Find the top rated bike trails in Highlands Ranch, whether you're looking for an easy short bike trail or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a bike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Cherry Creek Spillway Trail offers wide open views with the Denver skyline as a distant backdrop. Along the way, recreational opportunities abound as the path winds through Aurora's Wheel Park and...
The Hangman’s Gulch Trail runs along Hangman’s Gulch, a dry stream in Castle Rock. The trail starts at Castle Rock Recreation Center, where it connects to the Woodlands Bowl Open Space on the other...
The Cherry Creek Regional Trail is a picturesque 40-mile route that begins in downtown Denver and connects suburban and rural Arapahoe and Douglas Counties, including the communities of Parker,...
The Clement Park Lake Trail is a 1.4 mile loop trail around the Johnson Reservoir in suburban western Littleton. The trail is paved and lit, and takes users around the sixty acre lake and into the...
The Midland Trail runs between Manitou Springs and America the Beautiful Park near I-25. The urban corridor mainly follows the course of Fountain Creek, paralleling US 24 (Cimarron St.). The first...
The Rocky Mountain Greenway Trail opened its first 7-mile section in 2016, but is one day planned to stretch 25 miles across the northern Denver Metro area, including the suburbs of Westminster,...
Elmer's Two Mile Creek Greenway begins just north of Elmer's Two Mile Park on the north end of Boulder. It's paved and generally flat, traveling through open spaces, parks, neighborhoods and...
Aurora’s Piney Creek Trail provides a pleasant route across town with few street crossings. The paved pathway begins at the Ponderosa Preserve and heads northwest, winding through residential...
The Castle North Trail provides a safe, non-motorized connection between the Castle Rock Community Recreation Center and Castle North Park. The paved pathway cuts right through the heart of the...
The paved Shooks Run Trail runs north–south along Shooks Run Creek near downtown Colorado Springs. It is one of the easier bike paths in the area; however, runs slightly downhill from north to south....
The West 44th Avenue Trail is a ten-foot wide concrete sidepath that runs along the side of its namesake roadway, helping to connect two important trails in the Denver region's trail network, the...
The 6th Avenue Trail provides expansive views of the Rocky Mountain foothills as it follows its namesake thoroughfare (also known as US 6) from the Colorado School of Mines in downtown Golden to...
The Skyline Trail offers rolling hill climbs through the community of Briargate in northeastern Colorado Springs. It begins at Research Parkway and travels south until it ends at an electric...
The Firestone Trail mostly parallels Colorado Boulevard between Dacono in the south and north of Firestone, at the northern end of the trail. The trail is paved and provides access to parks,...
The Mesa Springs Greenway is a north-south route along the western side of Interstate 25. A sound wall between the highway and the trail helps makes the journey more pleasant. The pathway is also wide...
The Fraser River Trail runs between the town of Fraser and Winter Park, paralleling US 40 for its entire route. The trail offers lovely views of the surrounding mountains and is a great way to connect...
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The Pioneer Trail links Bergen Park to Evergreen Lake through Elk Meadow Park. The trail can be accessed from the Bergen Park and Ride, and stretches south for about a mile before ducking under SR 74...
The Woodmen Trail provides an east-west route through commercial and residential areas in northern Colorado Springs. It begins by an electric substation just south of Briargate Boulevard and follows...
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The Mary Carter Greenway (a.k.a. Arapahoe Greenway) runs for 8 miles along the South Platte River from Chatfield State Park near Columbine north to Englewood. Here it meets up with the Platte River...
The West Toll Gate Creek Trail provides a convenient north-south route through Aurora from Horseshoe Park to Quincy Avenue. The trail, just over 3 miles long, is dotted with trees and winds through...
The Left Hand Greenway is a diagonal path along its namesake creek in southern Longmont. It begins at a juncture with the St. Vrain Greenway, a scenic 8-mile route across the city. From there, you'll...
The Van Bibber Creek, Park and Trail all owe their name to Isaac van Bibber, an early settler to the area. The trail begins on Oak Street and heads west in the swathe cut by the creek through the...
The Dutch Creek Regional Trail provides an opportunity to experience some natural beauty and tranquility amidst the suburban surroundings southwest of Denver. Currently running for a shade over three...
The Massey Draw Regional Trail, located in the southern suburbs of Denver, connects the longer Columbine Trail to a series of local parks and amenities. This quiet, pleasant concrete path takes you...
The Niver Canal Trail parallels the Coronado Parkway for nearly 2 miles across Thornton, a northern suburb of Denver. About mid-way, the trail passes Rotella Park, which offers restrooms, picnic...
The Rocky Mountain Greenway Trail opened its first 7-mile section in 2016, but is one day planned to stretch 25 miles across the northern Denver Metro area, including the suburbs of Westminster,...
The Pioneer Trail links Bergen Park to Evergreen Lake through Elk Meadow Park. The trail can be accessed from the Bergen Park and Ride, and stretches south for about a mile before ducking under SR 74...
The West Toll Gate Creek Trail provides a convenient north-south route through Aurora from Horseshoe Park to Quincy Avenue. The trail, just over 3 miles long, is dotted with trees and winds through...
The Skyline Trail offers rolling hill climbs through the community of Briargate in northeastern Colorado Springs. It begins at Research Parkway and travels south until it ends at an electric...
The Cook Creek Trail is a short, paved trail located in the suburban community of Lone Tree. The trail originates in Cook Creek Park, home to a local pool, tennis courts, and a portion of the Willow...
The Cherry Creek Regional Trail is a picturesque 40-mile route that begins in downtown Denver and connects suburban and rural Arapahoe and Douglas Counties, including the communities of Parker,...
The Bear Creek Path begins just south of the University of Colorado Research Park and winds its way southwest to the Martin Acres community. The trail is paved and generally flat, although there is a...
Westminster, Colorado, has over 145 miles of dedicated non-motorized trails, from major bike thoroughfares to the smaller local routes like this one, which knit them all together. The trail on...
The Woodmen Trail provides an east-west route through commercial and residential areas in northern Colorado Springs. It begins by an electric substation just south of Briargate Boulevard and follows...
The Sand Creek Trail cuts a diagonal path along the creek through commercial and residential areas of southeastern Colorado Springs. The first segment trail begins its 5-mile journey north at...
The Kipling Trail sits beside Kipling Parkway/ State Route 391 extending from Lakewood to Littleton, southwest of Denver. While there’s enough miles to offer a good workout, or to run errands between...
In comparison to some of the lengthy, fantastic trails in the southern suburbs of Denver, the Lee Gulch Trail may not seem like anything special. However, it offers a wonderfully useful off-road...
The Templeton Gap Trail is one of many trails that make up Colorado Springs' robust trail network. The Templeton Gap Trail itself connects to both the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail and Sinton Trail in the...
The UCAR Multi-Use Path runs just a short distance from the campus of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research on Center Green Drive, linking buildings CG 1 and CG 3, to the other side of...
The Willow Creek Greenbelt Trail is a six mile, paved and soft-surface trail that runs along a creekbed in the suburban area around Centennial. The trail begins in the north outside the Holly Park...
The New Santa Fe Regional Trail provides a scenic journey along the front range of the mountains, from Palmer Lake Recreation Area in northern El Paso County through the U.S. Air Force Academy in...
The Little Dry Creek Trail provides a paved, relatively flat pathway for bikers, walkers and skaters through areas of Westminster and northern Arvada. The tree-lined route follows its namesake, Little...
The Scott Lancaster Memorial Bike Path is a short, but pleasant 5 miles of mostly off-road route that allows cyclists and walkers to get between Idaho Springs and Floyd Hill, which is otherwise only...
The Mary Carter Greenway (a.k.a. Arapahoe Greenway) runs for 8 miles along the South Platte River from Chatfield State Park near Columbine north to Englewood. Here it meets up with the Platte River...
With only 4 miles of an eventual 65 miles open, the already award-winning Peaks to Plains Trail is attracting new users every day. While US 6 basically parallels Clear Creek, the Peaks to Plains Trail...
The Bear Creek Path begins just south of the University of Colorado Research Park and winds its way southwest to the Martin Acres community. The trail is paved and generally flat, although there is a...
The Columbine Trail runs across the eastern edge of the suburban community of Columbine, paralleling the busy S Platte Canyon Road. This paved trail serves as an important resource for local...
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Big Dry Creek Trail follows an east-west course for 12 miles between Interstate 25 and Standley Lake in Westminster, one of Denver's northern suburbs. The trail is generally flat, with short stretches...
The Skyline Trail offers rolling hill climbs through the community of Briargate in northeastern Colorado Springs. It begins at Research Parkway and travels south until it ends at an electric...
A short, but useful suburban trail, the Lilley Gulch Regional Trail helps to connect numerous neighborhoods in the community of Columbine with local parks and schools, and provides a safe and off-road...
The Pikes Peak Greenway Trail runs throughout Colorado Springs, from just south of the United States Air Force Academy to the El Pomar Youth Sports Park. The popular trail connects at both ends to...
The Hangman’s Gulch Trail runs along Hangman’s Gulch, a dry stream in Castle Rock. The trail starts at Castle Rock Recreation Center, where it connects to the Woodlands Bowl Open Space on the other...
The Sinton Trail runs just shy of 3 miles in northern Colorado Springs. Begin your journey at the Gossage Youth Sports Complex on Mark Dabling Boulevard. From there, you'll travel northwest along...
The Castle North Trail provides a safe, non-motorized connection between the Castle Rock Community Recreation Center and Castle North Park. The paved pathway cuts right through the heart of the...
The Niver Creek Trail winds through Thornton, a northern suburb of Denver, connecting parks, riparian areas and open space inhabited by prairie dogs, coyotes, numerous bird species, and other...
The trail on the east side of Bradburn Boulevard is relatively short, but it makes an important connection between two major Denver metro trails. Following the trail north brings you to within feet of...
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The Union Pacific Trail runs for just a short distance between E. 100th Avenue and Thornton Parkway in the Denver suburb of Thornton. The trail runs through a shadeless corridor alongside a railroad...
The Kipling Trail sits beside Kipling Parkway/ State Route 391 extending from Lakewood to Littleton, southwest of Denver. While there’s enough miles to offer a good workout, or to run errands between...
The UCAR Multi-Use Path runs just a short distance from the campus of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research on Center Green Drive, linking buildings CG 1 and CG 3, to the other side of...
The West 44th Avenue Trail is a ten-foot wide concrete sidepath that runs along the side of its namesake roadway, helping to connect two important trails in the Denver region's trail network, the...
We had a fun day exploring the Clear Creek Trail in Golden and some of the city's numerous attractions. We began at Parfet Park, where there was ample parking along Jackson Street. The trail begins paved, but becomes crushed stone as you head west out of town. The path can get a bit bumpy here, but we were fine on our hybrid bikes. The pathway closely parallels the river and we saw lots of families tubing down the river and a couple of people with fly fishing gear. There was a great playground right along the trail, too, which my daughter loved. Nearby, we also visited the American Mountaineering Museum and took a tour of the Coors brewery.
If you do this ride round trip, the elevation gain is over 1,100 feet. Not a bad ride and if you look in the distance the view is nice. However, the trail is parallel to Kipling so you’re riding next to a busy street with a lot of traffic lights. That said, the drivers were extremely nice. We are cyclists that obey all traffic laws and it was great how we could ride in unison, thanks Lakewood!!
I didn't get a chance to explore all of this trail, but I was very impressed with what I saw of if as well as the Denver cycling infrastructure in general (handlebar videos available at youtube.com/ratbas). The idea of being able to ride for miles through a major city without having to cross an intersection is very enjoyable. The trail is well maintained, has good signage and plenty of public are while taking you past many points of interests. There are also countless access points to make it very practical for commuters and tourists.
Nice surface well maintained sidewalk. All exposed no shade. Winds through an industrial area past the power plant. The connection to the trails across Nevada is hidden and hard to find.
We had a wonderful time on the LoBo Trail, beginning our ride from Boulder's Celestial Seasonings parking lot after a great tour of the tea factory. The trail’s scenery was beautiful: a mixture of shady tree corridors and open fields with long grasses and wildflowers. Quiet neighborhoods buffered the trail just beyond the trees, and we saw many people out enjoying a weekend bike ride or walking their dogs. The trail was largely hard-packed crushed stone, which our hybrid bikes handled easily. There was a short break in the trail between Twin Lakes Road and Lookout Road, but that afforded us the opportunity to access a commercial area where we stopped for lunch.
This is a great concrete running trail that is moderately shaded and pretty easy to follow. It connects with a couple other trail systems, most notably the Clear Creek Trail on the eastern end. Sometimes there are concentrations of homeless underneath Wadsworth Blvd. but they seem to keep to themselves. Occasionally, the disc golfers at Memorial Park will take up the whole path and/or smoke, but that's just a minor personal annoyance.
The worst part of the trail is when the trail briefly ends and you have to run along Brooks Dr. and Johnson Way on either the sidewalk or the road to get back onto the trail at the Apex Tennis Center.
Traveling west is an ever slight incline and as you reach the end of the trail on the western end of the trail, there are some serious uphill climbs. In the winter, the city does a pretty good job of keeping the trail cleared of snow but there are still icy patches around.
Overall, this is a pretty good urban trail.
Pros: Pretty well shaded, well marked in most places and lots of places to access or exit the trail. Great views of the mountains around Pecos and Federal when running westbound.
Cons: There are a lot surface-level street crossings starting at and east of Huron St. Trail runs next to busy roads for stretches.
Perfect for an out of towner like myself. Trail was easy to follow especially with this app!
My wife and I rode this trail out and back this week. Parking was good but you do need to find the lots and that can be difficult. The trail itself is wonderful. Lots of shade, open areas, and mixed riding with a nice climb and decent coming and going. The surface is well packed and wide. We saw many other bikers and walkers even though it was a workday. Our biggest complaint, and it caused more miles than planned, is horrible to non-existent signage. There are large blue signs at some intersections with the trail name but no direction on the signs. There are numerous trail junctions to neighborhoods, other trails, and shopping but not one sign to show where the main trail leads. For added confusion these off-shoot trails have the same surface as the main trail and look the same. At one major intersection the trail split 3 ways, we took what looked like the main trail and ended up in a car wash and the trail literally disappearing. Talking with locals who were on the trail was no help as many only used the connector trails and did not know where the main trail was. After finally figuring out the main trail with many detours we turned around before we would have liked and headed back. So, if going on this trail, know the trail before you go.
Growing up in COS, I had taken many rides on the cog rail train, down was always better than up!
Then I found out years later that the train had closed :-( and they turned it into a trail :-)… it's a walk, and now that I'm from FL-it's a real walk!
This trail from Mile High Stadium north to Thornton was awesome. The path is all concrete with a few brief exceptions. The trail is well laid out, good signage. The are frequent rest spots and even quite a few places to relieve yourself if need be with porta potties that were surprisingly clean. Lots of wildlife and open areas. Well worth the trip.
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