Mountain biking is often portrayed as a sport for adrenaline-fueled adrenaline junkies, who tumble down hair-raising slopes where danger lurks around every corner. The Front Range has plenty of trails to satisfy that appetite.
But many mountain bikers aren’t driven to test themselves on, for example, Lookout Mountain’s Apex Trail or White Ranch Park in the foothills west of Arvada, both of which climb hundreds of feet over rocky terrain and where downhill falls can be severely penalized. Some just prefer smooth off-road driving, while others are looking for good places to learn important skills before testing themselves on more intimidating terrain.
The Front Range has plenty of that too.
Jay Bollinger from Golden is a passionate mountain biker who used many of these gentler trails to introduce his 13-year-old son Isaac to the sport. Now, Isaac is an avid mountain biker who looks forward to competing in high school races, and his 8-year-old brother Sam also joins his dad on the trails. Bollinger helped us compile a list of trails that are convenient for beginners and those who just want to ride without fear.
“Mountain biking is my passion and something I’ve really loved for the past twenty years,” Bollinger said. “On these trails I can share that love with my boys. If you can do the things you love with the people you love, that’s for the best.”
Natalie Raborn, a mountain bike coach from Evergreen, also helped us. She is the race director of the Beti Bike Bash, a team evergreen race that aims to introduce more women to the sport in a welcoming, non-intimidating environment. This event takes place annually in October at Lakewood’s Bear Creek Lake Park, which Bollinger and Raborn say is ideal for beginners and people who prefer not to be scared on the bike. There are some fun climbs but nothing too challenging.
“There are no intimidating rock formations or falls,” Raborn said. “It’s beautiful but still challenging enough that you feel like you’re riding a mountain bike and not just riding a dirt road. You have pretty good visibility there, so you don’t have to worry about turning a corner and meeting another cyclist or hiker. You can’t really get lost, which can be daunting at times for beginners, and there’s cell phone service. There are all those things that you think aren’t a big deal, but they are when you’re a beginner.”
Bear Creek Lake Park is also a beautiful natural site, and after all, that’s one of the main draws of mountain biking compared to road biking. It brings you closer to nature.
“Colorado has so much forest and open space where you can disconnect a little more from society,” Raborn said. “You’re really in nature, so you’re more likely to see animals and ride along streams. You can connect more with nature. It’s more challenging, mentally and physically, because you’re not just propelling a machine forward. It offers a full body workout so you condition your core and upper body more than you would normally on a road bike.”
Here are some other non-intimidating mountain bike destinations in or near the foothills to consider:
South Table Mountain Park: There are multiple trailheads to climb this mesa in Golden. The easiest trails are on the south side of the mesa from Quaker Street, Golden Hills Road, or Camp George West Park. All three routes offer moderate climbs of about a few hundred feet to the top of the mesa, where there are miles of relatively flat trails with great views, particularly on the east and west edges of the mesa.
South Valley Park: This is one of Bollinger’s favorites among the Front Range’s easier mountain bike destinations, in part because of the beautiful rock formations found there. It is west of the Hogback, south of Ken Caryl, and north of Deer Creek Canyon Road.
Green Mountain (Hayden Park): Located on the west side of Lakewood, there are some good beginner trails around the mountain, best accessed from a trailhead on Rooney Road. The trails to the top are not technical but require 800 feet of climbing to reach the top. There are other trailheads along the Alameda Parkway.
Marshal Mesa: South of Boulder, just east of Colorado 93, the Mesa is a good ride and trails there connect to a trail system with a few easy rides on the other side of Highway 93 that includes the community Ditch and Doudy Draw. Another option: Head south from Marshall Mesa across the Greenbelt Plateau and cross Highway 93 to Flatirons Vista.
Anya Semenoff, Denver Post file
Alderfer/Three Sisters Park near Evergreen has a nice network of trails for children, mountain bike beginners and people who prefer to avoid steep descents.
Alderfer / Three Sisters Park: This park near Evergreen has a good variety of generally flat trails and great scenery. “There are some technical spots where you could bike hike (spots where the rider dismounts the bike briefly), but you don’t have the classic Front Range 1000-foot climb and descent,” Bollinger said. “It’s more of a network of trails for you to explore.”
Hildebrand Ranch Park: Both Bollinger and Raborn recommended this park, which is close to South Valley Ranch but is on the east side of the Hogback near Chatfield Reservoir.
Elk Meadow Park: Located just south of Bergen Park and north of Evergreen, there are some good trails here for beginners. Leave the Bergen Peak Trail (which climbs 1,700 feet in less than 3 miles) to the experts.
Flying J Ranch Park: Being close to Conifer, Raborn suggested this as a good place to get out of town and drive. “Not heavily used by bikers,” said Raborn, “but very beginner-friendly.”
Closing remarks: Mountain bike beginners should learn about trail etiquette. Politeness and communication are important, especially on singletrack, but there is an accepted hierarchy when riders approach each other. Mountain bikers are expected to yield to all other users—hikers, runners, and riders—and when two mountain bikers approach, downhill riders should yield to uphill riders.
There’s another important rule: “It’s never acceptable to ride off the trail,” Raborn said. “If you cannot pass another rider while you both stay on the trail, one or both of you must stop.”
Helen H. Richardson, Denver Post file
Bear Creek Lake Park has mostly flat trails and descents are mostly gentle with no technical challenges.
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