Jonathan Ingraham rides his bike up Georgia Pass near Breckenridge, Colo. on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024.Â
Tom Hellauer/Denver Gazette
Each year, thousands more tackle the trail on foot, by bike or on horseback, with some splitting their journey into segments, while others attempt the more daunting through-hike or through-bike.
Over one, 10-day period, and three, single-day outings, I mountain-biked 13 segments and one wilderness bypass detour of the Colorado Trail.
A pine tree stands with the Colorado Trail and Continental Divide Trail placards attached to it along the Gold Hill to Copper Mountain trail, segment seven of the Colorado Trail, as seen Saturday, June 22, 2024.
Jonathan Ingraham/Denver Gazette
Taking a closer look via two wheels at impacts to the trail from heavy use to weather to wildfires is something I ventured out to do.
As an avid mountain biker, I’ve pedaled a multitude of Front Range trails over the years, but never explored and studied segments of the Colorado Trail. Â
While out biking, I found adventure on these segments, and the journey was extraordinary. I also found unique elements reflective of Colorado’s old forests, environmental impacts on the trail and learned a several new things about long-trek mountain biking.
What to expect
• An insider’s look at what it’s like to experience the trail by bike.
• Perspectives and stories from those met on the trail.Â
• Information about what it’s like to solo bike.
• A look at some “must-see” stops and intriguing vistas along the way.
• And a delve into the trail’s history — and a look at the impact that heavy use, insects, weather and wildfires have had on the trail.
Join us on our Colorado Trail adventure.
Colorado Trail Lengths
Collegiate East is 486 miles, according to the Colorado Trail Foundation. The Collegiate West route is 491 miles. The Colorado Trail thru-bike trail system is 549 miles, according to Mountain Bike Project
About the series
In the summer that the Colorado Trail Foundation recognized as the trail’s 50th anniversary, Gazette and Denver Gazette staffers got out to explore the iconic, long tour of the state’s Rockies. Follow along with the journey in their stories to come.
PHOTOS: 10 days via mountain bike on the Colorado Trail
A group of mountain bikers rest atop Blackhawk Pass, as seen on Monday, July 29, 2024, which is the high point of Segment 26 of the Colorado Trail. Segment 26 takes riders from Bolam Pass Road to Hotel Draw Road over Blackhawk Pass, where the views of the central and northern San Juan Mountains are top notch.
Jonathan Ingraham
[email protected]
Pikes Peak, ‘America’s Mountain’, can be seen looking south along Segment 2 (South Platte River), of the Colorado Trail, one of several 14,000-foot-high peaks visible along the trail that runs from Denver to Durango.
Jonathan Ingraham
[email protected]
A young hiker leads her llama on a hike on Segment 25 of the Colorado Trail northwest of Molas Pass, Colorado, as seen Friday, July 26, 2024. Segment 25 travels approximately 20 miles east to west, with large sections of the trail above treeline with regular and beautiful views of the southern San Juan Mountains.
Jonathan Ingraham
[email protected]
The Colorado Trail’s Segment 8 travels through Camp Hale National Monument north of Leadville, as seen Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, including a passing near the former US Army’s 10th Mountain Division training facility’s munitions bunkers on the south side.Â
Jonathan Ingraham
[email protected]
Mt. Antero is shrouded in rain and clouds during a rain storm Monday, July 22, 2024, west of Buena Vista, Colorado. Segment 14 of the Colorado Trail travels north to south in the foothills east of Mt. Antero and is a 20.8-mile long section of the 487-mile long trail system from Denver to Durango.
Jonathan Ingraham
[email protected]
A kayaker paddles his kayak in the Arkansas River, as seen from Chaffee County Road 371, Tuesday, July 23, 2024 along a stretch of the river north of Buena Vista, Colorado. Chaffee County Road 371 follows the Arkansas River for several miles and is considered one of the bikepacking or mountain biking detour routes of the Colorado Trail.
Since bike riding is not allowed in wilderness areas, which the Colorado Trail passes through several, bike-safe detour routes exist along the route from Denver to Durango.
Jonathan Ingraham
[email protected]
Rosalie Peak, right, Square Top Mountain and Mt. Logan line the Colorado skyline, as seen from an overlook along Little Scraggy Trail south of Buffalo Creek, Colorado. Little Scraggy Trail is part of the Colorado Trail system that runs from Denver to Durango and is segment three of the 500-plus mile trail through Colorado’s mountains.
Jonathan Ingraham
[email protected]
A group of mountain bikers descend southward from Blackhawk Pass on Segment 26 of the Colorado Trail Monday, July 29, 2024 after pedaling their way up from Bolam Pass earlier in the day. Segment 26 offers some of the best views and mountain bike riding on the Colorado Trail.
Jonathan Ingraham
[email protected]
Stars appear in the northern night sky above Ponderosa Pines next to the East Fork of Hermosa Creek west of Purgatory Ski Resort, as seen Sunday, July 28, 2024. Hermosa Creek is one of the river drainages that flows through the southern San Juan Mountains and is near Segments 26 and 27 of the Colorado Trail trail system.
Jonathan Ingraham
[email protected]
‘Soldierstone’, as seen Wednesday, July 24, 2024, is a 12-foot-tall polished stone memorial standing near Sargents Mesa along Segment 16 and 17 of the Colorado Trail in Saguache County, Colorado, has quotes in multiple languages on it and military ammo boxes and honors forgotten soldiers and civilians from the Vietnam War.
Jonathan Ingraham
[email protected]
Dexter’s Cabin, one of several buildings at the Interlaken Historical Site, seen Wednesday, July 31, 2024, is a short detour off Segment 11 of the Colorado Trail on the south shores of Twin Lakes, and offers a unique look into Colorado’s Victorian- and mining-era past.
Jonathan Ingraham
[email protected]
A herd of Hereford cattle graze atop Sargents Mesa near Soldierstone and along Segment 17 of the Colorado Trail Wednesday, July 24, 2024. The open meadows connecting Segment 16 and 17 are part of a section along the Colorado Trail with heavy beetle kill and susceptible to wildfire due to the forest’s health.
Jonathan Ingraham
[email protected]
Looking west toward the Sawatch Mountains from Twin Lakes Dam, as seen Wednesday, July 31, 2024, Segment 11 of the Colorado Trail and the Twin Lakes Trail share a section of the trail that circumnavigates Twin Lakes in Lake County, Colorado.Â
Jonathan Ingraham/Denver Gazette
Denver Gazette Digital Producer Jonathan Ingraham’s helmet dangles from his mountain bike with the northern massif of Perins Peak visible in the background Tuesday, July 30, 2024 northwest of Durango, Colorado while at Gudy’s Rest on Segment 28 of the Colorado Trail.
Jonathan Ingraham
[email protected]
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Publish date : 2024-09-28 12:59:00
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