Riding trails that used to be rails

Is your first instinct to jump on a train when you need to travel a long distance? Hardly. But, by the turn of the 19th century, almost every American traveler went by train. While the railroad’s heyday is long gone, its derelict corridors are being resurrected as rail trails — multi-use paths where you’ll be able to check out historical features, nearby museums and restaurants, or become wrapped up in natural landscapes and, most importantly, where you’ll have little, if any, contact with motor vehicles. They are perfect for cycling.

There are almost 2,100 rail trails in the U.S., 42 of them in Colorado, according to Andrea Holliday with Rails-to-trails Conservancy. The four scenic rail trails discussed here offer a safe, enjoyable way to stay fit, commute and commune with nature. Plus, they’re protecting natural resources and revitalizing local businesses.

ANIMAS RIVER TRAIL

Flowing from the San Juan Mountains, the sparkling Animas River that runs through Durango defines the city, providing numerous recreational opportunities that often take advantage of the 100-foot-wide river’s whitewater. But life along the riverfront was very different in the mid-1800s when silver and gold were first discovered in the mountains, and a myriad of mining camps sprang up along its banks. No wonder the old Denver and Rio Grande Railroad laid tracks through the Animas Valley to bring ore from Silverton to Durango, where smelters,

Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post A cyclist rides along the Rio Grande Trail heading toward Mount Sopris on April 17 near Carbondale. The popular trail takes its name from the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad that ran its Aspen branch through the Roaring Fork Valley. The mostly paved, 42-mile trail starts in Aspen and continues to Glenwood Springs.