route, this is a good opportunity to drop into Lake City to resupply. While options in Lake City are limited and expensive, there is one small grocery store that provides all of the essentials. Written by Greg Heil
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Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cebolla Creek climb | Cathedral to Slumgullion Pass | 14.45 mi | 2,300 ft | 3.0% |
| County Road 50 Climb | 1.18 mi | 364 ft | 5.6% |
| County Road 50 Climb | 2.64 mi | 499 ft | 3.6% |
| Colorado 149 Climb | 2.68 mi | 755 ft | 5.3% |