MEADOW MOUNTAIN

In the 1920s, lettuce crops blanketed the lower slopes of this 9,700-foot-high gentle peak west of Vail (accessible via Dowd Junction from the Minturn exit off I-70). Then, for seven years in the 1960s, a small ski area operated here. Now Meadow Mountain is a beloved year-round recreation spot, where backcountry skiers and snowboarders slide on snow in winter, and hikers and mountain bikers tackle the trails in summer and fall.

Lung-busting climb
The best way to experience this local landmark, which ranges from the namesake meadows to shady forestland, is to bike the 10-mile loop that begins and ends at the parking area adjacent to the Forest Service’s Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District office just below the highway interchange.

Start by climbing Line Shack, an old doubletrack road that ascends some 2,000 feet over 5 miles; though the route has a few steeper sections, it’s primarily a steady uphill grind. Take your mind off the climb by admiring the abundant wildflowers that dot the meadows midsummer; in fall, the aspens provide a shimmering color show. Near the Line Shack itself, a funky old log structure, you’ll find a fine spot to take a break and savor the views of the craggy peaks that make up the Gore and Sawatch ranges. Your descent begins on Whiskey Creek (closed annually until June 20 to protect calving elk), a 3-mile stretch of classic singletrack that requires navigating some tight, twisty sections (Bonus: The trail wends through leafy aspen groves). At the trail intersection, head right on Everkrisp to return to the parking area; this flowy route opened in 2019, thanks to hundreds of hours of all-volunteer labor.

Short and fun
You can also ride a shorter—and more technical—loop (6 miles) in this area by turning left about halfway up Line Shack onto Full Nelson, then riding that brief connector to the West Grouse Creek Trail. (Note that only this 1.5-mile section of West Grouse is open to bikes.) Descend until Half Nelson on the left, then tackle a quick climb back to Line Shack and savor the downhill stretch.

Fast and flowy
Ride an out-and-back on Everkrisp (8 miles round-trip), beginning at the western trailhead in Eagle-Vail (park at the Eagle-Vail Pavilion) and ending near the Forest Service office, or vice versa. 

VAIL MOUNTAIN

Nearly all Vail Valley rides start with a requisite lung-busting ascent, but the beauty of Vail Mountain (vistas aside) is the Eagle Bahn Gondola and its sibling, Gondola One, which offer cyclists (and hikers) an effortless cheat into the high country.

Summertime bike haul tickets (available for purchase June through September at
vail.com) get you all-you-can-ride access to trails that let you succumb to gravity’s pull.

Lung-busting climb 
For cycling purists who scoff at (or don’t want to pay for) an uphaul pass, there is a 20-mile challenge that rewards with staggering views, demanding technical features, and exhilarating descents.

Starting from Vail Village, two-track Mill Creek Road climbs 3,250 feet over 10 miles to Benchmark, the highest point on Vail Mountain at 11,816 feet. From that grandstand overlooking the Back Bowls and the Sawatch Range, descend about a half mile to Two Elk Connector, cruising across Mongolia Bowl for 1.7 buttery miles to Two Elk Pass. Follow Two Elk Trail west to commence the tech-heavy portion of the ride: You dive to the bottom of Mongolia Bowl to hug sparkling, snowmelt-charged Two Elk Creek on its course below the rest of the Back Bowls (to the north) and Battle Mountain and Blue Sky Basin (to the south). The technical fun continues during the rock-studded, 5-mile descent to the Eagle River, where you merge onto Highway 24 and follow it north (downhill!) for 2 miles into Minturn. Toast your prowess like skiers do after tackling the Mile—a challenging backcountry trail into town—with a pint at the Minturn Saloon. 

Short and fun
From Eagle’s Nest, your starting point at 10,249 feet, you need only coast downhill on Big Mamba, which serpentines for 3 miles through open ski runs blanketed with electric wildflowers.

The aspen forest midway down Big Mamba, where smooth, banked turns whisk riders through luminous stands of white-barked trees, makes a fetching picnic oasis, especially on hot summer afternoons. The canopy’s especially stunning in mid-September, when yellow leaves dance in the air. On Vail Mountain, one Rocky Mountain high begs another, so on your next uphaul, make Radio Flyer your hit. Curving through forests of lodgepole pines and ferns, this buffed, 2-mile-long flow trail features fun rollers and forgiving whoop-de hills that let beginners gain confidence with pump features. Ready to fly? This is a great place to launch off the ground—if just for a split-second that feels like an eternity.

Fast and flowy
As its name suggests, the Grand Traverse, Vail’s signature trail, transits three of the Back Bowls (Sun Up, Sun Down, and Game Creek), which are just as stunning in summer as in winter. Wildflowers bedeck the high-alpine expanses, peak-filled panoramas unfold in every direction, and the riding is mellow: The smooth, low-tech trail follows a forgiving uphill course.

Riding the Eagle Bahn Gondola gets you as far as Adventure Ridge, where the trail (and two-wheeled adventure) begins. From there, it’s a gradual ascent across Game Creek Bowl, with 14,011-foot Mount of the Holy Cross dominating the view. Once the trail gains the ridgetop, vistas extend over the vast Back Bowls, contouring across grassy mountainsides studded with cheery asters and yarrow flowers. With few obstacles requiring attention, you’re free to ogle (or yodel) to your heart’s content. The trail ends at the top of chairlifts 4, 5, and 11; from there, reverse course for more Sound of Music–style splendor, or take the Mid Vail Escape trail down to Lucy’s Loop and back to Lionshead.