by Joseph Kovack
When it comes to Boulder and the outdoors, there are almost endless possibilities. Located at the base of the beautiful Flatiron Mountains, the city of Boulder supplies outdoor enthusiasts with a plethora of trails in the mountains and the surrounding plains. But though there are many trails, not every trail allows bicycle use. The reason behind this is that the city of Boulder wants to preserve as many trails as possible by curbing bike use on most of the public trails on the mountain. But mountain bikers fear not. There are many multi-use trails that allow mountain bike use for all skill levels from novice to seasoned veteran.
With miles of paved multi-use paths throughout boulder, when one wants to tackle more rugged terrain, a short trip to the mountains is in store. A nice moderate mountain bike tail within 10 mile of north Boulder is the Ceran St. Vrain trail. Take highway 36 north out of Boulder and turn left on LeftHand Canyon then follow the dirt road straight for around 4 miles until you see the sign for the tail and turn right. The trail is mostly through the woods and follows the St Vrain creek. Another great mountain bike trail is the Foothills Trail/ Boulder Valley Ranch Trail. This is a great ride for beginners and those who just want a beautiful scenic ride off road. Just one mile north of Boulder, take highway 36 north and turn on Longhorn road and drive until you see the Boulder Valley Ranch Open Space sign.
For a complete listing of Boulder-area mountain bike trails, go to these helpful websites:
http://www.trails.com/activity.aspx?area=12287
http://www.getboulder.com/sports/sports_bicycle.html
