By Ted Crawford

With more than 650 miles of dedicated bicycle paths, route combinations within metro Denver are almost limitless. This ride links several paths and climbs over two scenic dams in southwest Denver.

The wide, smooth concrete C-470 trail parallels the highway and its inherent, but not disturbing, white traffic noise. Join a short, steeper Turkey Creek Road connector to Colorado 8 and Morrison Road before a climb over Bear Creek Lake Dam.

You'll then hop on the Bear Creek Trail as it nestles along the creek to the Platte River Greenway before continuing south. Go west on the C-470 trail, climbing over Chatfield Dam for more views before rejoining the C-470 trail back to Kipling Street.

IF YOU GO

Bicycle: City bike, road bike, mountain bike

Location: Southwest Denver

Surface: Wide concrete path, short sections of broken pavement and rougher asphalt path. Some sections of this ride may not be suitable for high-end road or racing bikes

Distance: Loop as described is 37.6 miles

Difficulty: Moderate length and a few climbs

Ride Time: Three to four hours

To reach the C-470 Trail: North of C-470 at Kipling Street and Chatfield, park near the shopping mall and take the path south to the trail at the C-470/Kipling intersection.

OTHER RIDES

-Chatfield State Park: Work began on Chatfield Dam in 1965 to eliminate deadly flooding. Completed in 1976, the 5,600-acre recreation area boasts abundant wildlife, including more than 50 pairs of great blue herons.

Continuing off the top of dam, stay south of the the C-470 trail to access numerous paved and unpaved riding options in the park. Hot summer riding can be easily tempered with a quick dip or refreshment at one of the park concessions. The path continues, descending past beautiful stands of mature trees. Trails become rougher near the campgrounds and marina as they mingle with other paths and roads.

-South Platte Greenway: From the eastern end of the Bear Creek Trail, follow the Platte River Greenway north for about 14 more miles where it intersects the Cherry Creek Bikeway. Recently completed renovations have made kayaking and rafting a popular activity along the way.

-Centennial Trail: Heading east on C-470 Trail at Santa Fe leads to the Centennial Trail. It parallels the highway east for about 15 miles to the town of Parker. The Cherry Creek path intersects north and south for even more miles of dedicated path riding.

E-mail Ted Crawford at tcrawford@dslbroadband.com.