Written by: Nathan Ward
Posted: Wednesday, 25 June 2008
Stretched along the whitewater of the Arkansas River, below
a high string of 14,000’ peaks, lies the Upper Arkansas River Valley. Locals call it the Valley of Fun and
it’s home to some of the best mountain bike trails, road rides and hikes in
Colorado.
Photos by Nathan Ward
The singletrack dipped and swooped across the hillsides,
splashed into a small stream and tightly turned back uphill. I shifted down and
stood to power up the small hill. At the top I tucked back into the flow of the
trail, leaned loosely into the corners and dropped through easy rock gardens.
All mountain bikers want to find trails that flow fast and smooth through the
woods and I’d found one—a prime stretch of singletrack above Buena Vista.
Below me, the Arkansas River Valley stretched out into the
horizon, but I didn’t have much time to look as I gave in to gravity as it
rolled me into the next section of trail.
I was riding the “Hot Springs Ride,” a fun section of the Colorado Trail
that connects two hot springs. After pedaling a few miles of this perfect
singletrack, I fully planned on stripping down to soak my weary legs in a hot
mineral-laden pool along the banks of Chalk Creek. It would be the perfect way
to end a great ride.
Summertime in Colorado—time for road trips with friends,
hikes along empty mountain trails, rides up high alpine passes and epic days on
your mountain bike. Everyone wants
to find a special place where they can have the trails to themselves and feel
like a local. Look no further—the Upper Arkansas River Valley may be just what
you’re searching for.
The valley starts near the headwaters of the river outside
the high-altitude town of Leadville at 10,158 feet. Following the river, it
drops slowly through the village of Twin Lakes, then Buena Vista and finally to
the warmer lowlands of Salida. The Sawatch Range runs the entire western length
of the valley with nearly two dozen summits over 14,000 feet and hundreds of
miles of trails. The valley itself is a crossroads of nearly every major trail
system in Colorado—the Colorado Trail, the Continental Divide Trail and the
Great Divide Mountain Bike Route.
Mountain Biking
After years of riding my bike all over the world—to the
Andes and the Himalayas—I’d say there is no better place to ride mountain bikes
than the western United States. There are lots of great places to ride in
Colorado, but Salida and Buena Vista are two of the best. Dozens of trails
crisscross the area with literally hundreds of miles of singletrack for keen
mountain bikers. It’s a mountain bike Mecca.
Everyone already knows about the beautiful Monarch Crest
Trail that traces the sky, high above the treeline and drops a massive 6,000+
feet over 35 miles. But few riders know about the Rainbow Trail. This stellar
route starts outside Salida and runs west and south around the Sangre de Cristo
mountains for over 70 miles of uninterrupted singletrack. It’s beautiful and
almost entirely empty—one of the best unknown rides in the state.
However, my favorite valley trail is a piece of the Colorado
Trail that runs from the historic town of Twin Lakes north to Half Moon Creek
outside Leadville. Picture a beautiful singletrack with just enough climbing to
keep you fit, just technical enough to keep you sharp and enough fun to make
you want to do it again.
The whole valley supports a fun mountain bike scene, too,
with lots of hard riders and crazy events like costumed cruiser criteriums, the
epic Vapor Trail 125 (September 25), the Leadville 100 (August 9) and even a
winter race series on packed snow trails.
Road Biking
For cyclists who prefer tarmac to singletrack, you’ll find
plenty of great rides in the Arkansas Valley, too. Over the last few years,
most of the roads in the area have been rebuilt with nice wide shoulders perfect
for road riding. There are mainly two types of rides here—routes with flat
sections and rolling hills along the valley floor, or big mountain passes. The
classic mountain pass rides include Tennessee Pass, Fremont Pass, Independence
Pass, Cottonwood Pass, Monarch Pass and Poncha Pass. These vary in difficulty
and length, but the good thing is that the ride home is always all downhill.
Over the last five years, valley roadies have established a
small but strong road racing team that sponsors the Salida Omnium (July 25-27),
the biggest road race in Colorado.
Another valley event is the Going Green 100 (August 9), a century ride
and sustainability fair.
My favorite ride starts in Salida and heads south over
Poncha Pass into the San Luis Valley to Joyful Journey Mineral Hot Springs. In
just over 30 miles, you’ll pedal over a small pass and coast a long downhill
through wide-open sage grasslands in front of the stunning Sangre de Cristo
peaks. Have a friend shuttle a car, watch the blood red sunset on the peaks
together, soak in the lithium waters, and drive back to Salida for a tasty
pizza and beer at Amica’s Pizzeria.
Hiking
With a horizon stuffed with big peaks, there’s no end to
hikes in the Arkansas River Valley—everything from high summits to multi-day
treks along the Colorado Trail, to fun day hikes to mountain lakes. For those
who prefer hikes above treeline, simply drive to the top of any of the valley
passes and you’ll find trails meandering through the tundra. If you like
fishing, pick a hike that climbs to a mountain lake, often stocked with
cutthroat trout. Or, if you want a
desert experience with lots of big rocks and pinion pines, head to the eastern
side of the valley and the dry red Arkansas Hills.
My favorite hike is the trail to Hartenstein Lake, starting
from Cottonwood Pass just west of Buena Vista. From the Denny Creek Trailhead,
hike up into the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area to this high alpine lake.
It’s a beautiful little mountain lake surrounded by high peaks and healthy
forests, perfect for a picnic or an overnight adventure.
Local writer and photographer Nathan Ward grew up in Salida.
Nathanward.com
Arkansas River Valley Guides
Mellow Mountain Hikes—27 Fun Day Hikes in Salida and Buena Vista and Singletrack & Tarmac—Mountain Bike Trails and Road Rides in the Arkansas River Valley. Both available at bike shops and outdoor stores in Leadville, Salida and Buena Vista or at REI or Barnes & Noble in the Front Range.
In the spirit of this election year, as candidates local and national are out campaigning and the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Denver end of this month, we decided to check in with busy politicians around our active state to hear how they stay fit and healthy. 
