# Littleton to Boulder via C-470 Trail



## ntekrony (Dec 12, 2007)

I was hoping to plan a ride from Littleton CO to Boulder CO sometime this summer.My innitial plan was to take the C-470 trail to 6th Ave, then follow 6th to Highway 93 and ride that til Boulder. However, upon driving Highway 93, I noticed that in a lot of places there is pretty much no shoulder. This is a situation that I entirely want to avoid, so now it's open to you. I'm still planning on riding the C-470 trail til Golden, but after that is completely open. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.


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## Mootsie (Feb 4, 2004)

Don't know how much time you have to do the ride, but a epic route from Golden would be up Golden Gate Canyon to Peak to Peak Hwy and then down any of the canyons west of Boulder into the city.


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

ntekrony said:


> I was hoping to plan a ride from Littleton CO to Boulder CO sometime this summer.My innitial plan was to take the C-470 trail to 6th Ave, then follow 6th to Highway 93 and ride that til Boulder. However, upon driving Highway 93, I noticed that in a lot of places there is pretty much no shoulder. This is a situation that I entirely want to avoid, so now it's open to you. I'm still planning on riding the C-470 trail til Golden, but after that is completely open. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.


you're nuts riding along 93 IMO...maybe head down Indiana through Rocky Flats instead?


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## Bocephus Jones II (Oct 7, 2004)

Mootsie said:


> Don't know how much time you have to do the ride, but a epic route from Golden would be up Golden Gate Canyon to Peak to Peak Hwy and then down any of the canyons west of Boulder into the city.


that would be the prettiest route for sure.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

Bocephus Jones II said:


> you're nuts riding along 93 IMO...maybe head down Indiana through Rocky Flats instead?


93 is ok, except for the stretch between Coal Creek Canyon north to the end of the Morgul Bismark loop. That is scary stuff.


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## PDex (Mar 23, 2004)

There is no (paved) shoulder to speak of along Rocky Flats on 93. Team Evergreen has rides from Golden up to the Morgul Bismark. Here is a cue sheet to get you to 128 on the MB starting at Ford Street in Golden:

FordSt., 10th St., Easley Rd., 64th Ave., Quaker St., Leyden
Rd., Alkire St., 80th Ave., Simms St., 82nd St., Alkire
St., 100th Ave., Simms St; Rte 128

Once on MB go south on McCaslin, left on Marshall Road, through Marshall to the Broadway Bike Path.


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## WAZCO (Sep 16, 2004)

ntekrony said:


> I was hoping to plan a ride from Littleton CO to Boulder CO sometime this summer.My innitial plan was to take the C-470 trail to 6th Ave, then follow 6th to Highway 93 and ride that til Boulder. However, upon driving Highway 93, I noticed that in a lot of places there is pretty much no shoulder. This is a situation that I entirely want to avoid, so now it's open to you. I'm still planning on riding the C-470 trail til Golden, but after that is completely open. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.


Well this way in not exactly going onto c-470 but on South Platte River. Here's the brief. Go north on South Platte and go through Denver til you hit Dry Creek Path. Go West til you end in Harlen st. Go North and take a right onto 88th st. Take next left onto Westminster Blvd. This will be frontage of 36. There's more left and right turn ahead but will get you to Boulder. I ride from Boulder to Lodo (32miles one way) everyday using this route. I have ridden down to Littleton a few times and if I recall correctly, it was around 50 miles one way.


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## nepbug (Jun 6, 2006)

Taking that route up to Coal Creek Canyon and then up there to the peak-to-peak and then down into Boulder is a great ride and 60-70 miles.

As previously stated 93 near Rocky Flats is horrible, Indiana is better, but just marginally.


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## ruckerz (Jun 23, 2008)

Would recommend taking Simm north instead of Indiana. A little safer and maybe you won't have that much radioactive dust blowing on you. HWY 93 is suicide. 50mph+, single lane, no shoulder, and 18 wheelers? No thanks.


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## WAZCO (Sep 16, 2004)

ruckerz said:


> Would recommend taking Simm north instead of Indiana. A little safer and maybe you won't have that much radioactive dust blowing on you. HWY 93 is suicide. 50mph+, single lane, no shoulder, and 18 wheelers? No thanks.


I don't see any difference between Sim and Indiana, however, both are safer than 93.


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## Campbelllevy (Apr 24, 2008)

I've ridden 93 into boulder, and the traffic/shoulder is terrible, even when there isn't much of it; although, when i did it, I also got 5 flats! Yeah, 5! There is so much crap on the road surface.


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## flanman (Jul 7, 2006)

I've ridden from Golden to Boulder many times via 93. Yes, the section from Coal Creek Canyon to 128 and beyond is terrible. However, I consider the descent to Eldorado Springs to be more dangerous.

The ride isn't for the faint of heart. I do it on my cross bike and try to avoid peak traffic times.
Avoid if it's particularly windy.

Ride exactly on the white line past rocky flats and go onto the dirt shoulder if traffic gets too close. If you don't mind doing this, you should be ok. I've never flatted.


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