Colorado is a mountain bikers dream destination. It’s got some of the most epic alpine single track in the world and I’ve been researching the best routes to go on multi day bikepacking adventures in Colorado.
Colorado has it all: forests, mountains, ancient cliff dwellings, canyons, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, snow, sand, mud, skiing, hiking, climbing and cycling. It is an outdoor lover’s Mecca. Colorado is known as one of the ‘Mountain states’ being home to the Rocky Mountains National Park amongst many others!
As always, I’ve been scrolling through blogs, maps, trail itineraries, videos and the corners of the internet to find the best bikepacking routes in Colorado.
There’s enough single track to blow your socks off, there’s enough high alpine routes to blow your lungs up, and low canyon routes to blow your mind.
There’s a cacophony of beautiful camping spots and serene lunch stop vistas. Make sure to read the last one as I’m most excited about that.
Let’s explore bikepacking in Colorado.
Top 5 bikepacking routes in Colorado:
- Alpine Loop
- Boulder Loop
- Colorado Trail
- Kokopelli Trail
- Great Tour Divide
Alpine Loop
I’m starting with a short and sweet option. A 130km loop starting and finishing in the mining town of Silverton. When I said ‘sweet’ I meant ‘lung scorching climbs’ with incredible views. Despite the short distance the climbs make it a full weekend route. This weekend bikepacking route is perfect for a gravel bike and will take you past remains of old mining towns high up into the Rockies. Due to the loops’ high altitude it is only really accessible from July to early September, but during these months you will be able to enjoy the best wildflower displays in all of the Rockies. The midway point of Lake City makes for a perfect refuel stop before pushing back up through the mountains home.
Boulder Loop
Another weekend length trip starts and ends in the town of Boulder. This is a great starting trip for those of you testing the Colorado bikepacking waters. It’s got climbs and unpaved roads most of the way so although it is easy to navigate and isn’t too remote that doesn’t make it a walk (or cycle) in the park. You’ve got lots of water and camping options along the way. You’ve also got some excellent mountain biking trails you can explore from Boulder without your packs if you fancy extending your trip a few days. This is 124km of bikepacking loveliness, pack light and enjoy the simple nature of this option.
Colorado Trail
If you’re after more than a weekend away let’s take you through one of the USAs longest and most epic trails. Spanning from Durango to Denver it encompasses 870kms of breathtaking (literally) scenery. There is more single track than you can shake a stick at and there’s more mountain passes than you can shake your legs at! This is a technical route that has rocky rooty climbs and steep steppy descents. There are towns on the way but you can find yourself all alone in the wilderness so be sure to plan carefully and check the weather. You’ll be at altitude most of the time, passing through 8 mountain ranges and reaching an eye watering 4000m so ride sensibly and take regular rest! Bikepacking.com say it can take anywhere between 8-18 days to complete depending on your ability.
Kokopelli trail
If popping a lung on a mountain pass isn’t your thing then look to the canyons and you’ll find fun, and challenging mountain biking trails. The Kokopelli trail is a 3-5 day 230km route connecting Fruita to Moab (Utah) through the Mesa Country. It’s named after a Native American fertility deity. Bring your mountain bike or fat bike to make the most of gravel roads and dirt tracks. Due to the weather in the region being unbearable in the deserts during June-September and snowy November to April, your best riding time is either May or October.
Great Tour Divide
I’ve saved my favourite until last! Some say this route is the grandfather of bikepacking adventures. One of the most famous routes in the world and home to the most epic bikepacking race in the world (more to come in the future on these). I’ve mentioned my love for this route before in my article about single speed bikepacking and I’m planning a more in depth look at it again soon. I REALLY want to try it! Or at least some of it. It runs from Canada to Mexico through the heart of Colorado and the Rocky Mountains. The 5th week of the outlined route is 679km from Steamboat Springs to Del Norte through the middle of Colorado. You’ll pass the Colorado River, classic spruce trees in the Routt National Forest, and high altitude mountain passes in the Gore Mountain Range. This section should take you about a week to complete and has plenty of water and camping along the way. Expect insane mountain vistas and sublime river rides.
I hope these got you as excited as I am to venture to Colorado. It really is somewhere anyone into the outdoor lifestyle should go. I know I’ll be booking my ticket as soon as it’s possible and safe!
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