Short Rides in Colorado (An East Woods Book)

Whether you ride a mountain bike, a road bike, or a hybrid, great cycling is always within reach in Colorado. With its spectacular mountain views, beautiful aspen groves and shimmering rivers and mountain streams, Colorado is a glorious state for bicycling. These 30 well-planned tours, which range in length from 8 to 32 miles, will take you along the best stretches of The Centennial State's paved roads, dirt roads and unpaved, single-track mountain-bike paths. Park your car and put on your helmet, then you can...roll past farmland, ranches and sagebrush as you ride through the heart of the Boulder Valley on your way to Carter Lake...escape the heat of the Front Range with a mountain-bike ride through scenic Winter Park...soak in a 108-degree therapy pool after a 22-mile cruise through the Animas River Valley... circle the rim of the Black Canyon, a dramatic and beautiful chasm carved by the roaring Guinnison River. Each ride description includes precise directions, excellent route maps, advice on the best type of bike to use on the ride, and details about the points of interest you can see and visit during your trek. you can complete most rides in a few hours, but many cyclists will choose a slower pace to take full advantage of the many attractions along the way.