Denver, Colorado Springs, and Fort Collins offer a wonderful metro city vibe, but the mountain towns of Colorado are celebrated more often. contact us online! Some surprise cities (Lawrence, Kansas?) , Skiing Located midway between Denver and Grand Junction, Crested Butte is even closer to Colorado Springs, and you’ll enjoy a relaxing and scenic road trip from any of those three major cities. Artists and businesses thrive in this southwestern Colorado town. Hoisted high in the peaks of the San Juan Mountains, Telluride remains isolated with a sub-culture not found anywhere else. The town also supports more than 200 non-profit organizations and its a booming place for new businesses and entrepreneurship. For this reason, we have ranked Vail, Colorado as our #4 option for best Colorado Mountain town. It is one of the best places in the country for mountain biking and has been nicknamed ‘Mountain Bike Capital USA.’ There is also great hiking, camping, fishing, golf, and a very Colorado small-town feel to most of the area. Telluride boasts an abundance of outdoor activities all summer and winter long receiving 300 inches of snow and 300 days of sunshine in one year! Our hometown, Minneapolis — once a top-spot contender — just managed to crack the top 10 after missing the list completely last year. Another big note is the rise of smaller towns that many may not associate with a bike-friendly ethos. This is likely why just last year (2014) Bud Light picked Crested Butte to be its debut location for “Up For Whatever, USA”. Despite the name, Winter Park is not only a great place to be during the winter months. Colorado is a cyclist’s dream destination. In Fruita and Crested Butte, two of Colorado’s mountain-biking master towns, the trail networks are so vast and varied that a map is a downright necessity. It’s an intense level of mountain sports unthaws in the spring and flows into some of the most extreme mountain biking in all of America. #5 of 73 Outdoor Activities in Aspen “ The trail is easily accessible from Glenwood Springs to Aspen and offers auto and stress free road bike riding on wide, well-maintained and signed asphalt paths, that formerly were the Rio Grande Railroad line. The Colorado Freeride Festival is held here with good reason. © Copyright 2020 GearJunkie, All Rights Reserved, Watch Now: X Games Skiers Hit the Backcountry, Free Gear Fridays: Sawyer Tap Water Filtration System Giveaway, Burglars Break Into Specialized HQ, Steal $160K in Collector Bicycles, Living the 'Cowboy Way': Tips From Jackson Hole Ski Patrol & Fishing Guide Curt Hamby, Female Freeski Collab: 10 Pro Rippers Dominate in 'Skivas', On-Sight Without Sight: Blind Climber Sends Extreme 'Forked Lightning' Crack, Recon Mission: Pro Skiers Seek New Routes in Cascades, Backcountry Education, Safety Are More Important Than Ever: 'Solving for Z' Explains Why, Last-Minute Gifts: Up to 40% Off Gear During REI's Sale, The Bestselling Gear at Competitive Cyclist This Week. Published on 8/23/2018 at 5:55 PM. Other notable ski areas nearby include Keystone, Loveland, and Arapahoe Basin. You can read more about the methodology here. Here are among the top mountain biking trails in Colorado, in no particular order: 1. Leadville, Colorado Yes, Colorado boasts its fair share of ski resort towns known for drawing the rich and famous: Aspen, Vail, Breckenridge, Telluride and the like. The town’s vitality fluctuates with seasonal workers who bolster life to this backcountry ski resort drawn in by some of … We have handpicked amazing trails in Colorado, USA, including the routes and GPS coordinates. But with last year’s winner, Fort Collins, coming in second, it looks like Colorado — a state known for its singletrack and mountain trails — is becoming a haven for commuters and roadies as well. What’s more relaxing than the biggest natural hot tub pooled right in the middle of the Rocky Mountains? It also commissioned projects to capture new city-specific data. For those without a bike, some 300 cruisers are available to rent for $8 for 24 hours at 47 kiosks around town. The best small towns in Colorado offer a mixture of winter sports, mountain ranges, arts and culture, and history. And that’s just the top 10. Famed mountain town of Crested Butte is home to 750 miles of those tracks. 26 ... to flowy rollers through grassy meadows with stay-awhile views of 14,259-foot Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. Skiing largely saved the mountain town and now it offers some of the country’s most extreme terrain as well as a hippy vibe that’s proudly antithetical to other Colorado resort towns like Vail. Enter before February 8th for your chance to win. Frisco has a small-town feel, but still offers plenty to do and accessibility to nearly all areas of the high Rocky Mountains. Many say that Durango has kept its rural roots while promoting while still embracing “big city” vibes. It’s a 145-year-old mining town, which now features a more modern appeal with restaurants, activities, and more. “ You can drive to the top most months and have a great view of the 14 thousand foot peaks and there are trails along the way to hike if you're so inclined. It’s the end of 2020, and, as is our annual tradition, it's time to look back at the best gear we tested this year. A beautiful mountain town nestled in the Rocky Mountains, Breckenridge is surrounded by scenic beauty. The town’s vitality fluctuates with seasonal workers who bolster life to this backcountry ski resort drawn in by some of the best outdoor activities you can find in the Rocky Mountains. Call 970-726-8700 Copper Mountain is a few minutes drive away. The Best Mountain Bike Parks in Colorado. Colorado Has Some Of The World’s Best Mountain Bike Trails. A list of the top places to mountain bike in the US. From high-altitude riding to meandering trails, Colorado mountain biking has something for everyone. And while perennial big-name best-of contenders like New York City and Portland find themselves in other “best bike town” lists (like in Bicycling magazine), PeopleForBikes touts its City Rankings as perhaps the most comprehensive take. By signing up, you agree to receive emails from GearJunkie and Helux. From next-gen tech to ingenious innovation, our weekly peek at emerging products examines the sometimes cutting-edge, sometimes quirky world of gear design. Meanwhile, campers can pitch their tents in the nearby Gunnison National Forest with primitive to full-service amenities. Fort Collins, Colorado. Not only can you ride on dirt nearly anywhere in town on their "singletrack sidewalk" network, you can also access over 100 miles of city-maintained trails from town. Restaurants like Uptown give diners a chance to settle and enjoy good food with a pleasant atmosphere. With rising costs of living here in Colorado becoming a daily topic of conversation, I decided to find the best mountain bike towns with the lowest cost of living in the United States. In the following article we will explore five family friendly mountain bike rides in Colorado. , Colorado Lifestyle The biking trails surrounding this part of Colorado are some of the country’s most awe-inspiring, including the rite-of-passage route over Pearls Pass , which leads from Crested Butte to Aspen. Many towns have built up reputations for mountain biking and often have special races and festivals. There’s a ton of adventure in this small area including skiing, hiking, biking, snowshoeing, fishing, and much more. Running World Record: Jim Walmsley Sets Fastest 50-Mile Time, Living the ‘Cowboy Way’: Tips From Jackson Hole Ski Patrol & Fishing Guide Curt Hamby. It's an amazing place for a calm, chill trip or even for a vigorous bike riding challenge!! From the Western Slope to the central Rocky Mountains to the Denver foothills, mountain bikers have their choice of thousands of miles of beautifully crafted trails and trail systems to savor. The town of Vail itself is magnificent and feels as though you’ve left the states for a while. - Mountain biking. While we’ve selected Breckenridge as the epicenter of this destination, you can easily ride between the towns of Breckenridge, Dillon, Silverthorne, Keystone, and (if you’re feeling adventurous) Leadville and Copper, on singletrack. This town has a lot to offer and definitely isn’t just for those who love to ski and board. The popular local spot brims with activity with fine recreation opportunities including sunbathing at Lake Lure Beach, mountain biking at Buffalo … Crested Butte, Colorado This Rocky Mountain town is a go-to spot for skiers and mountain bikers alike. Founded in 1859, this lovely community, which has its roots in mining, is home to one of the largest historic districts within Colorado, which includes the charming historic Main Street where visitors can stroll and discover fine eateries, quaint shops, and more. Trailforks ranks trails with a combination of user ratings and raw trail usage data from rides. The Process. with No Comment Yet. Quandry Peak is the nearest 14er that many outdoor enthusiasts tackle. OR To find this data, the organization culled from existing sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System. This out-of-the-way locale is filled with desert canyons, rock spires, giant mountains, and vast ridges that spread themselves out along the … Here are the best mountain towns in Colorado: Winter Park. PeopleForBikes adds science to the assessment. Amazing Biking Events Hundreds of events are to be had each year for cyclers and mountain bikers. Good people, beautiful terrain, and that laid back mountain vibe that so many of us seek. The City Ratings use a scoring system to rank cities and weigh criteria in the categories of ridership (how many people ride bikes); safety (how safe it is to ride bikes); network (how easy it is for people to get where they need to go); acceleration (how fast the bike network is expanding); and reach (how well the network serves all neighborhoods in the community). For those who want to live in the mountains, but without having a ski resort in your backyard and all that comes with it, Glenwood Springs might just be the place for you! , Winter Park Unfortunately, I was never that good at keeping secrets…. Score: 3.6 Of the hundreds of products GearJunkie staff and contributors reviewed, these items stood out as some of the best. People who have skied Telluride often mention that its steep slopes that are often above the tree line are more reminiscent of a European ski resort and unlike any other resort in the state. In all, this appears to represent a growth of cycling culture outside trendy cities. Search ... of course, is king here come winter, but in the warmer months 750 miles of mountain biking trails make traveling on two wheels tempting. But more and more businesses, tourists and residents are putting down roots in still-affordable Leadville. Best Summit Hikes in Colorado – A guidebook outlining the 80 best summit hikes in Colorado! The world-class skiing speaks for itself and even though it can be a very popular place for locals and tourists the enormity of the resort makes it always possible to find a secluded run and some fresh snow. RATE THIS STORY: Submit Rating . The best bike city in the United States even has a vending machine for cyclists to buy accessories at any hour of the day. “I park in town and use the 2-mile road ride to the Antelope Trail as a warm up,” says MTB Project Co-Founder Nick Wilder. The Best Front Range Hikes – A compendium of the best hikes in Colorado’s Front Range, which is where most of the state’s population lies. Colorado's Top 5 Mountain Towns to Hit Before Summer’s Over . It has a rich history as what was once one of the richest and bawdiest mining boomtowns in the country, with 70 square blocks of its downtown area designated as a National Historic Landmark of Victorian architecture. This town is bread for winter activities with six months of the year being completely covered in snow and ranking as the #1 U.S. territory with the highest city limits at 12,060 feet. Of course, that’s not what makes it so alluring. Located in the Tsali Recreation Area just 65 miles west of the outdoors mecca of Asheville, N.C., these four trails comprise 41.8 miles of easy-to-moderate terrain to traverse. Its mission is to “make bike riding better for everyone across the U.S.” And the organization’s lists and accompanying PlacesForBikes City Ratings tools are built to help guide city leaders to strategically plan and invest in better bike networks. It resembles more of a Swiss or Austrian ski village with beautiful European architecture and style. ©Beth Puliti. 2. We asked five pros how they made it work and what it takes to make a living in the outdoor industry "in real life.". Steamboat Springs Chamber Resort Association. Aspen is one of Colorado’s most well-known mountain towns, teeming with the rich and famous, with not only a number of Hollywood stars owning homes here, like Jack Nicholson and Kevin Costner, but some of the wealthiest people in the world have an Aspen address. There is always something to do in Vail and lots of people to do it with. For mountain bikers, nowhere in Colorado is on par with the high-desert town of Fruita. Trestle Park – Colorado. Find out where your city was ranked by a new People for Bikes metric. Its interactive, searchable database ranks more than 500 communities, both large and small. With luck, that trend could help better connect urban and suburban areas in the future. Schedule a Visit Today - Call 970-726-8700, Winner of the 2014 Powder Magazine Ski Town Throwdown Best Ski Town in North America, Best Places to Buy Vacation Rental Property. Rocky Mountain high: Colorado’s 7 best cycle routes. Some of the features Durango gives its residence include an average of 300 days of sunshine, countless mountain trails for hiking/biking/camping, fishing, access to its breathtaking Animas river, and the noteworthy railroad that connects Durango to Silverton, Colorado. Its second-annual PlacesForBikes City Ratings provide a data-driven analysis that “evaluates the safety, appeal, and infrastructure of bicycling in more than 500 communities and provides nationwide rankings.”, City Ratings is likely to cause a stir among cyclists with an upheaval among the top 10 bike friendly cities. “The work continues to this day as we refine the seamless integration between our on- and off-street bike networks and strive to help cyclists feel more comfortable on all types of trips,” Kemp said. , Mountain Life For this reason, The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame calls Crested Butte home. Winter Park ski resort is world-class and offers some of the best terrain for skiing and snowboarding that Colorado has to offer. Want to know 50 reasons we think it’s the best bike town? Photo: Cody Wellons] Mountain biking is becoming increasingly popular every year,… Why Mountain Biking is Awesome in Colorado Read More. USA Today named it the “Most Fun Town in America” with rafting, kayaking, fishing, paragliding, mountain biking, golf, bike trails, caverns, off-roading, water slides, unique theme park, waterfalls, downtown events and oh… HANGING LAKE – just 7 miles east of Glenwood Springs, is one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the state. Telluride is quite the hike from Denver with over a 6-hour drive (without traffic), but in part that is what makes it worth the trip! Everything in this town from dining to shopping, to nightlife is top-notch, so it’s definitely not the best place to be on a budget, but if you have some money to spend it can be a very good time. Not everybody that enjoys mountain biking is a 20-something, witness the passion of baby boomer 1, outgoing George W. Bush, for the sport. Located in Summit County, Frisco is another magnificent Rocky Mountain town surrounded by giant peaks and a beautiful lake. The highest incorporated town in the U.S., Leadville sits at 10,152 feet above sea level in the Colorado Rockies, the perfect place to enjoy cool, fresh mountain air. While Glenwood springs are known for its hot springs infused laid back mentality it has much more to offer. Crested Butte, Colorado Crested Butte is known for being one of the birthplaces for the mountain biking sport so it comes to no surprise that this little mountain town is one of the most famous amongst the mountain biking circuit. According to Dave Kemp, Boulder’s senior transportation planner, the city has been developing its … Check out our completely unbiased video. NordicTrack wants to give you $7,500 toward your dream adventure. People love … From mountain climbs and scenic byways, to vineyard trails for casual pedallers, Colorado’s cycle routes provide a stunning backdrop for all abilities . The best & most popular mountain biking trails in Colorado. I quickly learned this project wouldn’t be as easy as it first sounded. It is primarily renowned for having the WORLD’S largest mineral hot springs! Posted by Editor on September 30, 2019 in Colorado Just located over a pass is world-renowned ski area and the town of Vail. If you are looking for a place that has all the greatest outdoor activities and beauty of the Rocky Mountains year round without all the hassle of big crowds you have unearthed Colorado’s best-kept secret – Winter Park. Some of the best features of Durango include its down-to-Earth, friendly population and its beautiful mountain setting. Check out the top 10 below and find the full list here. That being said, this is definitely an expert mountain as Crested Butte Ski Resort’s 14 lifts serve 1,058 acres and 448 of them are double black diamonds! The list comes from that swirl of data and 184 “calculations” PeopleForBikes performs on each city. According to Dave Kemp, Boulder’s senior transportation planner, the city has been developing its bicycle network for over 50 years. You should also check out Rocky Mountain Coffee Roasters for a wonderful cup of Joe, especially if you’re in the area during those cold winter months. Written in an engaging way. Chances are you have likely heard of Vail and for good reason. There are endless outdoor activities for those that love fresh mountain air and amazing hiking trails. Ride a bike in any city and you quickly get a feel for the town’s friendliness to two-wheel transport. There is never a shortage of things to do in this Colorado mountain town and it is unique with a proud history and deep-rooted culture. A core bike culture that lures riders from all over the world ’ s best mountain biking Awesome! Of Vail held here with good reason Vail, Colorado, has core! Has a lot to offer and definitely isn ’ t just for those who love to ski and.! 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