Colorado Celebrates Cycling With the USA Pro Challenge, Pedal The Plains and Ride Recs for All Abilities

DENVER, CO--(Marketwired - Jul 22, 2015) - Below is a sampling of mountain, road and cruiser bike rides to be experienced in the host destinations of two of Colorado's major cycling events, the 2015 USA Pro Challenge (August 17-23) and 2015 Pedal The Plains Bicycle Tour (September 18-20). For more information on cycling in Colorado, visit http://www.colorado.com/

USA Pro Challenge Host Destination Rides:

Arapahoe Basin -- The Argentine-North Fork and Lenawee trails allow mountain bikers to go up and over Arapahoe Basin. Road bikers can enjoy the 20-mile loop around Lake Dillon. For a scenic cruiser ride, try the Summit County Recreational Pathway System.

Aspen -- Top-rated mountain bike trails on Snowmass Mountain include the Cross Mountain Trail, Wilderness Way and Banzai. The road to Maroon Bells offers road bikers stunning scenery. Take a cruiser bike ride on the Rio Grande Trail.

Breckenridge -- Mountain bikers can take advantage of a sprawling trail network of more than 50 miles. Road bikers can check out the paved Blue River Recreation Path. Cruiser bikers can join Breckenridge Cruisers every Thursday night during the summer.

Copper Mountain -- A wide range of high-country mountain trail rides lead cyclists of all skill levels through forest of pines and meadows. Road and cruiser cyclists can enjoy an exhilarating downhill descent when traveling from Copper to Frisco on the Rec Path.

Denver -- Road bikers shouldn't miss the Cherry Creek Bike Path that runs along the creek for more than 40 miles to Franktown. Cruisers can look forward to summer nights each Wednesday with a Denver Cruiser Ride.

Fort Collins -- Climb up into the foothills via various road rides that travel along Horsetooth Reservoir. Horsetooth Mountain Open Space offers several rides for mountain bikers. The Poudre River Trail and Spring Creek Trail are perfect for cruiser biking.

Golden -- The ultimate challenge for road bikers presents itself at Lookout Mountain. Tony Grampsas Park features the first purpose-built, mountain bike-only trails in Golden. Cruisers can look forward to the last Tuesday of the month until October when the city gets together for a family-friendly bike ride.

Loveland -- Devil's Backbone, one of Loveland's favorite mountain biking trails, is abundant with natural features. Road cyclists can travel from Loveland to Drake and Estes Park through Big Thompson Canyon. Cruisers can head to the South Shore or North Lake Park along Lake Loveland. 

Steamboat Springs -- Emerald Mountain hovers over downtown and is a local favorite for cross-country mountain bikers. Steamboat Bike Park offers 2,200 vertical feet of descending flow trails. The Yampa Valley area provides spectacular scenery for road bikers. The Yampa River Core Trail allows cruisers to travel alongside the Yampa River.

Pedal The Plains Host Destination Rides:

Holyoke -- Traveling to Holyoke on Highway 6 or 385 allows riders to see the role that agriculture plays on this small town. Riders can expect to see rows of wheat, corn, sugar beets, millet and more.

Julesburg -- What was once a city of the Wild West is now a quiet small town that welcomes cyclists who are traveling along the South Platte River. This town is perfect for bird watching and catching a glimpse of abundant wildlife.

Sterling -- Located just off Interstate-76, this agricultural community is nestled next to the Overland Trail along the South Platte River. Cyclists will enjoy the serene qualities of Sterling's natural landscapes.