Top of the Town 2012

Picking the best-of-the-best bike ride is darn near impossible in a city that’s a veritable cycling paradise. But the two-wheeled route of our dreams would have a little bit of everything: stretches for both road and mountain bikers, length, and plenty of scenery. Cue the 63-mile High Line Canal, which weaves diagonally across the Denver metro area. The path traces a Denver Water irrigation route from the South Platte River to Waterton Road. Road cyclists will fly on the hard surfaces in Denver and Aurora; mountain bikers will revel in the softer tracks in Highlands Ranch and Greenwood Village. There’s shade along the route, so don’t forget to pack a Lärabar or sandwich before you hit the trail, and take a rest at one of the picnic tables in a park along the way. denverwater.org/recreation/highlinecanal