The Best Gravel Riding Trails in Salida

The Arkansas Riverwalk is a wide gravel trail running along the banks of the Arkansas River. You can access the Riverwalk from several different trailheads, including from close to downtown Canon City, but this out-and-back route beginning from the Mackenzie Ave trailhead is the most efficient way to cover the entire trail....

Temple Canyon Road climbs directly out of downtown Canon City, quickly transitioning from pavement to gravel. This gravel road bisects one of the most popular mountain bike trail systems in the area, separating the South Canon trails from the Section 13 trails....

County Roads 143 and 255 combine to create a long-distance, mostly-gravel route crossing a wild range of rolling mountains between the towns of Canon City and Westcliffe. The main climb up through the mountain range is known locally as the "Oak Creek Grade....

This loop combines a short section of Highway 50 with the gravel CR 69, ending on the paved stretch of Garden Park Road (also known as Shelf Road). After grunting up a short but steep climb on the highway, you'll get to leave the annoying traffic behind for the main feature—the solitude and beautiful gravel of CR 69! For more miles, consider riding an out-and-back portion of [Shelf Road](https://fatmap....

This bite-sized gravel loop departs directly from downtown Canon City. While the hustle and bustle of Highway 50 and the downtown businesses in Canon City can be cacophonic, after pedaling a short ways out of town the noise and traffic miraculously disappears behind you....

Two of the most visually-stunning gravel roads near Canon City—Phantom Canyon and Shelf Road—can be combined into an incredible 70-mile loop ride that just might qualify as world-class gravel riding! The route mapped here runs from downtown Canon City, while avoiding traffic with the use of the gravel path band backroads....