Bicycle Commuting in Denver - good/bad??

[trace22clawson]

I've been looking at some maps of the Denver area bike trails. Looks like a pretty extensive system of trails. I may be moving there soon. Thinking of living in the Parker area. Is there a good route to commute from Parker all the way to downtown Denver? I tried to follow the Cherry Creek trail on the maps but somehow I manage to lose it. Does it go all the way from Parker to downtown?

I'd like to live close to light rail routes. Any other suggestions on good places to live and commute by bike? I don't mind a 15-20 mile ride each way... as long as it's not uphill both ways.

[velo2000]

Here are a couple routes I found on routeslip.com:

http://www.routeslip.com/routes/30420 (Cherry Creek Res to Parker)
http://www.routeslip.com/routes/17673 (Cherry Creek trail)

I'm not familiar with the route from the reservoir to Parker, but you can definitely take the Cherry Creek trail all the way to downtown.

[DataJunkie]

Take a look at this:
http://www.denvergov.org/Bicycle_Program/BikeMapsofDenver/BikeMapsofDenver0/tabid/378719/Default.aspx

There are also plenty of on street routes. You have a fair amount of options besides bike trails. However, the bike trails are generally quite nice. I have ridden from downtown to DTC using the cherry creek. I am sure it would be fairly easy to connect parker to a trail. I think DenverFox lives in that area.

Bicycle colorado has links to more bike maps.

[cyccommute]

I've been looking at some maps of the Denver area bike trails. Looks like a pretty extensive system of trails. I may be moving there soon. Thinking of living in the Parker area. Is there a good route to commute from Parker all the way to downtown Denver? I tried to follow the Cherry Creek trail on the maps but somehow I manage to lose it. Does it go all the way from Parker to downtown?

I'd like to live close to light rail routes. Any other suggestions on good places to live and commute by bike? I don't mind a 15-20 mile ride each way... as long as it's not uphill both ways.

You are probably losing it at Jordan Road and Cottonwood Dr. The map that velo2000 provided doesn't show that the trail now continues all up to Otero Dr (about a half mile further north). Jordan Road has a lot of traffic but it also has wide shoulders so it's not bad to ride on. It's realtively flat so it's fast in both directions with a slight uphill to the south.

If you want to live near the Light Rail, look to the west of Jordan Road. Light rail only comes down to Lincoln Ave., although there is a spur that goes up to Parker Road and I-225. Here's a link (http://www.rtd-denver.com/) to RTD.

If you want to live in Parker and get to the light rail, your best bet would be to turn west on the E-470 bike way which will take you over to the Park Meadows shopping center where you can pick up the light rail. Here's a map (http://www.routeslip.com/routes/17746) that I made for a bimodal ride idea that's been rolling around in my head for a while.

The light rail does require a pass to use it for bicycles and you have to take a test but it's free and the test is pretty easy...if a little dumb.