DURANGO, COLORADO Mountain Biking

In Southwest Colorado with borders of high desert and humongous mountains is Durango. It has a long season of mountain biking with a close to perfect climate and endless variety of trails within this mountain biking crazy state. It has a long history of breeding super cyclists including Tom Danielson, Myles Rockwell, Juli Furtado and Ned Overend.

From the technical downhill of Haflin Creek to the Horse Gulch’s Meadow Loop mountain riders have trails from elite to pick from. Even Missionary Ridge’s trails that were destroyed by a 2002 fire are back on course which include the famous First Fork and Stevens Creek. Even though it is known for its fast cross-country trails it offers endure and downhill trails galore.

Following the river through Durango is the Animas River Trail and this is also where you find the youth cycling program in this gold-level biking community where champions are churned out annually. A huge cycling event and one of the country’s oldest running is the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic.

Sarah Tescher a former professional mountain biker is the founder of a successful cycling program for youths, the Durango Devo and she recommends the following to bikers coming to their lovely trail filled area.

The best trail according to Sarah is the spectacular Molas to Bolam Colorado Trail where bikers are elevated to over 11,000 feet for most of the ride. Then she also recommends the Talladega Pimple to Star Wars trail. Or even going up Raider Ridge, going down the Medicine trails and going back up with Snake Charmers and ending up on Kitty Charmer.

A family who supports cycling with all their might opened their huge home to cyclist looking for budget accommodation and calls it today the Homewood Suites. Looking for luxury then the Leland House or the Rochester Hotel and available and also owned by mountain biking lovers who also rents out mountain bikes to those in need of a bike.

Great eats at the Zia Taqueria or RGP’S and if gourmet is your choice then you will not go wrong with the Cyprus Café or El Moro.