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There is plenty of good riding right around Denver. North and west of the city there are a series of canyons leading up to the Peak-to-Peak Highway, which runs north-side from US 6 to Estes Park. An excellent day trip would be west on I-70 to where US 40 crosses Berthoud Pass, north to Winter Park, to Granby, to Grand Lake, over Trail Ridge Road to Estes Park, and then the Peak-to-Peak back to Blackhawk, and down any of the several canyons to Denver.
South and west of Denver there is plenty of good riding as well. One must-do ride is over Squaw Pass between Bergen Park and Idaho Springs, with a jaunt up to the top of Mount Evans. For another, take US 285 out of town over Kenosha Pass, or get off US 285 at Pine Junction onto Colorado 126 and head south into the Deckers area. Deckers has long been a favorite mountain getaway that is close enough for a day trip. At Deckers you can either get onto Colorado 67 north back to the flat lands or go south on 67 to Woodland Park. Heading west out of Woodland Park on US 24 will take you over Wilkerson Pass into South Park. From there you can get back onto US 285 and head back to town, go north over Hoosier Pass to Breckenridge, or continue west to Buena Vista, where your options are wide open.
Click on any of the highlighted areas for more details.
Of course, this being Colorado, even the interstate is pretty impressive as you
go through the mountains. Glenwood Canyon,
in particular, is spectacular.
The first towns you come to on I-70 when you enter the mountains are the old mining
towns of Idaho Springs and Georgetown. Here's a shot looking down onto Georgetown
with I-70 on the left. You won't see this view from the interstate; it's taken
from Guanella Pass. Guanella Pass is a terrific pass but it is not paved so you
would need a dirt bike and mud-riding skills to take it on two wheels. Still,
you can go up a little way on pavement and then head back. The other two shots
are from midway down the canyon looking first east and then west.
Click on the images to enlarge the view.
