The leaves in Colorado are already beginning to shimmer with that first hint of yellow and with that, comes one of the most beautiful times of the year to hit the trails. If you’re like us, you’re already planning your rides for peak color season, so we’ve put together our list of favorite places close to the Front Range to peep the leaves.

Colors typically peak in the Northern and Central Colorado mountains in mid September, but this year meteorologists are predicting an early peak due to drought. We should see peak fall colors from September 15 – September 30 for most areas within 2 hours of the Front Range.

So where should you go to check out the colors? Check out our list of recommendations and how-tos below:

Image: Steamboat Chamber

What’s in a name? As it turns out, a lot. The aptly named Flash of Gold trail on Buffalo Pass in Steamboat Springs is a sea of aspens from top to bottom. The trail itself is a calm, smooth and fun 10 mile stretch of singletrack that’ll keep you grinning from ear to ear. It offers up about 2,000 feet of vertical, with plenty of fast and flowy sections, berms and a few rocky bits to keep things exciting. This trail transforms into an electric mix of yellow, red and orange in the fall and is one of the best bang for the bucks spots in the fall.

Ways to Ride It:

1. Loop it with Grouse Mountain or Soda Mountain: if you have the legs, this is the way to do it. Enjoy the Flash of Gold Trail at a calm climbing pace and take in the fall colors before working your way over to the technical and challenging descent of Grouse Mountain. Soda Mountain is a new trail on Buffalo Pass and can be substituted if you’re looking for the additional challenge of a loop but with a less technical descent.
2. Shuttle from the top: have a friend drive you to the top of the Flash of Gold trail right off of Buffalo Pass and enjoy an easy and smooth descent back to the start. Easy peasy!
3. Pedal it as an out and back: park at the main trailhead and follow the Flash of Gold singletrack all the way to the top enjoying the views of the aspens along the way. Flip it and come back down the way you came.

Check out the full ride description here for maps, profiles, and driving directions.

Jen Toops rolling through the changing aspens on the South St. Vrain Trail.

A lesser known ride and a local favorite of ours, the St. Vrain Figure 8 is only about 45 minutes drive from downtown Boulder but offers up a true high-country experience. The ride is no joke, with some tough technical climbs and descents but with plenty of aspen groves, views of Brainard Lake, and a remote feel close to home, the juice is worth the squeeze.

Ways to Ride It:

1. Full figure 8 loop – 16 miles, 2100’. Park at the South St. Vrain Trailhead of CR 96 and Peak to Peak Highway. Immediately begin climbing up the rocky Sourdough trail and work your way towards Brainard Lake, crossing the St. Vrain trail along the way. Climb up Little Raven Trail and complete the loop and enjoy the sustained technical descent back to your car along South St. Vrain Trail.

For bonus aspen views, check out the mellow pedal at Caribou Ranch just down the road along Peak to Peak Highway.

Check out the full ride description here for maps, profiles, and driving directions.

Love it or hate it, let there be no mistake – the Dirty Copper Triangle is one of the most stunning rides in Colorado. Pedaling the ridge along Searle Pass before dropping into the mighty Aspen grove descent to Camp Hale is almost otherworldly, and makes our list as one of our favorite, albeit challenging, rides to do in the fall.

Ways to do it:

1. Loop from Copper Mountain – 32 miles, 5,300’.
2. Shuttle from Camp Hale – leave a car at the base of Camp Hale and begin your ride from Copper Mountain.

Check out the full ride description here for maps, profiles, and driving directions.

Two Elk Trail is a Colorado mega classic, and for good reason. Starting high in the alpine, and crossing through the vast alpine landscape of Vail’s famous back bowls. There’s a certain feeling of being out there that you just can’t help but appreciate.

Once you begin the descending, you’ll be pleased with a smooth and fast alpine flow before hitting tree line where the true fall colors begin to flourish.

Looking for some bonus riding? Hit the newly opened bike park in Minturn for some extra ripping and grab a burrito and enjoy a Gore Range IPA when you’re done.

How to ride it:

1. Full loop from Vail – park at Vail mountain and follow the fire road all the way to the top, using the resort trails to connect to Two Elk lodge and the back bowls. When you finish in Minturn, climb back up to Vail via the bike path. Note: the loop can easily be started in Minturn as well, if you prefer to get all the climbing done at once.
2. Shuttle from Vail Pass. Drop a car in Minturn, return to the top of Vail Pass and start your ride here.
3. Ride a lift to the top of Vail Mountain and start from the top.

Check out the full ride description here for maps, profiles, and driving directions.

Image: Chasing Epic MTB

We call it this one The Classic, and for good reason. This section of the Colorado Trail offers up an alpine adventure that rivals some of the best rides in Colorado. It just so happens to meander through some of the most stunning fall color zones in the state, making this one of the best leaf-peeping rides around.

With all good fame comes a caveat, however. Kenosha’s proximity to Denver and celebrity status on the Front Range outdoor scene means it’ll be crowded with hikers and bikers alike. You can anticipate the crowds thinning as you get further from the start and closer to Georgia Pass, but we still recommend hitting this one on a weekday to avoid the crowds.

2 ways to ride Kenosha Pass:

1. Out and back. Park at the main parking area on HWY 285, head West on the Colorado trail all the way to Georgia Pass.
2. The big boy – shuttle the ride all the way to Breckinridge. This one requires a bit more planning, but the extra descent into Breck is worth every bit of effort. For this one, you’ll need to drop a car at the finish in Breckinridge, and return to 285 to the main trailhead. Take the Colorado Trail from Kenosha Pass into Breckenridge for a huge day with incredible views.

Check out the full ride description here for maps, profiles, and driving directions.

Since there are just too many good ones to leave off of our list, here are a few bonus and honorable mentions to enjoy:

• Teocalli Loop – Crested Butte, CO
• Aspen Alley – Breckenridge, CO
• Dyke Trail – Crested Butte, CO
• South Boundary Trail – Taos, NM
• Monarch Crest – Salida, CO

We hope this list helped you get your fall riding plans rocking and rolling! Be sure to let us know if you make it out on any of these rides this fall by tagging us in your photos @sportsgaragecycling!