# Denver to Estes Park route?



## Todd_H

Hi. Training for RtR here and thinking about booking a room at YMCA of the Rockies and riding up from Denver (Highlands area), then riding back the next day.

Google bike maps suggests a route going through Broomfield, Westminster, Lafayette, Niwot, Lyons, Estes Park. Probably the shortest way, but I'm thinking there maybe something better, a bit more scenic. The route would provide great views of the Front Range though. We want to keep <=90 miles.

Any suggestions are appreciated. thanks!


----------



## PDex

Poster "Chain" linked a route that he used for Broomfield to Denver 

http://toporoute.com/cgi-bin/bicycl...ew,clearMetric,clearFollowRoad,setRouteLocked

There are a couple of other commuting routes that people have posted from NE Boulder to Union Station (I'm having difficulty finding those threads but they do exist). 

What about working your way north and west past Sloans Lake and then picking up the Clear Creek Path to Golden and then taking the back roads up to 72, and then going up the canyon to the Peak-to-Peak?


----------



## CoffeeBean2

This is somewhat of a guess as I've never ridden out of Denver.

You could head west through Golden and then get on CO 72, which takes you up through Rollinsville, Nederland. Then you're on the Peak-to-Peak Highway which takes you past Ward, Allenspark and eventually into Estes Park. According to Google Maps, that's 93.8 miles.

I'm sure there are other posters that can recommend a better route or tell you how to get to CO 72 from Denver.


----------



## morryjg

I was going to reverse that a couple weeks ago and ride from Estes back to Denver. (got weathered out by snow ) I was going to ride Peak to Peak highway to Golden Gate Canyon which will dump you on the north end of Golden.


----------



## Chain

Peak to Peak would be preferable to riding up 36 to Estes Park. There isn't a big shoulder and there is a ton of traffic. 

Just north of Boulder on 36 is Left Hand Canyon. It's a good climb and doesn't have much traffic. There isn't a reason for cars on the road unless they are locals headed up to Ward.

Between Allenspark and Estes there isnt' a lot of shoulder, but it's okay. I've done it several times.


----------



## Bocephus Jones II

Chain said:


> Peak to Peak would be preferable to riding up 36 to Estes Park. There isn't a big shoulder and there is a ton of traffic.
> 
> Just north of Boulder on 36 is Left Hand Canyon. It's a good climb and doesn't have much traffic. There isn't a reason for cars on the road unless they are locals headed up to Ward.
> 
> Between Allenspark and Estes there isnt' a lot of shoulder, but it's okay. I've done it several times.


yup...peak to peak via Ward would be great. Avoid coming up the 36 way from Lyons to Estes unless you like riding on a basically no-shoulder road with lots of bluehairs in RVs. You could come back that way though since it's mostly all downhill and you'd be moving a lot faster.

//gonna be tough to get it under 90 miles from Highlands though.


----------



## concretejungle

Bocephus Jones II said:


> Avoid coming up the 36 way from Lyons to Estes unless you like riding on a basically no-shoulder road with lots of bluehairs in RVs. You could come back that way though since it's mostly all downhill and you'd be moving a lot faster.


I would avoid 36 between Lyons and Estes both ways. 7 up to Allenspark is a much nicer road with much less touron traffic.


----------

