Trails near Denver Colorado
- Thread starter Barbarian
- Start date
One hour south of Denver (between Green Mountain Falls and Sedalia on the map) is a Forest Service ORV area called Rampart Range. It's big (miles x miles) and my personal favorite riding area. Three levels of trails with maps available at the gate. Think half mile long uphills on the pipe with berms three feet tall you can just rail. The bad news is lots of use on the main trails so you will get really used to whoops. With a little exploration you can find some not so used trails.
Trailryder42
Member
- Feb 6, 2000
- 295
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Denver is centrally located to several riding areas that are just awesome. Rampart being the closest I think. If riding areas is one of your no# 1 things you're considering, take the job dude!
Rampart and Woodland are the closest trail systems. Both are huge areas of easy to difficult terrain. We hit Rampart frequently and average about 35 to 45 miles a ride, never the same trail twice. Plus there is the Sprucewood bar and grill in the middle of Rampart. Ride in, get a beer, only one though, Rampart is crowded and headons do occur ;) and cheeseburger and ride back.
Then there is the mountain riding. Weekend trips in the summer will be worth the move itself. Crested Butte, Buena Vista, Ouray, Lake City, Telluride, Salida, Steamboat Springs, and more. You can get a day trip in to Breckenridge if you wish (Red Cone and Webster passes, North, Middle and South Forks and more).
You will be only a 5-6 hour drive from Moab Utah, the greatest riding area of all.
There are at least 5 tracks within a 30 to 60 minute drive from the Denver area.
If you want, go to this link of my pictures of CO riding over the past 8 years or so. http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=1600327&f=0
You will totally enjoy the riding here.
Then there is the mountain riding. Weekend trips in the summer will be worth the move itself. Crested Butte, Buena Vista, Ouray, Lake City, Telluride, Salida, Steamboat Springs, and more. You can get a day trip in to Breckenridge if you wish (Red Cone and Webster passes, North, Middle and South Forks and more).
You will be only a 5-6 hour drive from Moab Utah, the greatest riding area of all.
There are at least 5 tracks within a 30 to 60 minute drive from the Denver area.
If you want, go to this link of my pictures of CO riding over the past 8 years or so. http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumList?u=1600327&f=0
You will totally enjoy the riding here.
- Thread starter
- #5
Thanks so much for the info guys. I was under the impression that the big city eco's had destroyed all the cool riding areas around Denver. We have pretty good tight woods riding around here in SC, but there is not a whole lot of it anymore because of the eco-nazi's. You pretty much have to ride enduro's or have private land to get good trail. I have a girlfriend in Golden also so if I don't get this job I may come out next summer for two weeks of trail riding & to see her.
Rodzilla
LIFETIME SPONSOR
- Jul 21, 1999
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Don't get your hopes up for any of the tight riding like in SC. around here.
Things are much more widely spaced:D
You can ride a different trail system every weekend in the summer (you can't ride out your back door but you can ride lots of areas) and never ride the same place twice. Try to move to the west or south end of Denver to be closest to the riding.
Bad news it's snowing here now, if you're coming out soon you won't get any saddle time. Now if you you ski or snowmobile...
Rod
Things are much more widely spaced:D
You can ride a different trail system every weekend in the summer (you can't ride out your back door but you can ride lots of areas) and never ride the same place twice. Try to move to the west or south end of Denver to be closest to the riding.
Bad news it's snowing here now, if you're coming out soon you won't get any saddle time. Now if you you ski or snowmobile...
Rod
There's plenty of tight single track riding around, you just have to know where to go. Of course the popular trails are wide open and really fast (which is fun to) but get off the beaten path and tight single track you will find. Not a great time of year though. Just got several inches of snow. :p Over all we have great riding just about anywhere you go in the state. Try and hook up with some locals around Denver, I'm sure they'll have plenty of riding for you to do. Just remember Denver is just one small part of the state. Have fun!! :)
Rampart range is a great place on the week days but can be a bit crowded on the weekends. Also a little North West of Boulder is some tight/tough trails in left hand canyon. Can't be timid there! You can get good directions from the folks at Fay Meyers. Also there is a dealer in Longmont Colorado named "Fun Wheels", Brad, the owner knows more about the trail riding areas and the RMEC than anyone I dealt with in Colorado.
Actually one of the best places is the Medicine Bow National Forest....I posted directions in an earlier post. But it has better variety than Rampart Range, more trails, and less people. ALso a great place to bring a snowmobile in the winter time. Its problem is the fact its about 8500ft to 10,000ft so jetting is an issue. Also winter hits sooner and stays later. Don't bother trying it until April.:)
Actually one of the best places is the Medicine Bow National Forest....I posted directions in an earlier post. But it has better variety than Rampart Range, more trails, and less people. ALso a great place to bring a snowmobile in the winter time. Its problem is the fact its about 8500ft to 10,000ft so jetting is an issue. Also winter hits sooner and stays later. Don't bother trying it until April.:)
TexKDX
~SPONSOR~
- Aug 8, 1999
- 747
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When you all are referring to Woodland, it is officially called the Divide Trail System. The bicycle shop behind the McDonalds as you enter Woodland Park on 24 sells a map called the Thunder Trail map. It has most of the forest roads that cut thru the area marked and the entire trail system GPSed and marked with coding for difficulty. Nice trail system.
Rampart Range has more ups and downs than the divide system.
Additionally, if you get your bike plated and hook up with the locals, you'll find out about a bunch more trails off the forest roads that are off of Gold Camp Road. Gold Camp runs from the base of the mountains in CS up to the Cripple Creek area.
Paradise would be an understatement; I'm jealous.
Rampart Range has more ups and downs than the divide system.
Additionally, if you get your bike plated and hook up with the locals, you'll find out about a bunch more trails off the forest roads that are off of Gold Camp Road. Gold Camp runs from the base of the mountains in CS up to the Cripple Creek area.
Paradise would be an understatement; I'm jealous.
I moved my family here (Ft. Collins) last year from Houston and was a little dissapointed in the riding areas around N. Colorado. However a 2 hour drive to Rampart changed my feelings big time. Rampart rocks and we can't wait till summer to take some weekend camps to the other places mentioned. Colorado is getting a National Hare Scrambles Series venue at Milliken this year on April 14th. This is the same track that hosts a Four stroke national every year. Like Joe Walsh sings....The Rocky Mountain Way is better than the way we had!
Thump on!
Thump on!
Woopart Range is ok , Divide is really nice, but until you ride in places such as the Rainbow trail (Heaven on earth), Taylor Park, Texas Creek, Hahn's Peak and grand Lake Just to name a few, you haven't experienced true Colorado trail riding. The only problem is they are up in elevation and are covered in snow November thru At least june, but those of you that can make it up to these places in the summer and especially the fall are in for a real treat!!!
Moon
From Ft. Collins it isn't a bad trip to Wyoming. I just moved OUT of Colorado a couple of months ago. Used to live in Berthoud. (Close to VDR) . Some of the best riding you will find is that area around Wycolo in Wyoming. Miles and miles of trails in the Medicine Bow National Forest. Awesome stuff.:)
From Ft. Collins it isn't a bad trip to Wyoming. I just moved OUT of Colorado a couple of months ago. Used to live in Berthoud. (Close to VDR) . Some of the best riding you will find is that area around Wycolo in Wyoming. Miles and miles of trails in the Medicine Bow National Forest. Awesome stuff.:)
