The Best Road Biking Routes in Colorado

This scenic loop circumnavigates Lake Dillon Reservoir, passing through the towns of Silverthorne and Frisco along the way. While portions of this loop follow roads, the vast majority of it is on dedicated bike paths, making it ideal for road riders who want to avoid traffic....

Denver is centered around the confluence of two streams, Cherry Creek and the South Platte River. The urban trail along Cherry Creek makes a unique way to experience the city, by biking or walking a corridor of greenery near many downtown highlights....

Denver is centered around the confluence of two streams, Cherry Creek and the South Platte River. The urban trail along Cherry Creek makes a unique way to experience the city, by biking or walking a corridor of greenery near many downtown highlights....

The South Platte River Greenway is one of the longest greenway paths in the Denver Metro Area. This 48-mile trail begins far to the north of the metro area and follows the South Platte River through the very heart of downtown Denver....

The High Line Canal was originally built in 1883 for agricultural irrigation, but in recent decades, one of the best recreation trails in Denver has been built along the banks of the canal....

The Bear Creek Lake Park and Bear Creek Greenway is a pristine natural area located on the outskirts of Lakewood, butting up against the small hamlet of Morrison. This gorgeous nature preserve is home to the eponymous lake, along with some easy hiking trails and a beautiful greenway path....

If you’re looking for a quick road ride from Breck with a good dose of elevation gain, Hoosier Pass is your best bet. This quick out-and-back route climbs straight out of Breckenridge all the way to the top of the Continental Divide....

Numerous long distance road rides pass through the Arkansas Valley, and most of them run through Poncha Springs. After all, Poncha Springs is the “Crossroads of the Rockies.” The only problem is, many of the road rides that come through this area run along the most harrowing of roads—namely, Monarch Pass....

This mellow out-and-back ride on River Road may just be the easiest bike ride in Chaffee County. But despite being ultra-easy and ultra-accessible, this ride is still stunningly beautiful! After pedaling out of town on pavement, the road crosses the river and turns to gravel....

If you’re a road biker but prefer to avoid dealing with cars and trucks on Summit County’s congested roads, Breckenridge still offers an incredible array of riding opportunities! Road bikers can pedal from Breckenridge all the way to Vail on bike paths that are completely separated from the road....

"The 'Copper Triangle' (also known as the 'Leadville Loop') is a truly classic Colorado mountain route that can be ridden in either direction,” writes SummitBiking.org. "It is a beautiful ride in mid-late September when the Aspens are at the peak of their fall color....

Unlike some other mountain passes that serve as mandatory conduits to access small mountain towns, Cottonwood Pass—which reaches a height of 12,126 feet—is refreshingly isolated. While it is gaining popularity as a method of reaching Crested Butte in the summertime, Cottonwood may just be one of the best sleeper road bike rides in the state of Colorado....

"At 12,095', Independence Pass is the fourth highest paved road in Colorado,” writes [SummitBiking.org](http://www.summitbiking.org/area_rides/independence_pass.html). From the top of Independence Pass, you’ll enjoy expansive views of the impressive Sawatch mountain range, with numerous peaks climbing to over 14,000 feet....

Buena Vista, Colorado is surrounded by a wide variety of gravel rides, and the ride to Cottonwood Lake is a perfect sampler of what's available. This 20-mile out-and-back ride to Cottonwood Lake starts at the main stoplight in Buena Vista and ends at a quintessential mountain lake....

From Buena Vista, Colorado, this gem is a 41-mile beauty of a ride with a little bit of everything: amazing views, paved roads for the first 15 miles, dirt for the next 5, climbs (both short steep and long sustained), and fast, fun descents....

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....

Boreas Pass Road is a graded two-wheel-drive dirt road that travels over (you guessed it) 11,500-foot Boreas Pass to connect Breckenridge and Como, Colorado. Beginning from Breckenridge, take Boreas Pass Road south of town until the pavement ends and a gate marks the boundary of the national forest....

If you’re looking for an ambitious dirt road loop right out of downtown Breckenridge that’s achievable on a gravel bike, look no further than this route up and over Georgia Pass, returning to Breck via Boreas Pass....

The Guffey Huffer is a massive 200km double loop running from Salida to Guffey, down to Cotopaxi, and back to Salida. Dreamt up by the [Colorado Endurance Series](https://coloradoes.wordpress.com/swes-event-list/ddf200k/), most years there is a coordinated non-commercial ride on this route....