Aspen Mountain Biking, Bike Rentals

Although the scenic beauty surrounding Aspen, Colorado is soothing and awesome as seen from a car or walking trough the downtown, the real way to feel its power and magic is to become immersed in the wilderness.

What better way to observe nature while getting a work-out than pedaling down a variety of impressive singletracks on a mountain bike. Summer and fall offer the best chances to hone your mountain biking skills in the Aspen wilderness, with fall being quite stunning with the change of the aspen leaves colors.

Mountain bikers, who have gradually begun to eclipse road bikers in the area, have numerous opportunities for pounding some trail and negotiating technical terrain in the area. For starters, White River National Forest which surrounds Aspen, is chock full of old logging and mining roads, fire trails and a plethora of other areas to explore. In addition, the ski areas themselves now solicit mountain bikers, with access roads and downhill ski trails open for fat tire exploration, expedition and exhibition.

One of the more popular mountain biking tracks is the Richmond Ridge Trail, which is accessible either from the gondola at Aspen Mountain or via Aspen Mountain access roads - including Summer Road. Other extremely favorable rides include the Rio Grande Trail, Owl Creek Trail, which connects Aspen and Snowmass Village on the west side of Highway 82, and the Fisherman’s Trail tour north along Roaring Fork from Aspen to Woody Creek. Regardless of your mountain biking skills and riding ability there is something for every rider. From rather mild and wide backcountry service roads to slim and tight singletrack through stands of aspens and other species of trees, mountain biking in Aspen is challenging and scenic.

One of the finer aspects about riding in Aspen is that along with top notch trails are top notch specialty shops. Whether you’re in dire need of a tune up before rubber hits the dirt or just searching for local knowledge of where to go, mountain biking shops in Aspen offer everything a rider could possibly need and more. Almost every cycling shop in Aspen offers mountain bike rentals, guided tours and all the necessary equipment ¬– including transportation. If you are experienced enough and would rather experience the trail on your own, be sure to get information on recent additions and conditions of trails, bring an adequate water supply, extra inner tubes and wear a helmet. Also, since you will be riding mostly in a backcountry setting be aware of wildlife and obey all trail markings and restrictions.