Northern Colorado offers features of the most beautiful natural scenery in the country. If you’re a motorcycle rider, you probably agree that one of the best ways to enjoy the beauty of nature is on your bike. So why not take your bike through stunning routes in Ft. Collins and Northern Colorado?
Read ahead to learn the top motorcycle rides in Ft. Collins, Colorado, and the surrounding areas.
Poudre Canyon to Walden
If you’re looking for a lengthy ride that traverses through Colorado canyons and stunning scenery, the Poudre Canyon to Walden route should be at the top of your list. This motorcycle route spans the Cache La Poudre scenic byway, a 101-mile drive along the northern Colorado Rockies.
You can begin this route in Ft. Collins right off of Highway 287. Most of this three-hour route winds through Roosevelt National Forest. However, you’ll also reach the 10,276-foot-high summit along this road, providing breathtaking views of the mountains and canyons below.
This motorcycle route ends in Walden, which is in the middle of the open North Park valley. Here, you can grab a bite to eat, fuel up, and head back to Ft. Collins or continue along the rest of your journey.
Peak to Peak Highway
The Peak to Peak scenic byway is a 55-mile stretch of road within Northern Colorado. Notably, this road was established over 100 years ago as Colorado’s first scenic byway. This byway also provides gorgeous views of the Colorado Rockies in an overall shorter route than the Poudre Canyon to Walden ride.
Traveling the length of this byway will only take you about an hour and a half, but you can extend the route by checking out stops along the way. For example, you can explore the ghost towns of Apex and Hesse, which are located off of gravel roads from the main highway. You can also stop at Estes Park, a Rocky Mountain National Park base town.
The Peak to Peak highway also includes breathtaking natural scenery throughout the route, and you may want to take some time to park your bike and admire the beautiful views. We recommend giving yourself all day to traverse the byway and head back to your starting point. This route deserves your full attention.
Trail Ridge Road
Trail Ridge Road is another scenic byway in Northern Colorado. This road spans 48 miles from Estes Park to Grand Lake, almost entirely covering land within Rocky Mountain National Park.
Trail Ridge offers some of the most incredible scenic views in Colorado. Eleven miles of this road are above the treeline, offering picturesque views of canyons and trees in full bloom. Riding your bike along this route in the autumn months gives you access to the beautiful, colorful views of fall foliage beneath Trail Ridge Road.
No matter which side of the route you begin on, you’ll travel upwards of 4,000 feet within the first few minutes of your journey. Be sure to fuel up before this 48-mile route and give yourself plenty of time to stop along the road, take pictures, and appreciate the natural beauty of this scenic byway.
Flat Tops Trail
If you’re looking for a motorcycle route to split between two days, we recommend the Flat Tops Trail. This scenic byway spans 82 miles and will take you about five hours to travel on your bike from start to finish.
Flat Tops Trail includes some unique scenery compared to the other routes on our list. You’ll pass through river valleys, travel along the edge of the lush Flat Tops Wilderness, and end in the historic town of Meeker.
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