Monday, August 3, 2009

Great Places to Ride Your Bike in Colorado

By Patricia J Walker

If you're looking for a serious biking challenge, consider a trip to Colorado's mountain country and take in some of the exciting trails guaranteed to get your adrenaline pumping. There are also some trails suitable for new riders, so don't despair if you haven't been riding for long. Check out all the options available.

Three trails combine to create a long, technical trail encompassing 21 miles. Located near Buena Vista, the Colorado Trail, Chalk Cliffs, and Cottonwood Pass Road have some sections suitable for inexperienced riders, but a good part of the path is uphill with steep inclines. Your reward for braving the trek? Enjoy the hot springs located midway on the trail and give yourself a relaxing break. The Colorado Trail also has restrooms by their parking area.

Nature lovers will really enjoy the Monarch Crest trail-a 28-mile journey that gives you spectacular views of the Continental Divide. Located not far from Salida, this is a great scenic spot. Utilizing the shuttle to the higher elevation-12,000 feet-is recommended.

Located near Denver but a little to the east, you could check out White Ranch Park. Just as the name implies, this area was a working ranch and is still home to deer, elk, bear, and even a random cow. Hikers also utilize this 19-mile trail with lots of loops you can select from-including challenges like rocks, roots, inclines, and tricky descents. This one's a bit technical, but intermediate level bikers may enjoy the challenge and the opportunity to stretch their limits a bit.

The Bear Creek Loop near Glenwood Springs is a 20-mile loop. It starts out with a 10-mile climb before following the rim of the Glenwood Canyon at about 1700 feet above the Colorado River. Aside from the awesome views, theres also fast banked corners and wide open stretches where you can build up quite a bit of speed. This is followed by a tricky downhill section that is lots of fun. Watch out for some technical rocky sections and some fast bermed corners. You can buy a map of this area for only $1 at the Chamber of Commerce.

Even more difficult is the Searle/Kokomo Pass. Located in the vicinity of Dillon, this 18-mile section is shorter than some of the other trails, but extremely tough. The 12,300-foot altitude makes breathing a challenge, and the trek is demanding. But if you can handle the thin air and tough terrain, you'll be treated to some beautiful scenery-like native wildflowers and pristine ponds. And the downhill stretches are an exciting plus.

The Double Top Trail near Crested Butte is an extremely difficult 32-mile loop. At an altitude of 11,700 feet, dehydration can become a problem, so ALWAYS carry plenty of water. This epic trail is for bikers are in good shape and can handle very technical trails. If this is you, then you are in for an incredible ride!

Colorado's biking trails present unique challengers to bikers-like the high altitudes that can cause a lightheaded reaction and contribute to dehydration-but they're also incredible if you want to have fun and stretch your skill level. To ensure safe riding, never bike alone, always take lots of water along with you, and give yourself time to adjust to the high altitude before biking. Then have fun!

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