Boulder is known as one of America’s best bike-friendly cities, and with good reason. There are tons of paths for both road cycling as well as mountain biking, so there’s really something for everyone in Boulder. It can be hard to choose a good path, however, due to the sheer amount of options available. Luckily, in this particular blog post, I’ll point out a few of Boulder’s best bike routes.

Boulder Creek Path

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Boulder Creek Path is one of Boulder’s most well-known walking and biking areas. Its 5.5 miles of beautiful scenery make it a very aesthetic ride, and its easygoing path makes it accessible to everyone. There is a lot of shade on this trail too, which makes it a perfect trail for summer’s hottest days. It even stops nearby the Boulder Public Library, so if you’re in need of a new book, you can take a break from biking and stop by the library! If you don’t have a bike, be sure to check out the rentable B-Cycle bikes, whose stations can be found all over Boulder. The trail spans a considerable distance and can be accessed at many points, but its most prominent ends stop at Eben G. Fine Park and Stazio Ballfields (just past 55th street).

The Boulder to Jamestown Journey

via trimbleoutdoors.com

via trimbleoutdoors.com

The bike trek from Boulder to Jamestown is very popular amongst the road cycling community. It’s a 23-mile bike ride round-trip, so this is a route that will take at least a few hours. The road is gorgeous, however, and it takes you through some beautiful vistas of the mountains. There is also a river next to the path during the ride, adding yet another scenic element on the ride to Jamestown. The elevation gain is fairly moderate as well, so you won’t be overly out-of-breath as you admire the surroundings.

Once you finish the trek to Nederland, there is a popular cafe called The Jamestown Mercantile that makes for a great pit stop during the turning point of the bike ride. It should also be addressed that this path is right beside a highway, but the shoulder on the road is quite broad, so it shouldn’t be too much of a concern. The route involves somewhat specific directions, so rather than giving vague starting and ending points, here is a very specific guide on how to properly ride this route:

via trimbleoutdoors.com

Betasso Preserve 

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Betasso is a great place to take an off-road bike. It’s an expansive forest area with some easygoing trails to test your mountain biking abilities. The trail involves some casual turns and some nice downhill sections, making the loop a pretty relaxing area to bike around. This area is perfect for beginner mountain bikers. If you’re looking to make your trip a bit more substantial, you can bike to this destination from the west end of Boulder using the Canyon Link Trail. It’s a moderately difficult trail due to some loose gravel, so take this path at your own risk. It should also be noted that Betasso Preserve is closed to mountain bikers on Wednesdays and Saturdays. This trail can be found by heading west on Boulder Canyon Drive, and the parking lot just before the tunnel will have the trailhead. Strap your bike onto the best rv hitch bike rack or alternatively rent a bike and make your way to some of the best bike paths in Boulder!