Gravel Biking in Colorado Springs

Some of Colorado Springs best riding can be found on the areas surrounding gravel roads.  Many loops can be put together but a couple of our favorite areas to ride are Rampart Range Road and Cheyenne Canyon.  Check out a few of our favorite loops and access the GPX files below.

Easy Gravel Loop

29miles/1257ft vertical ascent/~2hrs

Enjoy a scenic gravel ride along the New Santa Fe Regional trail to the beautiful city of Monument, CO. This trail runs along the Santa Fe Railway and provides a beautiful view of the Front Range. This route starts at Criterium Bike Shop and does a small loop in Monument to refill bottles and snacks for the ride back. There are no water refill spots between the bike shop and Monument, so plan accordingly.

Intermediate Gravel Loop

20 miles/ 2991ft vertical ascent/~3hrs

Looking to explore some of Colorado Springs' gold mining history? Then this loop is one you will want to check out. This route takes you up Old Stage Road, a road that was created in the 1800s to travel the western flank of Pikes Peak. From Old Stage, you will take Gold Camp Road all the way back into Cheyenne Canyon. Gold Camp will take you through some of the mountain tunnels that were used in the transportation of gold many years ago. The hard part of this route is the climb up Old Stage, but the descent down Gold Camp is well worth the effort. There are no refueling points on this route, so plan accordingly.

Advanced Gravel Loop

64 miles/ 5995ft vertical ascent/~5.5hrs

The Rampart Rager loop is a go-to if you are looking for a big day on the bike. The route starts along the New Santa Fe Regional Trail and follows the Sinton Trail and Foothills path to the Garden of the Gods. This route takes you through a beautiful portion of the Garden of the Gods to get to Rampart Range Rd. The climb up Rampart is epic with nearly 4000ft of elevation gain and stunning views of Colorado Springs and Pikes Peak. You will pass Rampart Reservoir before descending to Monument on Mount Herman Rd. From Monument, you will take the New Santa Fe Trail back to the starting location. This is a two big bottle and camelback type of ride due to the first major refill spot not being until Monument, so plan accordingly.