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Durango, Colorado
Durango is located
in the far Southwest corner of the state of Colorado.
Near the "Four Corners" area, which is a spot
in the United States where you can be in Utah, Colorado,
Arizona, and New Mexico all at the same time!
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The
mountain bike mecca as it is known worldwide is always
a wonderful trip destination. Durango was established
in 1880 and one year later the Denver & Rio Grande
Railroads began to puff their way into and out-of
the small mining town. They carried loads and loads
of precious metals that were mined in the region.
Today, Durango is somewhat different then it used
to be. However, through time,one thing remains the
same. The fire-breathing, smoke-puffing steam locomotives
still forge their way through town. The trains now
carry passengers (great tourist activity) instead
of mining products and have become quite an attraction.
In fact, an annual cycling race, (both mountain and
road events) is one of the oldest running events that
puts the town and the trains
centerstage.
Every
year the "Iron Horse Classic" offers some
great racing and riding right in town. The event always
draws excellent competition and events like the "Iron
Horse Road Race" (the racers actually race the
train to Silverton), "Iron Horse Cross-Country,"
and "Roostmaster" make it a fun event to
watch or compete.
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town and hitting fun single-track is not a hard thing
to do when you are in the Durango area. Whether you
want to ride up Horse Gulch near Ft. Lewis College or
ride over to the Colorado Trail, choices are never a
problem. Chapman Hill (right) is always a good starting
point if you would like to ride the trails that the
Iron Horse Classic uses for the mountain bike cross-country.
These fun and challenging trails surround Ft. Lewis
College and are quite fun. There is much better riding
in the area and you should visit some local bikeshops
to get trail maps and info. |
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The
Colorado Trail (left) practically starts on mainstreet
and is one fun piece of single-track. To complete a
22 mile loop from Durango (only about five miles of
this loop is on the Colorado Trail), head west on 25th
Street which will turn into Junction Creek Road. You
will want to stay to the left at the intersection and
follow Junction Creek Road until the end of the pavement.
The Colorado Trail trailhead is accessible on the left
side of the road where the pavement ends. Follow the
trail along the creek for a few miles and then cross
over the bridge on the left-hand side. This will take
you up a climb that traverses the hillside and will
eventually take you to Gudy's rest. About 1/8 mile past
Gudy's rest, take a left on the Hoffheins Connection
trail. This will take you downhill to Lightner Creek
Road. Follow to the a left on Lightner Creek Road and
take down to Highway 160. Make a left on Highway 160
and travel back to Durango. |
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beautiful creeks and thick forests this trail makes
for a memorable ride. If you want, you can ride a long,
long time on this trail. It essentially covers the whole
state of Colorado and is accessible everywhere it travels
through. The section mentioned here is just a small
taste of what is available to ride. For a FREE Travel
Planner on the Durango area call 1-800-GO-DURANGO. |
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More about Durango...
Trails 2000, a trail advocacy group based in Durango, Colorado.
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