15 Mile One Way . . 8400-9800 Altitude

The Florissant valley is a beautiful area of green pastures and rolling hills. Rocky monuments and domes poke out of the forest, giving the region an exotic look that's best appreciated on a bike. This quiet road is little used by either bikes or cars, making this one of the most enjoyable bike rides in the entire region.

To do this ride as a 30 mile round trip, it's best to park at the Fossil Beds visitor center, three miles south of Florissant. Ride south on Teller Co 1 to Cripple Creek and then back. To do it just one way, get dropped off in Cripple Creek and ride west on Bennet then north on Teller Co 1, which is how we'll describe it.

The first mile or so after leaving Cripple Creek is the high altitude meadows of the area. Even though this is mining and gambling country it's awfully pretty. The road then runs into a small canyon where it winds back and forth as it follows the creek for about five miles. This scenic canyon is also fun, as the road drops nearly 1000 feet in five miles and then pops out in the broad Florissant Valley.

As the road leaves the canyon it goes through an area of towering rock domes that's one of the coolest sights in the area. Dome Rock and Sheep Rock are on the right, in southern Mueller Park. Dog Rock is farther ahead and lots of un-named jumbles are everywhere. The road flattens out in the open ranch land of the valley as it makes a right-bend just before the Evergreen Station General Store. The left fork will take you to pretty Wrights Reservoir, a membership-only lake that's scenic none the less. We're continuing north on Teller 1.

The last seven miles is an easy cruise through rolling hills and pasture as we approach the Fossil Beds. The road is fairly flat, though you're still going downhill. The hills, trees and houses are two hundred yards off of the road, offering a wide-open view of the whole countryside. Two miles past the Fossil Beds Entrance sign is the Visitor Center, which is where the car is likely parked.