A biking rec for you. Salida, Colorado is a mountain bikers
Mecca. The town lies in a valley on the banks of the upper Arkansas River just 2.5 hours southwest of Denver and
features some of the best single-track trails around. The weather is great all year round, such that you can pedal push
at 12,000 feet, and then let gravity take you down to 7,000 feet for a beer and snack in town.
This article at Mountain Zone takes a close look at
the biking around Salida, pointing out some of the finer trails like “Heartbreak Hill,” a gnarly-sounding two mile
section of trail that climbs 1,700 feet. One word: pain.
The author laments the lack of single track for beginners, but for intermediate and advanced riders who have never
been there, this might be a destination to consider.