Summary: Day Rides:  Golden to Estes Park Ride

Rating:  Route:   Follow the Peak to Peak Highway from Black Hawk to Estes Park Features:  City and mountain roads, rock tunnels & two-lane highways Distance:  98 miles Ride Time:  Approximately 2 hours & 30 minutes, one-way Season:  May through October (last snow to first snow) Maximum Grade:  11% Change in Elevation:  4,000 feet

Overview:

This ride follows the Peak to Peak Highway.  It begins in Golden and runs along Clear Creek into Black Hawk.  At Black Hawk, it joins the Peak to Peak Highway and rides to Estes Park.  In Estes Park, it turns East on US 34 and follows the Big Thompson Canyon back into Loveland.

Directions:

Meet in Golden, CO and take US Hwy 6 West, toward Blackhawk.  US 6 West will merge with US 119.  Continue on US 119 through Blackhawk and north into Nederland.  At Nederland, continue 3/4 of the way through the roundabout and merge onto US Hwy 72 North.  US 72 will merge with US 7.  Continue north on US 7 into Estes Park, CO.  At Estes Park, Turn right (east) onto US Hwy 34 East.  Follow US 34 east into Loveland, CO.

Map:

Elevation Profile:

This ride starts at just under 6,000 feet in elevation and climbs repeatedly to over 9,000 feet bore descending back to 5,000 feet in Loveland, Colorado.  The maximum change in slope is 12% climb and 13% descent.

Photos:

Photographs taken on US 6 in Clear Creek Canyon, headed West toward Black Hawk, Colorado:

Photo taken at the Bushwacker Gas Station just south of Black Hawk (during group ride):

Photographs taken on US 119 north of Nederland, Colorado:

Our Review:

This ride is an absolute blast, especially in late September, before the first snowfall, when the aspen leaves are turning golden orange.  It begins by sweeping through Clear Creek canyon, alongside clear creek.  This portion features several rock tunnels and casual 40mph curves.  Clear Creek Rd is the major thoroughfare between Golden and Black Hawk so expect lots of tourist traffic and gambling busses.  Once past Black Hawk, the ride becomes more scenic and more fun with tighter S curves and long views of various mountain peaks.   The ride up Highway 72  north of Black Hawk follows the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway and has a 45 mph speed limit with several well-architected S curves to keep your mind busy.  This stretch is well traveled by motorcycles.  If you find yourself behind a slow-moving tourist, pull off and snap some photos.  The final jaunt along Highway 34 follows the Big Thompson river through Big Thompson Canyon and offers beautiful scenery and exhilarating curves.  As such, it is also well traveled by tourists so expect heavy traffic during the tourist season.  The canyon offers some very tight S-curves at it's exit near Loveland.  I found these to be the best part of the ride.

Your Ratings:

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Points of Interest:

In 1976, the Big Thompson River flooded Big Thompson Canyon, claiming 144 lives, and warranting the "Climb to Safety" signs that you now see lining the canyon route.  Be aware of the weather and bear this in mind when you ride through the canyon.