# Estes Park



## Dank (Nov 26, 2006)

3 week in June I'll be in Estes Park for a week. Any good road loops out that way that I could ride or clubs to ride with so I don't get lost..Thanks


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

Dank said:


> 3 week in June I'll be in Estes Park for a week. Any good road loops out that way that I could ride or clubs to ride with so I don't get lost..Thanks



Yea there are a few. Its tough to get lost you really only have 3 options. 34,36, or the national park. If your going to be in Estes you can ride down 34 to Drake and then turn left on 43 and ride that back up and in to Estes. Or you could do 7 down to lyons and ride 34 back in to town. And then there is Fall River rd in the park. You can climb up to 14,000 ft and ride along above tree line. But at that time of year the park is going to packed with stupid people and campers. The road is narrow and there isn't any shoulder so you would have to leave vary early in the morning. 

Were are you coming from? There is going to be allot of climbing any ware you ride in the Estes area. So if your coming from ether cost that might limit how much mileage you can get in.


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## PDex (Mar 23, 2004)

Ping Pablo - he's got some good routes. Estes Park weather in June can go many ways including snow and bad afternoon thunderstorms. Come prepared for any kind of weather. I heard that there is a club forming at Estes Park Mountain Shop. You might want to contact them. 

Have fun.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

There are some great roads up there. You really just need a map to get situated. You can generally find your way around pretty easily due to the few roads and elevations changes, which give you vistas to see how far you have to go. 

There are not a ton of roads, however. The only real "loops" I am thinking of are really quite long due to the general lack of roads and would be pretty hard if you're not accustomed to altitude. Estes is only at 7,500 ft, but it's in a valley.

You can go into RMNP. It'll be really busy on the weekends, but if you go on the weekdays, it should be fine. From Estes, you can go up the paved road (Highway 34, aka Trail Ridge Road) to the top. That's a must do. You can ride down the other side, but remeber, ever foot you go down you'll have to come back over. Another cool option in the Park, maybe the only other option, is to ride up Old Fall River Road to the top. Old Fall River Road is dirt and does not get a ton of traffic. If you do these, and you really should, bring warm clothes. It is cold (12,000 ft and exposed) at the top.

There is a road that heads north out of the Estes Valley and then goes down (east) through the Town of Glen Haven and to Drake, where it meets up with Highway 34. This side road is not very busy and quite scenic. It also has a killer, and I mean killer switchback. Good stuff.

Highway 7 heads south out of the Valley and towards Boulder. The climb is some 7+ miles out of the valley before it starts heading back down. Pretty nice. 

Highway 36 also heads up and out of the valley (seeing a pattern here?).

There are also some cool side roads in the residential areas and the YMCA. There all have some pretty big climbs as well. When my wife and I were looking at places for our wedding, we drove up one lil' road at the Y to a potential wedding site. I thought the car was going to not make it the road was so steep. I plan on going back there this summer to ride it.


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## morryjg (Jan 6, 2008)

If you go ride in RMNP be sure to have some $ with you. It isn't free to ride in nat'l parks. Everyone has to pay to play.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

morryjg said:


> If you go ride in RMNP be sure to have some $ with you. It isn't free to ride in nat'l parks. Everyone has to pay to play.


Good point. It is $10 or $20 to ride into the park.


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