Gravel Rides near Durango, CO
Beat the traffic with these rides
Gravel biking is a great way to rack up miles, enjoy fantastic scenery, and avoid busy roads and highway traffic. The Durango area is loaded with great rides that are suitable for a quick hour or a multi-day adventure.
Let’s look at some of the best gravel rides in and around Durango:
Junction Creek
Junction Creek is a major drainage flowing out of the La Plata Mountains and into Durango. Most of the road is good gravel, and while it is a continuous climb, you are rewarded with cool forest and nice views. Park for this ride at the end of the pavement on County Road 204, AKA Junction Creek Road. There is a trailhead here with parking and an outhouse. Start up the gravel road and begin your grind. This road is gated during the cooler months but it is fully acceptable to hop the gate and ride. About a mile in there is a campground, and after this, the views open up. Eight miles in is the Animas Overlook, which has top-notch views of the valleys below as well as a short interpretive trail, picnic tables, and an outhouse. Past this the road continues to climb, traffic drops off, and the surface becomes a bit more challenging. Intrepid riders can go a full 20 miles one-way before the road peters out. Note that dispersed camping is permitted after the Animas Overlook.
La Plata Canyon
La Plata Canyon is a rugged ride just west of Durango. Take U.S. 160 west to the sign for La Plata Canyon, and proceed to the end of the pavement. The road rises gradually at first, passing several basic campgrounds, before winding through a ghost town and becoming markedly more rugged and steeper. Eventually, the road traverses into a magnificent alpine basin before dead-ending at the Colorado Trail. Turn around here for 9 miles each way or embark north or southbound on the trail for more mountain bike-like riding.
Ormiston Point
West of Durango the mountains recede and the desert begins to build. This ride starts at a campground along the Dolores River and climbs into a little-visited section of the west slope of the San Juan Mountains. Take U.S. 160 to U.S. 190 and turn north on County Road 16 then right on County Road S, where you can park at the river. Follow Forest Road 521 on a manageable but sustained climb up Ormiston Point. This can be turned into a 68-mile loop by continuing on FR 514, 526, 31, Colorado 145, and 184, then county roads 25, X, 21, and DD. Supplies can be picked up in Dolores, which is roughly two-thirds of the way through the ride.
H-D Mountains
The H-D Mountains is a low range of mountains east of both Bayfield and Durango. This area is peppered with drill pads and a huge network of dirt roads and soft trails. Tons of options for loops and out-and-backs exist here. For starting points, check out Lange Canyon and Sauls Creek.
Lemon Reservoir
Lemon is one of two big reservoirs northeast of Durango, but this one is much quieter than the other, Vallecito. Try parking near the Miller Creek Campground and heading up the canyon. Depending on water height, the reservoir is about three miles long; after this, traffic drops off noticeably. About 5 miles further is the very quiet Florida Campground and a mile past that is the even quieter Transfer Park Campground. Forest Road 597 branches off from the Florida Campground and climbs moderately into huge aspen forests and toward several alpine lakes before disappearing into a rough trail. A total of 23 miles each way is possible for intrepid riders.
Silverton to Lake City
This is the ultimate alpine ride – assuming that Jeeps and ATVs don’t bother you too much. From Silverton, follow County Road 2 up and over Engineer Mountain then enjoy a long descent into Lake City. You can camp here or simply have a snack before joining Colorado 149 southbound briefly and then County Road 30. This road climbs over Cinnamon Pass to drop you back onto County Road 2 for the cruise into Silverton.
Ready to learn more about the best gravel rides in Durango? Pedals the Peaks in Durango is your source for all things gravel, with plenty of gravel bikes in stock plus everything you need to get on the road. Plus, the pros at Pedal the Peaks ride gravel every day, making them a great source for rides and current conditions. Learn more here.