(Detailed route maps and elevation profiles can be downloaded at the bottom of the page)
1. Ride Westcliffe! Century (100 miles)
Elevation – Min: 5,879’ Max: 9,423’ Gain: 10,500’
Westcliffe to Colorado City and back via the Frontiers Pathways Scenic Byway (State routes 96 and 165). This is one of the most exciting and challenging century routes in the State of Colorado! Leaving the Wet Mountain Valley floor in Westcliffe, you ride east on Hwy. 96, gently climbing into the Wet Mountains, up and over Hardscrabble Summit to McKenzie Junction. The real excitement begins turning south onto the Greenhorn highway (State route 165) which will lead you up and over fantastic climbs including the famed Wixson, Bigelow and Greenhill divides, past the incredibly unique Bishop’s Castle and by the scenic Lake Isabel. The ride continues along a fantastic decent through the Huckleberry Hills area and past the pastoral hamlet of Rye into Colorado City, the ride’s halfway and turn-around point. The ride back to McKenzie Junction is a climber’s paradise, retracing your steps requires ascending back to Lake Isabel and McKenzie Junction. The last 11 miles of the century route descends gracefully from the top of Hardscrabble Summit back into the Wet Mountain Valley where you will be greeted with a fabulous descent, a terrific view of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and a Spaghetti Feed to refuel your body from this tremendously rewarding ride. Portions of the ride include areas surveyed by famous explorer Zebulon Pike during the Pike Expedition of 1806-1807, and follows old wagon train routes used to access the San Luis Valley from Pueblo and points east. The entire route is paved and offers varying widths (1-4 feet) of shoulder.
2011 Century Aid Stations:
#1 and #9: Hardscrabble Summit: mile 12 / 88
#2 and #8: Wixson Divide: mile 21 / 76.6
#3 and #7: Bishop Castle: mile 29 / 66
#4 and #6: Greenhill Summit: mile 39 / 60
#5 Colorado City (Greenhorn Meadows Park): mile 50 (turnaround)
2. Ride Westcliffe! Metric Century/ Wet Mountain 60 (60 miles)
Elevation – Min: 7,936’ Max: 9,423’ Gain: 6,000’
The metric century follows the same route as the full century without the long decent (and ascent) into and out of Colorado City. The turn-around and aid station is located at Bishop Castle.
2011 Metric Century Aid Stations:
#1 and #5: Hardscrabble Summit: mile 12 / 48
#2 and #4: Wixon Divide: mile 21 / 38
#3 Bishop Castle mile 29 (turnaround)
3. New Guys Ride – Hardscrabble Summit: for new riders (24 miles out and back)
Elevation Min: 7,936′ Max: 9,100′ Gain: 1,300′
The Hardscrabble Summit ride follows the same route as the century and metric century, gently ascending up the first major climb to the Hardscrabble aid station where you can take a break, enjoy a fine view of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and glide back to town. The ride is an excellent introduction to riding the beautiful Wet Mountains without the steep grades and duration of the metric and full century.
2011 Hardscrabble Summit Aid Station:
Hardscrabble Summit mile 12 (turnaround)
4. Family Ride – The Mine Tour (6.8 Mile loop)
Elevation – Min: 7,936’ Max: 8,077’ Gain: 220’
This is a fat tire friendly family ride that enjoys a mix of relatively flat dirt, gravel and paved roads past the old mines that made Silver Cliff and Westcliffe famous during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Imagine as you ride what these hearty miners must have felt as they dug into the nearby long extinct volcano ‘Round Mountain’ searching for the vein of ore that would make them rich. As you gently circle the White Hills of the Silver Cliff Plateau you will see several old mines, all abandoned as they were when the ore ran out. Ride on the shoulder east on route 96 to the junction of county road 255 on the outskirts of Silver Cliff. Up the hill past the abandoned farm buildings turn left on the dirt county road 251. This is the old Mine loop and docents will be posted along the route to tell the story of the area. Stay on 251 as it turns west and becomes county road 240. County road 240 intersects into county road 243, turning left sends you back to Silver Cliff then west on 96 to the starting point. The route is guided, including a tour of Turner’s Mill, the only operable original processing mill in Colorado, and lemonade!
5. Kids Bike Rodeo
Begins at 2 at the Custer County Kids Club.
Route Maps & Elevation Profiles