0.0 Ride to Lost Canyon Road at the south end of the store. Turn right uphill.
0.3 Cross a cattle guard and enter public land.
1.2 Stay straight on CR 398.
1.7 The road splits. Stay on the left road, CR/FSR 398.
1.9 Stay straight on CR/FSR 398.
2.9 The road splits. Take the left road, CR/FSR 398. A small sign points to the Gold Basin Mine.
3.8 Many side roads cut off to camping spots in this area. Stay on the main road.
3.9 The Colorado Trail cuts south on the left.
4.0 The Colorado Trail cuts north on the right.
7.1 Follow the switchbacks up, past 2 log garages on the left.
8.1 Pass a large metal tripod in the creek. It looks like a mining dredge. The road gets rockier and climbs above tree line – probably because all the trees were cut long ago to build cabins. The creek above shows evidence of heavy mining and there are lots of remnants to view while pedaling.
8.3 Stay on the lower main road.
8.7 Turn right toward an old cabin. Turn immediately left and turn left again so you are in front of the cabin and pointed uphill. Walk around the back for an awesome view of Twin Lakes to the north. Get back on the bike and ride west uphill.
8.9 The road splits. Ride up the steeper right hand road.
9.5 Steep, high altitude climbing. When it feels like your heart and lungs are going to burst from your chest and scamper away across the alpine meadow like a frenzied marmot, stop and look behind for a great view of the Mosquito Range.
9.9 You have reached the top of the world! When the road splits, take the left road. You are headed to the old mining camp directly to the left on the distant saddle. The climbing is pretty much finished.
10.8 Stop and explore the area around the Columbine Mine, and watch out for mine shafts. Where the mountain drops off, look south at this line of peaks – Waverly Mountain (13,292 ft.), Mount Oxford (14,153 ft.), Mount Belford (14,197 ft.), Pecks Peak (13,270 ft.), and Missouri Mountain (14,067 ft.) – from east to west. This view is awesome, especially in late September when the aspen turn the lower hillsides golden. If you have time and energy left, ride the other faint roads that wind around above tree line for more incredible views. Follow the same route back down. The descent is as fast and the climb was slow. You are a rocket on two wheels. Go Rocket go.
Turquoise Lake Loop
The Turquoise Lake loop is half road ride and half singletrack. It circles a high alpine reservoir with excellent views of the lake and surrounding peaks. The singletrack presents some tricky bits and beginners will need to walk sections. The western part of trail is much more technical than the rest. The Turquoise Lake loop is a good training ride or introduction to singletrack riding.