Colorado ride last week in June, Help!!!

[jeffk12lt]

:bmw: I'm Heading out to Colorado the end of June and wanted to know if anybody out there has any good (must see rides). My base camp will be in Estes Park. Coming from the Frozen Tundra!

Thanks ahead for any info you can help me with,
Bumpa's Beamer

[the1mavin]

:bmw: I'm Heading out to Colorado the end of June and wanted to know if anybody out there has any good (must see rides). My base camp will be in Estes Park. Coming from the Frozen Tundra!

Thanks ahead for any info you can help me with,
Bumpa's Beamer

If you are staying in Estes, you're very close to one good one--Trailridge Road. Hwy 34 west of Estes through the Rocky Mtn. National Park is a great/beautiful ride as long as you get up there during the week when there is less traffic. If you are looking for a little longer ride, stay on 34 west and check out Grand Lake.

If you are into scraping pegs head up to Fort Collins via Stove Prarie Road to Rist Canyon Road and take Hwy 14 west to Walden, CO. If you run it at the speed limit it is beautiful--over the speed limit it is fun...

Those are a couple short day trips from Estes. If you like to ride a bit further in a day there are a ton more.

Tim

[messenger13]

PM Dean & Deb Sauer (http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/private.php?do=newpm&u=4425). That's their backyard! Tell them that Joe (messenger13) sent ya. :)

[MOSLEYDS]

THis might help: http://www.go-colorado.com/Scenic-Drives/

[MOSLEYDS]

http://www.coloradobyways.org/ByWay.cfm?byWayIDpar=SAN20011203091122

[pjessen]

Trail ridge road is fine at the crack of dawn. For a longer ride, go to Grandby, then 125, Willow Creek Pass to Walden and 14 back to Ft. Collins.

Your profile doesn't say where you're coming from so its hard to suggest some cross-country rides. We'll assume you will be on the LT.

The Front Range roads south of Estes are all nice...36 to Lyons, 7 to 72, all of 119, Left hand canyon from Ward to north Boulder, 119 from Boulder to Nederland, 72 from 119 to Arvada, and Golden Gate Canyon from Golden to north of Blackhawk.

From Central City there is a new paved road to I-70 east of Idaho springs. From Idaho springs, take 103 south to the top of Mt. Evans (should open by June 1) and over squaw pass down to Bergen Park, then I-70 back to 119.

Again, if you are through Estes Park at the crack of dawn, go west from Grandby on 40 through Kremmling north to 134 Gore Pass road to Taponas, then up to Steamboat, East on 40 again, to Muddy Pass to Walden and repeat 14 again.

These are all killer days. When you are about an hour out of Denver, the traffic improves significantly.

You will have a great time!

[steamboatjohn]

I live in Steamboat, drop me a line if your interested in coming over this way...

[lacajun]

All of the rides listed are great. For a longer ride (better start pretty early), try Trail Ridge Road through the RMNP, Winter Park across Berthod Pass, I70 to Leadville, then to Independance Pass back to I70. You can go back the way you came or head through Denver, Boulder, Lyons, then back to Estes. As you can see, my favorites are the high roads.

FYI, there are several really cool (laid back) places to stay and eat around Leadville-Minturn area for an overnighter. Several quaint-out-of-the-way B&B's.

Another touristy ride is to the top of Mt. Evans @ 14,000 ft+...best to be sure it's a good weather day! It's paved all the way to the top. Don't try Pikes Peak; gravel about 1/2 way up.

Trafic in Denver metro is the pits, I suggest staying off of I25...plenty of pucker power riding through town!

Enjoy

[rmg08057]

Try this link....I have tried most of these and they are beautiful.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=141444

I'll also post a MS Streets & Trips route. One thing I would suggest is to do the RMNP twice. Come from the west late in the afternoon and you get the beautiful slanting light with the sun behind you. Stay in Estes Park the night. Then retrace your route 1st thing the next morning...the colors and feeling is entirely different...seems like two different places.