Originally Posted by
marco polo
I live in Denver and have toured through most of the routes you are considering. I agree with Valygrl and Cyccommute. Here are some additional thoughts:
Highway 160 from Durango to Pagosa Springs is beautiful but narrow and exasperatingly busy. I can see why you want to go over Wolf Creek and Slumgullion, (Slumgullion especially is a great ride), but Lizard Head/Dallas Divide, as you know, is stunning, and Highway 550 over Coal Bank, Molas, Red Mountain Passes is the finest alpine road ride in the state.
I've never been over Slumgullion but I'll agree that Red Mountain is stunning. It is a little narrow going down into Ouray but since you'll be going downhill and it's scary for the drivers, you'll probably be able to go faster than they will.
Originally Posted by
marco polo
All three routes put you through Gunnison and Monarch Pass, which you have done. If you would like a different route than Monarch try North Pass (Highway 114), which puts you into the north end of the San Luis Valley and then you can go over Poncha Pass to Salida.
Poncha Pass is kind of boring. But that may because I've been over it about a gazillion times in a car.
Originally Posted by
marco polo
Your route through Westcliff is interesting but unless you are avid for the megopolis from Colorado Spings, through Denver and Boulder to Loveland, I would avoid it. (I can’t – I live here.) If the object is to go through Rocky Mountain National Park and Trail Ridge Road you can shorten the urban riding, but lengthen the mountain riding, with two choices.
From Salida take US 50 to Buena Vista and US 285 to Denver. It is fairly busy but the drivers are courteous and I have ridden it many times without any trouble. The ride across South Park from Trout Creek Pass to Kenosha Pass is especially enjoyable. From Conifer to Denver is now four lanes with wide shoulders. Then you are lined up with the bike paths through the city.√
A more remote route, but one with suble charms and very little traffic is to take Colorado 67 starting either in Canon City or Woodland Park, ending at Pine Junction then down 285 to Denver.
If you wanted to avoid Denver (It's not that bad
), I'd suggest going north out of Buena Vista to Twin Lakes and over Independence Pass. Then come out of Glenwood to Vail Pass and over to Peak-to-Peak through Central City.