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Man, you are in the best riding state in the country. Any road west of you will be great. Take a ride up to Estes Park and ride across Rocky Mtn NP. Work your way down to Vail to Leadville then across Independence Pass to Aspen. Better get to Ind. Pass before they close it for the winter.
Colorado is a beautiful state. When you have the time ride down to the Silverton - Ouray area. Get a Rand McNally map and try to ride every road marked as scenic. That should take care of you for the rest of your life. Good luck and enjoy.
Wife and I did these exact routes this summer - UNBELIEVABLE!
OP, since you live there, you have the best opportunity to just get out and explore! Just go west into the mountains. Man I really envy you.
Not many bad roads once you get west of the foothills.
One of my favorite roads for pure riding is: 92 (West Elk Loop) from Sapinero, west of Gunnison off highway 50 to Maher. I dubbed it the Western Dragon. It's like 40 miles of solid curves! Gas up though, it's in the middle of nowhere! Oh yeah - and don't fall over the edge!
I have lived in Denver all my life, (Pretty fortunate) and ridden motorcyles all my life. (also pretty fortunate). Just go west and explore, everywhere is GREAT! Over the years, traffic has gotten bad, expecially in Denver and Colorado Springs.
Some of my favorites around you are west to Nederland then either way on the Peak to Peak. Big Thompson Canyon from Loveland to Estes. My favorites in the state are around Telluride. From Telluride to Cortez along the Dolores River, from Durango to Silverton on the Million Dollar highway, Red Mountain pass, all very nice and not many people. Weather is always around in the mountains, rain everyday, snow some days, lightning. Always try to be prepaired for the weather.
XLD, one of my favorite rides in the state is up Boulder Canyon to Nederland, hook a left on hwy 119, which is the peak to peak highway, then another left on hwy 72, wich will take you back to boulder. It's not a long ride, but a really really good one.
You can also go north out of Nederland, and take the Peak to Peak highway all the way to Estes Park. Then from Estes back to Lyons or Loveland and then follow the foothills back to Boulder. I grew up in Loveland, so I know this area well. PM me for more ride routes, or if you're up this way, I'll buy you a beverage. Always want to meet other riders.
A lot of great suggestions here. Another close one would be - Berthoud to Carter Lake,
(just follow the signs from Berthoud), once past the lake go north to Big Thompson Canyon.
From there it's all good.
yeah you have some great rides in your back yard. One of my favorites (especially in spring when the water is raging) is up clear creek canyon on hwy 6. Lots of places to stop off and see cliff climbers and raging rapids. Nice sheer cliff faces for a good portion of the ride.
If you like twisty's then Golden Gate Canyon is a good one. Really any of those canyon rides to your west into the foothills are what I consider the reason to ride a motorcycle.
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In early august I went into Colorado for my first time on a motorcycle. Beautiful is all I can say. Came into Steamboat Springs from the north. Beautiful up there. Went south to I70 and over to Glenwood Springs, kind of fun going through the tunnels on the interstate. Through Aspen and over Independence Pass is beautiful. Breckenridge over Hoosier Pass. Leadville, Fairplay, and Woodward Park I had a lot of fun in. Peak to Peak highway is close and great. Little to much traffic though. All and all you can ride out there for years and probably find a new road every time. Your lucky, but I guess if you would live out there all the time you wouldn't know what your missing when you leave there on a trip
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