Photos: Ten Best of Denver bike rides

By Michael Roberts Fri., Sep. 14 2012 at 7:59 AM

2: Heron Pond

Tucked behind an old water-treatment plant (now Northside Park) and a recycling plant, quiet Heron Pond is the perfect place for solitude and stellar bird watching. Located on the South Platte River Greenway going north from downtown, the park is home to a huge variety of birds, including herons, avocets, kingfishers and red-tail hawks, as well as numerous kinds of water fowl. And because it's so quiet here, they aren't likely to be scared away by a dog let loose by an inconsiderate condo-dweller. There may be more scenic rides around town, but when it comes to Sunday solitude, Heron Pond soars above the rest.

Best Sunday Afternoon Bike Ride Destination -- 2008

1: Monarch Crest

MonarchCrest.com

There are plenty of quality miles to pedal on the Front Range, but you didn't buy that trick, free-riding dual suspension just to ride the foothills. The Monarch Crest trail is one of the finest rides on the planet; starting at over 11,000 feet in elevation and running along some jaw-dropping sections of the Continental Divide, it's not your average Sunday ride, so true that wheel, fill up your hydration pack, and make sure you've been doing your cardio for the past two months. You'll experience above-treeline grandeur, killer switchbacks that laser through dense alpine forests, and a descent that offers nearly 7,000 feet of now-would-be-an-excellent-time-to-adjust-my-brakes singletrack. There are even a number of shuttle-for-hire options outside of Poncha Springs that will do the driving for you, so you can spend more of your day feeling like a god with a handlebar, not some lost, citified touron in a Subaru. Just make sure you pack oxygen if you haven't been hitting the StairMaster, because this is a mile high times two.

Best Place to Get High (on Your Bike) -- 2009

More from our Things to Do archive: "Photos: Ten best Colorado hikes."

Tags:

Best of Denver, bike rides, Colorado

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Juan_Leg topcommenter

Being now crippled , I can't touch the surface of explaining how much I miss being able to ride .

This is about all I can say about the matter before having to excuse myself , due to my failing to keep the emotions under control when faced w/ the subject .

I walk Clyde at least 6 miles per day & if you've ridden North Denver or around Pierce and Wads , you have certainly seen the 1-legged man & is HUGE Rottie named Clyde . I watch w/ envy and sadness as everyone rides by , most at least wave . More appreciated than they could ever know. I miss it FAR more than driving !

jawnross

@denverwestword Makes me want to ride right now!

Matt_in_Boulder

When I first started reading this, I thought the title "Ten Best of Denver bike rides" was a bit of a stretch. Front Range would have been a better description of the geographic area. But then the Monarch Crest trail threw the whole thing out of whack. That trail (great though it is) is not even close to Denver or the Front Range!

BTW - that picture of Left Hand Canyon is clearly not the road ride up Left Hand. I would like to know where it is though because it looks pretty sweet...