Off the Beaten Bike Path

LAFAYETTE

Ride: 7.8 miles
Time: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Barely break a sweat

Beginning and ending at Waneka Reservoir, this ride is ideal for families who need to cater to a range of cycling abilities. From the south end of the water (near the boathouse), continue south on the trail past clusters of cottonwoods, staying with it as it veers slightly west. Following Coal Creek, the road is kept cool by the nearby water as it passes by parks and playgrounds on its retreat from the suburbs. This all makes for nice scenery, but nothing will top the view of Longs Peak and Mount Meeker that you’re rewarded with as you shift west onto Empire Road. Riding along here feels (and looks) like you’re parting a sea of farmland as you face the mountains, with hay bales piled on either side, tractors turning, and in the summer, rows of corn six feet high lining your path.

Close your eyes (just for a second), take deep breaths, and enjoy being away from the city.

Things start to feel much less remote though, as Empire meanders back to the Coal Creek path and crosses through a wall of aspens (and more cottonwoods) to follow the water to Coal Creek Park. The park and open space make for a good breaking point, with ample green fields for picnicking (or napping) on, or throwing a frisbee across.

Continue north on what is unapologetically flat terrain until South Boulder Road where you shift west. Yes, you’ll have to share the road here with a few cars, but it’s only for a brief .8 miles—it’ll be okay. At Plaza Drive stay right and follow this (mildly uphill) approach to Hecla Lake, from which point you’ll begin closing in on the Waneka Lake trail once again. Retracing the beginning of your route, the next mile is smooth sailing back to port at the boathouse.