Snowmass, Colorado is a Biking Destination for Enthusiasts of All Kinds

Snowmass Village, Colorado serves as a hub for summer biking, whether it be downhill, cross-country or road. Snowmass features 90+ miles of meticulously maintained road and dirt trails, over 4,400 vertical feet of lift-served downhill trails, besides bike clinics, rentals and bike services, events and races, and convenient, free transportation and parking. Also, this summer, Snowmass hosts eight dedicated biking events for enthusiasts of all kinds.

Downhill & Cross-Country Mountain Biking

Snowmass is home to some of Colorado’s best mountain biking trails, including a world-class downhill park and miles of renowned single track. Snowmass features biking trails for all abilities, from the Snowmass Loop, which comprises 28 miles and 4,408 total feet of vertical singletrack combining over ten different trails; to the 3.7 mile Tom Blake trail, a local’s favorite singletrack ride/hiking trail. Snowmass Bike Park, on Snowmass Ski Area, is open daily for guests to explore, with beginner, intermediate, and expert trails.

Three new bike trails are scheduled to open this summer in the Snowmass Bike Park, bringing Snowmass’ total hike and biking mileage to over 90 miles of offerings. The first of the new trails are ranked as an extremely difficult freeride trail, similar to the feel of Valhalla, and extends .7 miles along with bikers right of Valhalla. The second trail covers a mile of terrain to bikers left of Valhalla and is classified as a more difficult freeride trail. The third trail extends off of Viking for .7 miles and is ranked as a more challenging single track trail. This summer also sees a rebuild of Vapor trail from the top of the Elk Camp Chairlift to the French Press junction.

Over the last two years of the Snowmass Bike Park expansion, three trails have been added; the new Animal Crackers trail, a most difficult technical trail with a length of 1.5 miles, the new French Press trail, a more difficult freeride trail measured at 4.5 miles, and Papa Smurf trail, a more difficult technical trail that provides access back to the Elk Camp chairlift from upper French Press. All three trails are located in the upper zone of the Snowmass Bike Park and are accessed via the Elk Camp Chairlift.

Open daily from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., the Snowmass Bike Park is also open until dusk on Tuesdays, July 2-August 13, for extended play. On these Tuesdays, a Late Arrival Ticket begins at 2:00 p.m.  For more information, please click here.

Road Biking

Road cyclists basing out of Snowmass can ride to the summit of several iconic road rides, including the 28 mile climb from Snowmass Village to the top of Independence Pass (Colorado’s fourth highest paved road), at 12,095 feet above sea level; the 17 mile climb from Snowmass Village up Maroon Creek Road to the iconic Maroon Bells; the 18 mile ride from Snowmass Village into Ashcroft Ghost Town; and the route from divide road through Old Snowmass for a mix of gravel and road riding – frequented by pro cyclists as a late summer training ride. There are also gentler rides to choose from, including the Brush Creek Trail which links cyclists to the Rio Grande Trail (40+ miles of paved trail) that runs along the beautiful Roaring Fork River up and down the valley. Many guests rent one-way bikes and ride between Aspen, Snowmass, and Basalt, with a stop along the way at local’s favorite, Woody Creek Tavern, an old haunt of Hunter S. Thompson.

Bike Transportation

Snowmass offers free bus transportation, which carries bikes after a one-way ride. Besides, RFTA, the regional transportation authority, offers subsidized fares and bike hauls from further afield. Visit www.rfta.com and www.snowmasstransit.com for more information.

2019 Snowmass Bike Events

Ride the Rockies – June 11-12: The annual Denver Post Ride the Rockies celebrates 34 years this summer with an overnight stop in Snowmass Village. The non-competitive event is open to cyclists of all ages and provides riders the chance to experience the stunning vistas and diverse terrain of Colorado. 2019 marks the first time Ride the Rockies has passed through Snowmass.

Snowmass Demo Days – June 29-30: Snowmass Demo Days returns to allow mountain bike enthusiasts of all ages to demo this season’s hottest products throughout a two-day bike fiesta. 20+ bike manufacturers and gear brands provide complimentary demos throughout the weekend.

Snowmass Bike Park Race Series – July 9-August 13: Now in its second year, the Snowmass Bike Park’s Race Series expands to six events for 2019. The SBP Race Series takes place Tuesdays, July 9-August 13. Join local and visiting riders in a top-to-bottom sprint on a different course each week, followed by drink specials and awards at the Limelight Hotel Snowmass.

Audi Power of Four Mountain Bike – August 17: With an entirely new course that uses some of the best singletrack in the valley, Audi Power of Four Mountain Bike takes place Saturday, August 17. The new route travels along a 25-mile loop that starts and finishes in Snowmass Base Village. Bikers race along the Rim Trail to Seven Star, then transition to the Sky Mountain Park trail system, connect over to Tom Blake trail, use various trails on Snowmass such as Expresso and Cross Mountain and then head down Village Bound to end in Snowmass Base Village. Divisions are broken into 50-mile solo racer (two loops), 25-mile solo racer (one loop), and a 50-mile team of two where each rider completes one, 25-mile lap.

Big Mountain Enduro – August 17-18: This mountain biking event features high altitude riding with long descents in the Snowmass Bike Park and on new trail integrations on Aspen Mountain. Over two days, racers tackle 5 to 6 stages, including 12,000 feet of descending and 3,000 feet of climbing. The best in the world come from far and wide to compete in the finals on some of the most diverse mountain trails in the region.

Yeti Cycles Vida Mtb Series Presented By Shimano – August 17-18:

Yeti Cycles Vida Mtb Series Presented By Shimano is a two-day women’s only mountain bike clinic. The clinic provides women with the opportunity to increase their mountain biking confidence, learn new skills, and to connect with VIDA coaches on proper biking technique. The weekend includes a welcome reception, healthy meals, yoga, bike maintenance classes, happy hour events, and tons of riding. New for 2019, VIDA is partnering with Big Mountain Enduro for their season finale in Snowmass, to culminate the Rider to Racer Program.

National Interscholastic Cycling Association – September 21-22: Founded in 2009, the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) develops interscholastic mountain biking programs for student-athletes across the country. This summer, the Colorado High School Cycling League hosts cross-country mountain bike races for approximately 600 student-athletes from Colorado and New Mexico in Snowmass. Teams are divided into three conferences with eight race categories per day for grades 9-12. Racers will ride 2-4 laps depending on their grade and category. 2019 marks the first time Snowmass has hosted NICA.

CU Collegiate MTB Races – September 28-29: College cyclists from around the region compete in cross country and downhill races in Snowmass.

For more information, please visit www.gosnowmass.com/events.

Guests can visit www.bikesnowmass.com, a resource for all information related to biking in Snowmass, to plan their routes and rides.