It stands to reason that a state with lots of mountains, rolling hills and scenic river valleys is bound to have lots of great mountain biking destinations. One of the beauties of Colorado mountain biking is its diversity, from trails high on the Continental Divide to the Colorado River winding through high desert landscapes.
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Here’s a list of five must-ride destinations for mountain bikers in Colorado.
Buffalo Creek: The Buffalo Creek Recreation Area, 10 miles southeast of Pine Junction in the Pike National Forest, boasts the best trail network for mountain biking in the Front Range. Located in Jefferson County only 30 miles from C-470, Buff Creek is a wonderland of more than 50 miles of multi-use, nonmotorized trails. Some connect to the Colorado Trail.
“That Buffalo Creek zone is one of the best areas to ride,” said former pro rider Ryan Petry, who works now for Shift Events in charge of community engagement. “You can go forever. It’s flowing single-track. There is technical riding, but it’s beginner-friendly, it’s cross-country friendly. The trail system is just incredible.”
Buffalo Creek is the setting for one of Colorado’s most popular mountain biking events, The Hundo, a June event with 100K and 64K options. The Hundo is capped at 500 participants by the national forest, so there is a lottery to enter and it’s sold out for this year. The lottery usually opens in early March.
Crested Butte: Some say Crested Butte was the birthplace of mountain biking, while others claim California’s Marin County. Either way, CB is one of the most iconic mountain biking destinations in America.
“Crested Butte is incredibly beautiful,” Petry said. “Crested Butte has a huge range of riding, a little something for everyone; a casual rider who wants to ride for an hour and a half every day and then hang out in town, but it also people who want to go on epic all-day adventures on serious terrain, some of the most iconic rides and loops in the country. It’s this perfect blend of how beautiful it is, but also the riding.”
If you go, don’t miss the 401 Trail, one of America’s most famous backcountry rides.
“It’s not necessarily the best riding, but the views — and if you catch it when there’s wildflowers out — it’s an experience unlike anything else,” Petry said. “You’re riding on the side of this mountain with wildflowers hitting your handle bars for 30 minutes straight. There’s way better riding there, but it’s a bucket-list (ride) because of the views and the overall experience.”
Salida and the Monarch Crest: The Arkansas Valley has a lot more to offer than skiing at Monarch Mountain and summer water sports on the river. There are lots of great mountain bike rides in the area, and one might be considered a bucket-list ride.
The Monarch Crest trail is a spectacular ridge ride on a section of the Continental Divide Trail south of Monarch Pass with long descents to Poncha Springs or Salida. “It’s super high-alpine, great riding,” Petry said. “It’s strenuous, not for the faint of heart. But for the views and the riding, it’s amazing.”
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Down in the valley, Salida offers wonderful variety for all levels of riders. “You can go right from town and do beginner-friendly trails or more advanced trails,” Petry said. “That’s why that town is blowing up, not just the water activities, but it has an incredible range of mountain experiences throughout the season.”
Fruita and Grand Junction: The Grand Valley is another classic Colorado mountain biking destination. There are two trail networks near Fruita — located 10 miles northwest of Grand Junction — and another in Grand Junction that stand out.
One is known as 18 Road and is located north of Fruita along the Bookcliffs. “It’s considered one of the more flowy trail systems with less tech (difficulty),” said Gary Plante, general manager of the Colorado Backcountry Biker bike shop. “Great place for families and those new to the sport, as it offers more easy trails, yet still has plenty for experienced riders.”
The Kokopelli Loops network, northwest of Fruita, runs through canyons of the Colorado River. “Kokopelli offers a great mix of flow and technical riding,” Plante said. “There are trails for novice riders, but offers more overall for more experienced riders.”
Between Grand Junction and the Colorado National Monument is an area called the Lunch Loops. “This is considered the most technical trail system in the valley, with more rocks and features to navigate,” Plante said. “There are family-friendly trails at the base of the mountain, but the majority of trails are generally for intermediate to experienced riders.”
Durango: This mountain biking mecca in far southwest Colorado has lots of great riding, but it’s also known for its rich cycling culture.
“People move to Durango because they love mountain biking,” Petry said. “Some of the best cyclists on the (competitive) circuit are from Durango. They’ve got an amazing development program, and the way the bike shops revolve around the trails and the mountain biking community is super cool.”
Durango is set to host the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in 2030.
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