Mountain - Plains - Downtown Denver to Lone Tree...

Alright, new job assignment... Anyone do a similar ride like this for a commute?

I would think the Platte Trail to C470 Trail East. At a minimum though, I'd say it's 22 miles 1 way. For an alternative, you could take the Cherry Creek Triail to Cherry Creek State Park, then Dayton south (road from here) to Caley west to Yosemite south (over i25) which takes you also through Park Meadows and then eventually under C470. That one I figure is 20 miles to the mall, though it will undoubtedly take you longer.

where in Lone Tree? Got an address?

where in Lone Tree? Got an address?

9218 Kimmer Dr
Lone Tree, CO 80124

Right off of park meadows...

I would think the Platte Trail to C470 Trail East. At a minimum though, I'd say it's 22 miles 1 way. For an alternative, you could take the Cherry Creek Triail to Cherry Creek State Park, then Dayton south (road from here) to Caley west to Yosemite south (over i25) which takes you also through Park Meadows and then eventually under C470. That one I figure is 20 miles to the mall, though it will undoubtedly take you longer.

hmm, well I guess I'll have to nut up at some point and do this. The way I took last time it was 18 miles to Cherry Creek State Park from my house, although it seems I did it indirectly somehow...

It's kinda cool to use www.mapmyride.com (http://www.mapmyride.com) to do your mileage. It's not perfect because it doesn't have bike trails on it, but since they usually just about parallel water or roads, it's pretty accurate.

It's best to create an account before you start mapping so you an save the route you create. It takes some time.

I live along the path, and it's about 9 miles to REI from my house and 7 to Cherry Creek High School. But .75 miles (1.5 total) should be subtracted because that's the distance from my house to the path. So, I'm guessing 15.5.

Might be fun to do a loop to and from work. I would probably do the CC/Yosemite route in the morning and the 470/Platte in the afternoon due to traffic.

Let us know how it goes.

Willow creek trail is probably what you want to get from the tech center to Lone tree. My in-laws live in Lonetree. sometimes My sister in-law and i will ride North to Denver on willow creek trail.

If You want to view trails around Denver there are three good options.
Buy map put out by the DBTC available at most bike shops.
View satellite imagery of many of the trails using .kmz file on http://geobiking.org/Maps.aspx
Download the .kmz file and open in Google Earth.
Primer on same page may help if you are a newcomer to Google Earth.
Use DrCOG maps at http://www.drcog.org/index.cfm?page=BicycleFacilityInventory

Here is a "big picture" map

http://members.aol.com/dnvrfox/denverbikemap1.jpg

The Little Dry Creek Trail (not shown) leaves the Highline Canal just south of Orchard (go left at the Y before the bridge) and crosses Holly, then Arapahoe, and then follows either the open space or adjoining road, crosses Dry Creek (or you can go under Dry Creek) becomes the Willow Creek Trail, which goes out past the Lonetree Library and golf course.

However, this is VERY slow traveling, and surface streets would be a lot faster. But, the Willow Creek Trail does go UNDER County Line and C-470, just west of Park Meadows area.

Alright, new job assignment... Anyone do a similar ride like this for a commute?

Your most direct route would be this one (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1202613). You might want to look at the route and see if there are some alternatives that parallel Yosemite which isn't the most pleasant route. For example, once you cross I-25 on Yosemite, you might what to ride Alton which goes to about the same place but would have a little less traffic.

I put the distance as 17 miles from Confluence Park.

I agree Yosemite is a PITA. It will add a few miles, but in the Tech Center, take a right on to Union, over to S Monaco, then south to Belleview. zig-zag to stay on S. Monaco, then right on Berry, left on Holly. Holly south all the way to C470, where you can get on the c470 trail, east back to Yosemite then on....

(I actually take a right on Orchard to Colorado, then ride Colorado. Same size shoulder as Holly, but at least there are 'share the road' signs on Colorado)

DTC blvd is not that fun either. However, both DTC and Yosemite are rideable but I would rather detour to the west a bit and keep my sanity. I suppose one could also detour to the east but that would add a bit of time. Plenty of options in that area.