# Vail to Aspen



## orthobiker

Want to ride from Vail to Aspen and return next day in early September. Does the bike path go the whole length. Is it suitable to ride in a pace line. It looks like a little over 100mi. Is that correct.

Would appreciate riding suggestions in the area. We live at sea level so may have trouble with high altitude climbing. All the riders have done the Death Ride but that "only" goes to 8,500'.


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## Bocephus Jones II

orthobiker said:


> Want to ride from Vail to Aspen and return next day in early September. Does the bike path go the whole length. Is it suitable to ride in a pace line. It looks like a little over 100mi. Is that correct.
> 
> Would appreciate riding suggestions in the area. We live at sea level so may have trouble with high altitude climbing. All the riders have done the Death Ride but that "only" goes to 8,500'.


Path does not go the whole way. Hoping you weren't planning to ride I-70. I personally wouldn't do that route on a bike even if it is legal. Probably best to go via Leadville and then head 82 west to Aspen--the big variable is gonna be Independence pass which is usually open till Oct, but can close earlier depending on snow (late Sept would be pushing it IMO). Coming up that side via Twin Lakes is a lot easier than going the other way which is steeper and narrower. You can also head to aspen from Glenwood spgs and there is a bike path once you get near Carbondale that goes almost all the way to Aspen. That is a really nice ride. If you like you can then go over Independence, but again the variable would be weather at that time of year and it's a LOT steeper from the Aspen side.

//not sure about the altitude adjustment for you, but you'll be well above 10k feet in Leadville and 12k feet at the top of Independence.


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## Sherpa23

orthobiker said:


> Want to ride from Vail to Aspen and return next day in early September. Does the bike path go the whole length. Is it suitable to ride in a pace line. It looks like a little over 100mi. Is that correct.
> 
> Would appreciate riding suggestions in the area. We live at sea level so may have trouble with high altitude climbing. All the riders have done the Death Ride but that "only" goes to 8,500'.


I have done this about 25 times over the years, but from Frisco and I do it in a loop. You can't ride the bike path. There is no bike path after Vail until you get to Carbondale. There is a very good frontage road that will take you to Glenwood Springs, then you take 82 to Carbondale, then the bike path to a frontage road along the roaring fork in Basalt, then to McClain flats road near Woody Creek, if I remember right. I know the roads when I see them but can't remember all the names. Anyway, you would come out to 82 just outside Aspen near a big church that is at the base of the road to Maroon Bells.

To head back, I would ride over Independence Pass, go left on 24 at the fork to Leadville, then make a left just after Leadville and go over Tennessee Pass and Battle Mountain into Minturn and then bike path to Vail and then Vail Pass to Frisco. 24 is a very, very dangerous road until you get to Leadville. I won't do it alone any more. I don't know what kinds of riders you're talking about but if they're a bunch of clowns, I definitely wouldn't do it. I have seen some cyclotourists who thought they were experienced block the traffic on the road and get run off. I hate to say it but they were kind of asking for it. That is a very highly traveled road by unfriendly drivers and you are in their territory. Don't get in a pissing match about whose road it is and you'll have no problems.

If I remember right, if you're coming from Vail, that should be about 125 miles each day and it's not very hard. In fact, from Vail to Glenwood is all downhill (although there is usually an up valley wind). Anyways, it's pretty easy stuff. Just watch out for the traffic on 24.

Independence Pass is super fun and the downhill to the junction is very fast so the miles fly by.


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## Mootsie

I would go both ways through Glenwood. Hwy 24 from Twin Lakes to Leadville is a death ride. The shoulder is very narrow and the road is 65 MPH so everyone goes 80. Rode it once midweek and will never do it again. The path out of Vail leads to a nice route onto the frontage roads that take you to another path/frontage roads just past the Eagle Airport. The entire route through Glenwood Canyon is on a bike trail or low traveled side roads. There are frontage or bike paths the entire rest of the way into Aspen, but you'll need to get a good map for it to make sense. Don't ride on 82. Its a great route and Independence Pass should not be missed, but the route into Leadville IMO sucks. If you decide to do it anyway, the ride from Leadville to Vail has two more passes to climb and is very scenic....if you survive HWY 24


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## Campbelllevy

There's a bike path (called the Rio Grande Trail) that runs all the way from Glenwood Springs to Aspen. It's a rails to trails-type trail, that's paved the entire way, except through Woody Creek, where as Sherpa says, you want to take McClain Flats Road.

I live in Aspen and every cyclist up here uses the Rio Grande Trail very heavily during the spring and fall, and it's a nice ride, as you don't have to deal with HW82 at all, and the quality of the trail is pretty great.

You could ride along the frontage road from Vail (actually Minturn/or Eagle Vail to be exact) to Glenwood Springs. There's a good frontage road pretty much the entire way, until you get to the canyon, then there's a paved trail to Glenwood Springs. 

In my opinion, it's more fun to do Indy Pass to Leadville, then HWY24(I think?) past Ski Cooper, and to Minturn, but you could feasibly do it either way. Coming from sea level, I'd be aware Independence Pass is a toughy in some spots, and once again, a lot of motorists who don't have much patience for bicyclists.


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## Sherpa23

Also, I just saw that you want to do this in early September. Well, the weather could be perfect but you should ask Campbelllevy about the likelihood of the pass being snowed out on the specific dates you will be there. I can't remember when exactly the pass closes typically but but from my understanding, it can happen from Labour Day onward.


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## Campbelllevy

Yeah, Sherpa23 is correct; although, it's typically pretty nice, you never know. The pass won't close at this point in the season, but that doesn't necessarily mean you won't be dealing with snow...We have the Jazz Aspen/Snowmass Labor Day Festival, and that is typically the last big hurrah for the pass, it's quite variable after that...but then again, this is Colorado, and it could stay nice with no snow until November, or, we could get a big dump and that's that for the pass.


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## PDex

+1 on using I-70 frontage/US 6. The bike path through Glenwood Canyon is fantastic and you are off the Interstate.


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## Pablo

Vail to Aspen . . . why? I can think of much more secluded and nicer roads in that area. Going all the way to the hills only to ride along a very busy interstate (I-70) and state highway corridor seems like an enormous waste.


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## Bocephus Jones II

Pablo said:


> Vail to Aspen . . . why? I can think of much more secluded and nicer roads in that area. Going all the way to the hills only to ride along a very busy interstate (I-70) and state highway corridor seems like an enormous waste.


Glenwood to Aspen is pretty nice on the bike path. I was thinking it'd be fun to stay in Glenwood and take a day trip up to Aspen, eat lunch and then head back to Glenwood.

//if you don't want to go all the way into Aspen you can stop at the Woody Creek Tavern where HST used to hang out. You ride right past it on your way into town.


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## orthobiker

Thanks everyone. Open to more suggestions but have driven Independence pass and remember it being narrow and without a shoulder. Want to stay safe.


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## Mootsie

orthobiker said:


> Thanks everyone. Open to more suggestions but have driven Independence pass and remember it being narrow and without a shoulder. Want to stay safe.


Independence Pass is a must "do" for a cyclist.


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## Bocephus Jones II

orthobiker said:


> Thanks everyone. Open to more suggestions but have driven Independence pass and remember it being narrow and without a shoulder. Want to stay safe.


Only from the Aspen side...the Twin Lakes side is less steep and wider. Also make sure to stop at the ghost town of Independence on the Aspen side.


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## pdh777

Would like to add that the path from Glenwood to Aspen is 43 miles each way. Further it is one of the most flat rides I have ever done in CO. I believe there is a 1% grade going towards Aspen, but I never felt it. Ironic that you have to go to 8500 feet to find flats in CO.


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