Ride Description

Mount Evans : 7/31/2010
Last Updated: 1/16/2010 4:44 AM

Ride Captain:
Route Provided By: Colorado High Country Cruisers

Today the HCC will make the awesome trip to the top of Mount Evans, the highest road in the United States. Departing Morrison, we'll head up Bear Creek Canyon to Evergreen, and then head on up to Mt. Evans. The Mt. Evans Scenic Byway climbs more than 7,000 feet in just 28 miles, reaching an altitude of 14,264 feet. At the summit you'll enjoy the big picture--the entire Front Range sprawls at your feet--but don't overlook the details. This highest of Rocky Mountain highs brings you to the rarefied world above timberline, a singular amalgam of hardy wildflowers, lichens, and grasses, furry mammals like pikas and marmots, rock-jumping mountain goats, and alpine lakes. This is perhaps the best place in Colorado to catch a glimpse of the stately bighorn sheep.The weather is volatile, so be prepared.

Once we head back down we'll stop in Idaho Springs for lunch, then return home via Golden Gate Canyon.

If Colorado Springs riders don't want to make the day too long, after the ride down from Mt. Evans to Echo Lake they could head home via Evergreen, Conifer, Pine Junction, Deckers, and Woodland Park. Lots of options!


Ride Route

FromGo (Miles) On/To Comments
Start0 S Rooney Rd  
Go straight (S)0 S Rooney Rd  
Go back (WNW)0 SR 8 (Morrison Rd)  
Keep right (WNW)0.48 Highway 74 (Morrison Rd)  
Keep left (WNW)0.04 SR 74 (Highway 74)  
Turn left (W)14.69 CR 66 (Squaw Pass Rd)  
Keep left (W)1.79 SR 103 (Squaw Pass Rd)  
Turn left (SSW)15.94 SR 5  
Stop14.35 SR 5  
Go straight (NNE)0 SR 5  
Turn left (NE)14.35 SR 103  
Keep right (E)13.06 I-70 E (US 6|US 40) ramp  
Go straight (ESE)3.23 ramp  
Turn left (N)0.13   
Turn left (NW)0.06 Central City Parkway  
Keep right (NE)7.87 Nevada St  
Keep left (NE)0.26 SR 279 (Spring St)  
Keep right (E)0.11 SR 279 (Gregory St)  
Keep left (NE)0.94 Selack St  
Turn left (N)0.09 SR 119  
Keep right (ESE)5.19 SR 46 (Golden Gate Canyon Rd)  
Keep right (E)1.05 Timber Dr  
Keep left (ESE)0 SR 46 (Golden Gate Canyon Rd)  
Keep right (ESE)5.2 CR 70 (Golden Gate Canyon Rd)  
Turn left (ENE)8.31 Golden Gate Canyon Rd  
Finish2.74 Golden Gate Canyon Rd  
 109.88 Total Miles  
Departure Locations

9:30 AM Departure:
16283 Morrison Road

Denver riders meet at the Conoco just west of C-470 on Morrison Road.


8:00 AM Departure:
8355 Razorback Road

Colorado Springs riders meet at the Cracker Barrel just off US-83 at North Academy and I-25. Meet the Denver riders at the Conoco for a 9:30 AM departure.




Route Data Files

The following data file(s) are being provided for those that would like to recreate this route in their own mapping software or GPS device. Hopefully one of the provided formats will be compatible with your mapping software or GPS.

If not, you may want to try one of the free utilities that are available on the Internet to convert the available files to a compatible format or will transfer the data directly to your GPS device. A couple of choices are EasyGPS, a program that supports the GPS Exchange data format and is able to send the data directly to a wide variety of GPS devices, or GPSBabel, a GPS file conversion utility that supports the conversion from/to many different GPS file formats.

Data File Description
Delorme Route File Delorme Street Atlas Route File
GPS Exchange Route Point GPS Exchange route point file, created by Delorme Street Atlas 2007
PDF Route Package Route Package file, created by Delorme Street Atlas 2007 (~1.37 MB)
GPX Exchange Track GPS Exchange track file, created by Delorme Street Atlas 2007
GPS Log GPS log file, created by Delorme Street Atlas 2007
Text Directions Tab delimited directions text file, created by Delorme Street Atlas 2007