Adventure Cycling Association

Denver’s most adventurous visitors typically don’t stay in town past sunrise. To them, the city is usually just a convenient place to rest their heads and fuel up before heading to the trailheads and chairlifts in the mountains proper. But here’s a secret: Thanks to the metro area’s 850-plus-mile network of protected urban greenways, bringing a bike can transform Denver from a gateway into an adventure destination in its own right.

In fact, there are countless hiking and mountain biking trails, more than a dozen lakes and reservoirs for paddleboarding and boating, three state parks, two whitewater parks, and even a National Wildlife Refuge within the metro area — and all reasonably accessible by two wheels. Add to that the Mile High City’s self-proclaimed status as the cultural capital of the Intermountain West — complete with all trappings you’d expect from a capital city, including world-class museums, a bustling food scene, boundary-pushing art institutions, and quirky DIY attractions — and you could spend an entire trip in the city and be satisfied.

Not that you should. Because here is another secret: As you’ll see from the two rides we’ve highlighted here, you don’t have to choose between the city or the mountains. You can have both.

BEGINNER/DAY TRIP

Route: High Line Canal Trail
Distance: Up to 71 miles
Elevation gain: Up to 1000 feet

Logistically speaking, metro Denver’s High Line Canal Trail is something of a miracle. The multiuse path passes through 11 different jurisdictions that, together with local nonprofits in a bit of farsighted cooperation, all recently committed more than $100 million to improve the trail in the near future. But that doesn’t mean you should wait to ride it. The well-signed mix of gravel and asphalt stretches for 71 miles from bighorn-sheep-filled Waterton Canyon in the foothills all the way to the prairie just south of Denver International Airport — and because it follows an old canal, there isn’t much elevation change along the way.

While Mile 0 starts at Waterton Canyon, unless you’re camping next door at Chatfield State Park, we recommend riding the route in reverse and tackling as many miles you’re comfortable with. That way your return leg will take you back toward Denver for dinner (it’s a short detour at Mile 49 to the family-friendly Lowry Beer Garden). Wherever you start, you’ll pass through bustling suburbs, bucolic horse stables, and turnoffs for the Cherry Creek and Mary Carter Greenway trails, two more urban cycling gems.

EXPERT/MULTIDAY

Route: Colorado Trail from Waterton Canyon to Frisco
Distance: 152 miles
Elevation gain: Around 19,500 feet

At 528 miles and more than 72,000 feet of elevation gain through some of the highest mountain ranges in the U.S., the bikepacking version of the Colorado Trail is not for the faint of heart or weak of legs. But you don’t visit the Mile High City and skip riding in the Rockies, and we can’t think of another bikepacking route that takes you from the heart of one of America’s largest urban areas to high-alpine epicness so quickly.

Starting in Waterton Canyon (see the Beginner ride) and ending in Durango, ultra-endurance athletes have been known to ride the whole shebang in under four days. Mere mortals, however, can expect to average between 25 and 30 miles a day, a pace that will put them in Breckenridge, some 152 miles away, in about the same amount of time. From there, it’s just another five miles to the transit center in Frisco where you and your bike can catch the Bustang motorcoach back to Denver ($13).

This section also features some of the easiest riding along the entire Colorado Trail, meaning you might not have to hike your bike up any steep segments. Still, you’ll likely want fat tires and front suspension. People do regularly tackle the trail on fully rigid and full-suspension rigs, but since this portion features around 30 miles of pavement — including the longest road section on the entire route — the latter might be overkill unless you plan to continue past Frisco where the going gets truly tough. You may also have to navigate a snow patch or two: Riding season is July 1 through September 30 for a reason.

The reward for all this mental and physical exertion? Wondrous views from the Continental Divide along 11,585-foot Georgia Pass, aspen groves at 10,000-foot Kenosha Pass, jumping trout in the South Platte River and Tarryall Creek, and something oh-so rare for a ride that begins in the suburbs: a true backcountry biking experience.

Denver Travel Guide

ARTS AND CULTURE

Denver may be a major metropolis these days, but it still holds onto its Western and Rocky Mountain roots — heck, there’s even a cattle drive through downtown every January. The city views from Red Rocks Amphitheatre are as epic as the bands the venue books, which have included The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, U2, and Bob Dylan. Next door, you can bike along Dinosaur Ridge, an outdoor museum with hundreds of dino footprints still embedded in rock. Closer to downtown, you’ll find dozens of galleries and collections, including the History Colorado Center and the Denver Art Museum, which has permanent exhibits on both Western America and Indigenous art.

GO AND STAY

Denver International Airport (DIA) is the country’s largest in terms of square footage, so flying in and out of it is easy. Getting from it to the city is a little harder, however — there’s a reason locals joke DIA is in Kansas. Luckily, rental cars and rideshares abound, and the A Line light rail will transport you and your bike to downtown’s Union Station for $10. Or you could bike the 8 or so miles to the High Line Canal Trail, which connects to the city’s sprawling greenway network. There are too many hotels to call out any in particular, but if you’re looking to camp, Cherry Creek and Chatfield state parks — both accessible by greenway — are your best bets for pitching a tent in the metro.

GROCERIES AND FOOD

The Michelin Guide only started reviewing Denver restaurants in 2023, but seven restaurants have already earned a star, including Bruto, Beckon, The Wolf’s Tailor, and Alma Fonda Fina. But you don’t have to spend big to eat well. Local foodies have long flocked to the stripmall eateries such as Pho Duy and Tacos y Salsas along Federal Boulevard. Just plan to ride side streets to get there as traffic along the boulevard can be heavy. Finally, if you’re tackling our expert route above, you’ll want to pack your meals. There’s only one resupply stop between Waterton Canyon and Breckenridge: rural Park County’s Stagestop Saloon.

This story originally appeared in the Winter 2025 issue of Adventure Cyclist magazine. Join today to get yours.