3 Cool Rides
By Brett Wilson
RIDE #1: A good hilly long ride is down Hwy 115 from the south end of Colorado Springs to US50 and beyond.
There’s a bit of traffic at times, but you have an 8’ shoulder 99% of the way to US50 (convenience store at
US50). Beyond US50, as you head toward Florence, there’s really no shoulder to speak of, but the traffic lets
up quite a bit. I usually park in the business parking lot on the SW corner of 115 and Cheyenne Mtn Blvd, then
ride south from there. It’s about 32 miles to US50, and then another 4-5 to Florence. If you go all the way to
Florence, 115 ends there, but you can continue on south on Hwy 67. I’ve ridden Hwy 67 north from Florence
back to US50, but the road was pretty busy, had a lot of curves, and didn’t seem all that safe. Hwy 67 south
from Florence is pretty deserted. If you get all the way to Wetmore, you’ve done a pretty long ride.
RIDE #2: Interestingly, if you start at Cheyenne Mtn Blvd, go south on 115, then west on US50 all the way
through Canon City to the Royal Gorge Bridge (good shoulder all the way), look over the edge, then return, it’s
exactly 112 miles. A good, scenic, classic detour is to take the one-way Highline drive on your return to Canon
City (it is on the N/E side of US50 a couple miles west of Canon City). It drops you out back in Canon City.
RIDE #3: Another nice ride is from the intersection of Hwy 94 and Marksheffel (there’s no parking there, so you
have to ride there)…south on Marksheffel Road down to Bradley Road (or Defense Access Road DAR), about
a mile AFTER Marksheffel turns into 4 lanes. Turn Left, or East on Bradley (the DAR). The DAR has a nice
shoulder and nice pavement. Continue east, the DAR will make a 90 deg turn to the North and become Curtis
Road, then intersect with Hwy 94 about 11-12 miles from Marksheffel. You could take 94 back to complete a
loop, reverse the route, or turn right on 94 for a longer ride. If you go east out 94 (5-6 foot shoulder), turn right
on Peyton Hwy about 4-5 miles east of Curtis Road. Peyton Hwy is practically deserted south of Hwy94 and has
decent pavement and gradually descends as you go south. You can go south on Peyton Hwy for 10 miles to
Squirrel Creek Road, and turn left (East), go east on Squirrel Creek Road for 3-4? miles, then turn left (North)
on Ellicott Hwy and go all the way back north to Hwy 94 in the middle of Ellicott (has a gas station for
refreshments). Peyton Hwy keeps going south past Squirrel Creek road, too, but you better have lots of water
bottles… Ellicott Hwy north of Ellicott is a little more traffic, but is usually pretty nice. You could continue up it,
then take Judge Orr road back west to Hwy 24, or continue all the way north to Hwy 24 and return along Hwy 24.