Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Mountain biking
Area riders explore Rocky Mountain trails while on vacation
Area riders thinking about a bicycling vacation might consider a trip out west to central Colorado and the pedaling paradise of bike trails in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.
Some 70 miles of hard-surface bicycle trails meander through the mountains, along streams and into small towns. This is ski country during winter and a cycling haven in summer. Bike paths visit the legendary ski towns of Breckenridge, Vail, Keystone and others. Riders can pedal all day and never ride on a public street or highway.
It’s easy-going along most miles of these Rocky Mountain routes. Bike paths tend to follow mountain streams much of the way. Trails thread their way through the valleys of these steams and reveal incredible scenery that’s best enjoyed at a slow pace on a bike. Bikers who can handle the Razorback Greenway can easily ride these Colorado bike paths.
Tom and Karen Mowry of Nob Hill, east of Springdale, drove out to Colorado in early September for a week of Rocky Mountain cycling and hiking. I was able to join them midweek for three fabulous days of bike riding.
We headquartered at a nice little motel in Frisco, Colo., the Alpine Inn. Each day’s ride started right from our motel. We never had to get in the car and haul our bikes. If transportation is needed, there’s free bus service for people and bikes to
trail heads and towns all around Summit County, Colo.
It’s high altitude bicycling out here. All our rides were from elevation 8,500 feet to 10,500 feet. Uphill sections are mostly gradual and not difficult. Downhill stretches are exhilarating. Summer weather is cool. Days were warm when the sun was out. When clouds roll in, the temperature may drop 10 to 20 degrees. It’s wise to pack a jacket. Highs in early September are around 70 and lows around 40.
We did several rides during our visit. Here are three of the best.
Frisco to Breckenridge, 23 miles: Frisco is one cool little mountain town. This ride starts downtown and passes rows of shops and restaurants. Outside the city, the trail rolls up and down through lovely-scented pine forest. It levels out along the Blue River.
The ride to Breckenridge is mostly uphill, but so gradual we hardly noticed. We took frequent water and photo breaks to take in the mountains and the Blue River next to the trail. The best stop was watching a fly fisherman catch a sizable brown trout from the river. He said he’d caught three others.
At Breckenridge, free rides were offered on the ski lift, so we hopped on for a 45-minute ride up the mountain. During summer, off-road cyclists can take their mountain bikes on the ski lift and ride back down, all the way to town.
It was a quick ride back to Frisco, mostly downhill and along the river. Clouds rolled in and it got chilly, from 70 down into the 50s. Brrrr.
Dillon, Silverthorne, Keystone, 33 miles: This ride starts with a gorgeous pedal along Lake Dillon, which is a water supply reservoir for the city of Denver. It’s a picture postcard trip along the lake and across the dam. From the dam, riders can follow the Blue River Trail along the water or ride another path through the countryside to Keystone. We did both.
From the dam, the Blue River Trail goes downhill for 300 feet into downtown Silverthorne, Colo. Fishing must be good. We saw angler after angler fly fishing in the Blue River. The trail ends at a park and school. We rode back and managed the lung-buster climb back to the top of Lake Dillon Dam.
Next we pedaled off to Keystone through a nature area and along another mountain stream. The ski town was mostly deserted here in the off-season.
There’s a 21-mile route that circles Lake Dillon, but some of it is along a state highway with a bike lane. Tom and Karen rode the route earlier in the week and said it was nice, with one climb that rates high on the wheezer scale.
Frisco To Vail Pass, 28 miles: Bikers may hardly notice they’re pedaling uphill on some of the trails. You’ll know it on this one. It’s 14 miles, mostly uphill, from Frisco, at elevation 9,000 feet, to Vail Pass which tops out at 10,662 feet.
It’s the toughest of the rides we did, but the most scenic. The first seven miles cut through Ten-Mile Canyon on the way to Copper Mountain ski resort. A white-water stream is beside the trail all the way. Scenery is gorgeous beyond words. Photographs don’t justice to the grand mountain landscape
The route goes through Copper Mountain ski resort and joins the trail to Vail Pass. Climbing gets more serious here. The trail meanders through meadows of grass and wildflowers. Here in early September, aspen trees were showing some color the higher we climbed.
At the summit, riders pose for photos at the sign that says Vail Pass, 10,662 feet. The summit is at rest area along I-70, where riders mingle with with motorists.
Now the fun really starts. It’s 14 whooping, hollering downhill miles back to Frisco. The trek up may take hours, but the ride back can be over too soon. Best to stop and smell the wildflowers, and take plenty of pictures for Rocky Mountain memories to enjoy back home.