This route is a classic Colorado Gravel biking route. Many of you from Colorado will recognize it as the old route from the Crippler.
We first did this route in June of 2021, and rerode it again (and updated the review) in May 2025
Wow- Well there is a reason this one is considered a classic Colorado route! There is "spooktacular" scenery with panoramic views, great gravel surfaces, challenging climbing and fun descents.
Phantom Canyon is amazing: The road surface was mostly smooth "hero dirt", there was very light car traffic and drivers passed respectfully, there are bits of cover from the canyon wall, trees and tunnels, the river was flowing and beautiful and in the summer months, wild flowers bloom all along the road. It features green-spotted canyon walls and twisty turns lying on top of what was once a powerhouse railroad (the Florence and Cripple Creek Railroad). Ghost towns of Wilbur, Adelaide and Glenbrook (to name a few) that washed away in flashfloods or dissipated as a result of the slowing economy after the railroad closed in 1912 are eerily present throughout. (More info/history on Phantom Canyon here.) The climb up the canyon IS about 30 miles long and increases in elevation from 5,500 to 9,500 feet, but the average grade is about 3.5% with absolutely nothing super steep.
Shelf road was also a high and was equally beautiful! This road is a little rougher/rugged than Phantom Canyon, but we had room to pick our lines and avoid the big rocks, pot holes and occasional washboards. The downhill was fun and curvy without ever feeling dangerously steep.
Right off the bat, there is a little route thing to note (and our least favorite moment of the ride): You start off on Fremont Drive (a frontage road to 50/Royal Gorge Blvd.) and it quickly dead ends. At that point you have to hop the curb and very briefly get onto that busy road. However, you only have to cross the two lanes of oncoming traffic and can get immediately into a left-hand turn lane to get to Latigo Lane. Please be careful here! (Unfortunately, It is unavoidable/no alternatives to make this loop.)
Our other low was the paved section between Victor and Cripple Creek (Road 67 / miles 33.5-37.5). There is very little shoulder and traffic includes fast moving trucks.
Do this ride if you want a spectacularly scenic and classic Colorado gravel route from Canyon City to Victor through Phantom Canyon and back via Shelf road. 65 miles total with the first 30 a gradual climb and over 5,000 feet of elevation gain makes this route both challenging and beautiful.
This route is the old route from the annual gravel grinder, the Crippler.
The race director of the Crippler believes that the perfect bike for this race "would be a gravel bike with 35-38 mm tires", and we agree!!
We parked and began this ride at the Cañon City Walmart Supercenter where there is tons of free parking.
Between Cañon City and the town of Victor it is very remote, but there are a few public bathrooms we found- One at about mile 11 and another around mile 22. There is no water available at either of these places. We spotted another public bathroom on Shelf Road where there was a trailhead between mile 50-54.
Don't miss a stop the Gold Camp Bakery in Victor. (Call ahead or check their hours. We discovered they are currently closed on Sundays!)
You can also stop at the Claim Jumper General Store in Victor, CO (at 3rd and Victor Street) to resupply water and food. It is open 7 days a week and is a basic convenience store. (There are also other opportunities in Cripple Creek but the route doesn't actually go into Cripple Creek.) We had two 24 oz water bottles each and it was barely enough for that loooong climb on a hot day. We recommend bringing plenty of water especially if it is hot!
It can get quite hot out there in the summer but it can also be very cool at the high point in Victor! We recommend starting early to avoid the mid-day sun or do it on a day where there is some expected cloud cover. Don't forget to bring layers since you are climbing above 10,000 ft. (Always check weather and remember the temps at the lower elevations can be drastically different than at the top!)
There are great camping sites all along Phantom Canyon's public lands.
If you are looking for a unique place to rent, we have stayed at and recommend the "Ghost Lounge"- a beautiful little AirBnB in Victor. One of the hosts, Jenny, has a massage business there as well if you need to take care of sore muscles after your ride!
Laura & Rose
Laura Karpinski and Rose Barcklow are the creators of Gravel Bike Adventures. Click on the About page to learn more about them.
