The best road cycling routes around Sugarloaf

Panorama Point on Flagstaff Mountain in Boulder, CO, offers stunning, panoramic views of the city, whether it's day or night, all year round. You can drive up to the overlook, making it accessible to families and dogs. Parking is limited, however, and the vehicle length limit on Flagstaff Road is 30 feet because it is narrow and twisty. Several trails start and/or pass by here including Flagstaff Trail and the Viewpoint Trail, the latter of which climbs from Boulder Canyon and Eben G. Fine Park near downtown. Panorama Point has three picnic tables, but no restrooms.

Cycling along West Dillon Road through Admor Open Space treats riders to a varied geography. The landscape unfolds with rolling hills, expansive meadows, and glimpses of majestic mountains. The open space, with its diverse terrain and natural beauty, creates a scenic and enjoyable cycling experience in this Colorado locale.

The road up Flagstaff from Chautauqua to Chapman Drive, where you can continue to Artists Point overlooking Boulder, is an iconic Boulder climb. This fun, twisting road (whether you ride up or down) grants you great views over the city as you pass by large sandstone boulders and cliffs, stands of pine trees, and several viewpoints. Watch out for cars on both the ascent and descent, this is a very popular drive for tourists and locals alike and there are several well-trafficked hiking trails off of the road.

Lee Hill Drive is a popular, challenging climb that connects the intersection of Lee Hill with Olde Stage just outside of North Boulder, and Lefthand Canyon. The backside of Lee Hill (the Lefthand Canyon side) is a little nicer for climbing because there is less traffic than on the the Boulder side where there is no shoulder on a series of initial switchbacks. Regardless of which way you go up Lee Hill, coming down the 1,400 foot climb is a real treat after the challenging journey up!

The east end of Pearl Street before you reach the Pedestrian Mall has seen a lot of growth these last few years. There are great restaurants and coffee shops as well as shopping. There are several large outdoors stores from well-known brands, including Patagonia, Arc'Teryx, Backcountry, Stio, and Mont Bell, all within a few blocks of each other. Boxcar Coffee is an excellent place for a post (or mid) ride latte and pastry, and its right next to Rapha, a high-end cycling clothing shop that also serves coffee.

The Ferncliff Food & Fuel is a small one-stop-shop in the tiny town of Allenspark. There are bathrooms, a pay phone (!), and plenty of snacks and coffee to purchase. This is a great place to stop and refuel along your ride.

After transitioning from the bike path (if you choose to do the initial section of Boulder Canyon Drive on it) the road steadily steepens as you climb up toward Nederland. Please watch out for rocks in the road, cars, and wildlife. Although this is a poplar cycling route, there are lots of cars and frequently no shoulder so be aware of your surroundings when climbing or descending.

Barker Reservoir is at the top of Boulder Canyon Drive just outside of the small town of Nederland. This is a great place to catch your breath after the long climb up the canyon and snap some photos.