Road (bicycle)

Approach

From I-70 take the Mt. Evans exit in Idaho Springs, go about 1/4 mi. S and park on the left in the lot across from the visitors center. There will be a sign indicating if the road is open. It is only plowed and open in the summer.

Route Description

This is a 28 mile climb one way, not steep, but a steady grind from 7700 ft. to the parking lot (with bike racks) at 14,130 ft. From there it is a 5 minute walk to the summit at 14,264 ft. on the tourist trail.

From Idaho Springs, follow CO 103 to Echo Lake at mile 13 (10,600 ft.), and turn right on CO 5. There is a toll booth just after the intersection, $3 for bikes ($10 for cars), good for 3 days. Be sure to fill your water bottles from the hand pump at the Echo Lake campground as there is no water at the summit.

Essential Gear

The entire route is paved, so a road bike (or mountain bike with road slicks or combo tires) will work fine. Normal gearing (42-28) should be adequate. Typical speeds might be 5 MPH on the climb and 25 MPH on the descent for an average rider. Depending on the wind you might reach max speeds of 30-35 MPH approaching the hairpin turns, and it could be snowing, so make sure your brakes work. The descent will be much colder than the climb due to the wind and reduced effort, so as always bring warm clothes.

Miscellaneous Info

If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.

Images

View Road (bicycle) Image Gallery - 1 Images