Author Topic: Colorado: bike maps?  (Read 8473 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline rafisher14

Colorado: bike maps?
« on: July 08, 2016, 09:07:18 am »
I'm thinking of bringing my "gravel" bike on my trip to the Rocky Mountain National Park area (Estes). Are there maps or other resources that show good roads for biking? I'm not touring from A to B, just riding around to see good scenery, etc? I don't ride "single-track" so have been skipping web-sites that advertise mountain biking routes.

Thanks..

Offline RussSeaton

Re: Colorado: bike maps?
« Reply #1 on: July 08, 2016, 02:52:01 pm »
Sounds like you are looking for gravel roads.  I cannot really help you with that.  But Colorado only has a limited amount of roads.  Due to the mountains.  Any state map will have all the paved roads on it.  All of them because there aren't many paved roads.  Maybe that Google thing will show the few gravel roads.  But Colorado does not have many roads.  There aren't many towns in Colorado.  There aren't many farms in Colorado.  There aren't many people living in the rural parts of Colorado.  Most states have rural and urban people.  And roads to connect all the rural people with the urban towns.  But Colorado has a few urban areas and roads connecting the few urban areas.  And that's it.  There are not many or any farms in Colorado.  No people living in the rural areas.  So no roads in the rural areas.  In my state we have farms everywhere.  And gravel roads connecting all these farms.  And the gravel roads all lead back to paved roads connecting all the small towns everywhere.  Colorado does not have that.  So not many gravel roads for you to ride.

Offline rafisher14

Re: Colorado: bike maps?
« Reply #2 on: July 08, 2016, 05:11:19 pm »
Thank you for your reply. I'm not necessarily looking for only gravel roads -- maybe county roads without a lot of traffic, forest service roads, etc.

Offline tsteven4

Re: Colorado: bike maps?
« Reply #3 on: July 08, 2016, 07:20:32 pm »
One that comes to mind since you mention Estes Park is to go up
https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/old_fall_river_road.htm
and come down trail ridge.
Both are spectacular.  In my experience traffic on Trail Ridge is relatively calm and tolerant of cyclists.  My experience is about 50 50 for extreme wind and even snow in the summer, best to be heading down by noon.

There is an online and printed map available here that covers the basics:
https://www.codot.gov/programs/bikeped/information-for-bicyclists/colorado-bicycling-maps
If you want to get extreme there are more options, but you will be constrained by wilderness areas.

I have some of my usual rides nearby shown at
http://tsteven4.qwestoffice.net/BoulderRides/index.html
These are usually a combination of dirt and pavement.

Offline CoBikeJunkie

Re: Colorado: bike maps?
« Reply #4 on: July 11, 2016, 03:53:40 pm »
You might also check out the Colorado Atlas and Gazetteer that DeLorme puts out.  It will have all of the forest service roads on it, which will be backcountry dirt roads.  Possibly the Trails Illustrated maps for the area as well. 

Offline JHamelman

Re: Colorado: bike maps?
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2016, 10:56:17 am »
You could also check the resources found on the following page. It also includes contact information for the Colorado Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator who might have other suggestions along the lines of what you are looking for.

http://www.pedbikeinfo.org/data/state.cfm?ID=6#state

Jennifer
*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

Jennifer Hamelman

Adventure Cycling Association
Inspiring and empowering people to travel by bicycle.
800/755-2453, 406/721-1776 x205
www.adventurecycling.org

Follow Routes & Mapping on Twitter: @acaroutes

Offline mathieu

Re: Colorado: bike maps?
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2016, 06:19:26 pm »
You are probably well served by http://coloradogravelroads.com/
Read also raving reactions to this awesome piece of work and its creator in  http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/routes/colorado-gravel-roads-map/
« Last Edit: July 12, 2016, 06:32:33 pm by mathieu »

Offline drwelby

Re: Colorado: bike maps?
« Reply #7 on: July 17, 2016, 08:09:43 pm »
You are probably well served by http://coloradogravelroads.com/
Read also raving reactions to this awesome piece of work and its creator in  http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/routes/colorado-gravel-roads-map/

Thanks, that's my map.

Estes is kind of a tricky situation. You have all the beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park, but it eliminates almost any possibility of good backroads riding since there are almost no roads west of town. However, the recommendation of Old Fall River to Trail Ridge is spot-on. That's a great ride you won't forget. It's really great on a full moon! Elsewhere, you might try FS 119 south of town.

If you have a car, you might want to drop down back towards Loveland and Fort Collins and ride something like Buckhorn to Pingree, or around the Red Feather Lakes area. There's probably some good Forest Service roads to the west of RMNP too, try looking for the Crooked Roubaix course for ideas.