We planned a loop route using Colorado Gravel Roads but once we drove to our starting point, we realized: 1) County Road 72 wasn’t a dirt road and there was no shoulder, 2) Highway 287, which we had planned on biking on for about 4 miles to complete the loop, was too busy of a highway for us to enjoy. We altered our gravel ride to start further down on 72 where it became gravel.
Despite 20 mph winds, we persisted (Laura dragged Rose out of the car!) and discovered some beautiful scenery in Red Mountain Open Space.
Literally, more farming equipment passed us than cars or trucks.
The gravel roads were fantastic – smooth and hard packed!
Even though we persisted, the wind was demoralizing. We were hoping to do more miles but it just wasn’t that fun (and we only do fun things!).
The farmland seemed really desolate and there was general sense of not being welcomed- we saw many “No Trespassing” signs and didn’t see a whole lot of human life.
Do this ride if you’re in the area (but not worth the trip from Denver for just this ride). We enjoyed county road 80 and Red Mountain Open Space. We do look forward to exploring more of the foothill roads on the other side of Highway 287.
It was difficult to find a place to park. We parked on the shoulder of county road 72 right where the pavement ends which felt a little iffy.
Laura & Rose
Laura Karpinski and Rose Barcklow are the creators of Gravel Bike Adventures. Click on the About page to learn more about them.
