The best gravel rides in Colorado

Colorado is perhaps best known for its mountains and vibrant MTB scene, but there are tons of gravel routes for you to explore as well. We’ve put together a collection of some of the best gravel rides from across the state, featuring some incredible views, tough climbs and even a bakery stop.  

Though it may not be the first place that enters your mind when you think of gravel riding, Colorado, with its wealth of mountain ranges, parks and gravel roads, is a gravel rider’s paradise. No matter where you go, there’s something for everyone – whether you’re an experienced gravel rider looking for an adventurous route with plenty of tough climbs, or a beginner hoping to soak up the surroundings and enjoy the sumptuous views.  

We’ve arranged our list of best gravel bike trails in Colorado from beginner to expert. Each trail recommendation gives you an overview of the route, as well as the link to the route itself. Some of these routes are connected to larger trail networks, so don’t be afraid to explore further! 

If you’re looking for riding recommendations elsewhere, be sure to check out our list of best bike trails in California. If riding (or racing) in a group is more your thing, try our list of the best organized bikes rides in America.  

• Level: Beginner  
• Path condition: A mixture of gravel, dirt and paved roads, with some bike paths and easy singletrack 
• Starting point: Spruce St, Denver, Colorado 
• Highlights: A fun combination of road surfaces and amazing views of the Flatirons with some beginner singletrack 
• Length of the route: 30.3 miles 
• Elevation gain: 1,257 ft 
• Total distance: 30.3 miles  

This route is a great way to get out and explore some of the bike trails around South Boulder. Though it incorporates some singletrack, it is a beginner-friendly, fun route that will help to improve your skills and build towards some more technical trails. The rest of the route is mostly on dirt road and bike paths, perfect to get out and enjoy gravel riding while taking in the majestic views over the Flatirons.  

There are plenty of coffee shops and a bike shop near to the start point on Spruce St, if you need last minute supplies or a caffeine hit before you head out.  

• Level: Beginner  
• Path condition: A mixture of gravel and paved trails  
• Starting point: Parking lot at Kennedy Ballfields Complex, Denver, Colorado 
• Highlights: Optional beginner mountain bike trails with easy features, a variety of trail surfaces and plenty of opportunities to see wildlife 
• Length of the route: 18.6 miles 
• Elevation gain: 822 ft 
• Travel time: 1.5 to 2 hours 
• Total distance: 18.6 miles  

If you’re looking for a fun and easy gravel route, Cherry Creek state park has 36 miles of multi-use trails for you to explore. This route will give you an introduction to some of them, but be sure to check out the full trail map to discover everything else on offer. This route can also be ridden directly from downtown Denver along the Cherry Creek bike path, which adds 10 miles each way.  

If you drive into the park, you will need to pay a fee for entry. Walkers and cyclists are exempt. 

• Level: Beginner 
• Path condition: Mostly gravel trails with some road sections 
• Starting point: Boulder Valley Ranch Trailhead, Boulder, Colorado 
• Highlights: An easy, beginner friendly gravel trail, and the bakery stop, of course 
• Length of the route: 28 miles 
• Elevation gain: 904 ft 
• Total distance: 28 miles 

For a simple introduction to gravel, this route may take the cake. A mixed surface gravel trail, offering a great opportunity for a social ride with friends, complete with a café stop at the legendary Babette’s Bakery at mile 14. If you’re unsure about taking on any kind of singletrack, this will be the route for you. The only mildly technical aspects to the route are the cattle guards, which can easily be skipped if you prefer to keep things simple. 

• Level: Beginner to Intermediate 
• Path condition: Mostly gravel with some paved sections 
• Starting point: Clark General Store, Steamboat Springs, Colorado 
• Highlights: Smooth gravel, picturesque scenery, fun singletrack and a challenging climb 
• Length of the route: 27.5 miles  
• Elevation gain: 2,087 ft 
• Total distance: 27.5 miles 

The ride starts off with a 4.5-mile climb but don’t worry, that will be the worst of the climbing, and its on a well-groomed gravel road, so you won’t have to worry about your rear tire spinning out as you wend your way up. The rest of the route takes you through picturesque rural Colorado and there’s a fun section of easy singletrack next to Steamboat Lake for you to enjoy.  

This route starts and ends at Clark General Store, where you can stock up and enjoy a coffee and a meal before or after your ride.  

• Level: Intermediate  
• Path condition: Mostly gravel with a few paved sections  
• Starting point: Open Space Trailhead, Boulder County, Colorado  
• Highlights: Technical singletrack, sharp climbs, excellent views and a long final descent 
• Length of the route: 29.6 miles 
• Elevation gain: 1,501 ft 
• Total distance: 29.6 miles 

This route starts off relatively flat and on easy gravel. If you’re looking for a simple ride in the area, the first 14 miles can be ridden on their own. Past mile 14, you start to get into some more technical singletrack, with some rocky sections, all doable on a gravel rig, but you’ll want some confidence in your bike handling skills before you tackle them. The final descent along the Coalton Trail is straight the whole way down and an excellent reward for the sharp climbs you’ll tackle on the way up.  

• Level: Intermediate 
• Path condition: Mostly gravel roads 
• Starting point: Public parking off State Highway 134, Steamboat Springs, Colorado 
• Highlights: Views of the reservoir, lots of opportunities to see wildlife, all on well-maintained gravel trails 
• Length of the route: 50.2 miles 
• Elevation gain: 3,369 ft 
• Total distance: 50.2 miles 

Stagecoach Reservoir is a lovely place to gravel bike, with a whole network of gravel trails that go the whole way around the reservoir. You can easily extend this route to make in into a more challenging ride, or split it up over several days.  

Stagecoach State Park has an entry fee. The park has two campgrounds, meaning that you could easily turn the route into a low-stress bikepacking weekender. 

• Level: Advanced 
• Path condition: Gravel and sand with some rocky sections  
• Starting point: Barbara Whipple Trailhead, Buena Vista, Colorado  
• Highlights: River crossings, sand, steep punchy climbs and fast downhills 
• Length of the route: 29.9 miles  
• Elevation gain: 3,416 ft 
• Total distance: 29.9 miles 

Don’t let the relatively short length of this route trick you into thinking it doesn’t deserve its advanced rating. With four river crossings, some sandy sections, plenty of steep climbs and some equally slow descents over technical rock gardens, this route lives up to its name; it is certainly an adventure. Best suited to experienced gravel riders and you’ll likely want 38mm tires or wider –the lower the pressure the better. Be sure to take plenty of food and water, as there are no opportunities for refueling along the way.

• Level: Advanced  
• Path condition: Mostly gravel with some paved sections 
• Starting point: Garden of the Gods Parking Lot, Colorado Springs, Colorado 
• Highlights: A long climb with some sharp inclines and excellent views of rock formations 
• Length of the route: 64.3 miles 
• Elevation gain: 6,079 ft 
• Total distance: 64.3 miles  

With a 12-mile climb to get you started, this route isn’t for the faint of heart. You’ll be on well-maintained gravel or paved bike trails for most of the ride, but there are some rougher sections to watch out for on the final descent.  

For long days in the saddle, whether you’re on well-maintained gravel trails or somewhere off the beaten path, the Canyon Grizl is your perfect adventure companion. Designed for exploring the great outdoors rather than out-and-out speed, the Grizl is excellent for just about every trail on our list, from sticking to the Cherry Creek trails to venturing into the sand on the Buena Vista gravel adventure – and everything in between. If you’d prefer a bike that’s capable of handling a little bit more, the Grizl Trail has 30mm of front suspension for taking on gnarlier single-track and off-road adventures.