DnvrFox

OK, I hear a number of folks continually complaining about MUPS (multiple Use Paths) - congestion, dogs, kids, whatever.

Today's ride features the MUP 1/2 mile from my houes, going 20 miles south to Castlewood Canyon State Park. On this ride, I combined the MUP, and about 2 miles of paved little used road at the end and entrance to Castlewood Canyon State Park.

In the process, besides the 2 miles one-way on the little-used country road, I crossed 2 roads, only one with any traffic.

I encountered 5 cars on the paved road, about 15 cyclists over 40 miles, and 15 pedestrians with dogs, all properly controlled and leashed and friendly folks.

Total ride of 40 miles, with a 30 minute swim at the rec pool on the way home.

Pictures below:

Barrettscv 

I enjoy my Chicago area MUPs, but avoid some during the weekend. Busse Woods looks like this;











The Chicago Lakefront Bike Path is about 18 miles and offers these views;

Barrettscv 

The Chicago North Branch is a 35 mile loop and is ideal for faster rides. It follows the North Branch of the Chicago River through a Forest Preserve. It looks like this;









Sometimes it looks like this!

teachme

What is a mup?

10 Wheels

multiple use path

fietsbob

12/07 storm blew trees down over the Hwy 30/26, but as every 5th rig
is a big pickup truck with a chainsaw in the back ,
It got taken care of and hauled off in no time..
Split and stacked..

Bike trailers with chainsaws in Chicago, I expect much more rare..

bigbadwullf

Multiple-use trails are being turned into hiking-only by environMentalists. Good luck keeping your MUPs!

kr32

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...-MUP-quot-mean

DnvrFox

Not around here - in fact, our regional plans call for more MUPS as they are used extensively for commuting. Please give me an example of what you state.

John_V 

The one I go to was made specifically for cycling, running and roller blading. The off path trails are part of a 6 park, 30 mile off-road system that is pretty nice, from what I'm told. I have these three photos that I took trying out my $40.00 jersey pocket camera. I'll take and post some more photos when I go out there again on Wednesday.

View of path from the water station at the west service road junction. That's my wife coming down the path on her recumbent trike.


Some riders in a paceline after the wife got there. The loop continues to the right of the junction.


The service road from the water station going to the parking lot.

oldster

Denver, Next trip to Castlewood,take the Binocs and a book , its a really great place to go birding....
Bud

ModeratedUser150120149

Nice images. Looking forward to riding that route.

BluesDawg

Looks nice. We don't have anything like that around here.

DEK

DnvrFoxL Very cool looking path. Thanks for the pics

Barrett: I use to ride the Busse Woods trail a lot and occasionally the North Branch. Great paths if you're out there before the masses show up.

xizangstan

Thanks for posting the thread, Denver. Back when I was a kid in high school, in the early 1960's, we used to go to the broken dam and drink beer, skinny dip with our girlfriends in Cherry Creek, and watch out for rattle snakes. I still have some photos of my girlfriend with not too much clothing on, there at the creek. No MUPs anywhere around...

Years later, in the late 1970's, I was a real estate broker and land developer and did subdivisions adjacent to the State Park and in Franktown. Still no MUPs back then.

Man, things sure have changed! That used to be way, way out in the country. Now, it's just suburbs of Denver. Wow.

Good for you guys, getting all those paths put it. Just watch for rattlesnakes.

doctor j

Barrettscv, a few years back, I worked at 1 South Wacker, a couple of blocks north of Sears Tower. We lived in St. Charles. I didn't ride a lot back then but did manage some rides in the western burbs and out toward Sycamore. Nice shots.

I'm not much on MUPs, but I use a piece of one around here to avoid a large, heavily traveled main road. The redeeming factor on the portion of the MUP I rode today was the presence of several very fit runners of the opposite gender.

jbman100

So Im curious as to what route you took to get there.

billydonn

2/3 of MUP traffic here is bikes...there is no chance of pedestrian conversion.

DnvrFox

I live just south of E470 and Jordan. The CC Trail runs just behind my house. I took the trail south to the current end, which is Walker Road, a hard pack dirt road. S. on Walker about a mile and you hit CO 86. Left two tenths of a mile to Castlewood Canyon Road. South on Castlewood Canyon Road 2 miles to the State Park.

The CC Trail, at Scott Road, follows a gravel road 1 mile over an old brdge (east) to south in front of Choke Cherry Farm. It is marked with Douglas County signs,, and is fully passable on a road bike.

DnvrFox

There are master plans for MUPS all across Douglas County, including a complete east/west trail. Yes, things do change, but open space and trails is THE priority around here. The town of Parker (now at about 40,000 folks) has almost 2,000 acres of open space, and 20 miles of MUPS, and there are literally thousands of acres of open space in the county, in addition to all the National Forest land.

The entire I-25 corridor from just south of Castle Rock to just north of Monument Hill has been preserved - no continuous houses ever between Denver and Colorado Springs. Tis is mainly the beautiful Greenland area.

Yes, there are several rattlesnake bites in Cstlewood Canyon State Park each year - there was a dog killed just 2 weeks ago.

RobertL

Very nice! Like you I am lucky regarding MUPs. There is a beautiful 4,900 acre park about a quarter mile from my house. It has 20 miles of well maintained paths running through open rolling hills, over creeks, around lakes, tree covered shady sections and most times, like today, I rode a 16.8 mile loop and encountered fewer than six folks on the path. Weekends are a bit busier, but away from the huge playground, I'll still run across less than a dozen folks on the path. There are also paths to six other large parks scattered around the metro area. One I take is about 7 miles to a small Dam on the Mississippi river.

rydabent

IMHO anyone that doesnt enjoy a MUP like those pictured is too much of a fully kitted head down roadie. On my recumbent sitting fully upright I really enjoy the views on MUPS.

wrk101

+1 Thumbs up for the Chicago metro area. You can just about ride to any of the suburbs to Chicago, on a MUP. And then you can almost ride across the state, starting with the I & M canal towpath, then a short break, then the Hennepin Canal towpath. The Hennepin is poorly/not maintained unfortunately, but since it runs about a mile from my in-laws farm, I still use it anytime I go visit.

berner

The MUP here is named the East Bay Bike Path but, of course, everyone uses it. I ride it frequently and mostly as a recovery ride. I realize it is not the usual ride and not at the usual speed. As a consequence, I set out to enjoy what there is. I enjoy the grandmothers on roller blades with elbow and knee pads, the little kids with legs and pedals going around furiously. I'll often tell the kids "Nice bike". I suspect it makes them feel pretty good. I say 'good morning' to most and raise an index finger on the bar in greeting to other riders, some who have become familiar over time. I talk to the geese who love the new grass coming up and will share a snack with them and chatter at the sometimes suicidal squirells.

One town has an old fashioned carousell, built in 1895 or so and a short distance off the path. They are now open, during summer, so I rode over one Saturday and watched kids with really BIG SMILES go around to caliope circus music. The grown ups with them also had big smiles as they rode their own gaily painted hand carved horses. Actuall, there is a lot to like on the local MUP.

Shifty

I love Castlewood Canyon, nice to see it looking so good.

When I lived in Colorado Springs I would meet a lady friend from Denver there on summer evenings for a picnic. A blanket, bottle of wine and a remote spot overlooking the canyon, yeah, fond memories.