Stretching 41 miles rom Glenwood Springs, through Carbondale, all the way to Aspen, there is an abandoned railroad corridor that a consortium of local governments transformed into a hiking, biking, horseback riding trail called the Rio Grande Trail. Not only does it run alongside the thundering Roaring Fork River, but it bends around onto the Colorado through Glenwood Springs.
So, the scenery is breathtaking, seconded by the quality. It's paved, in good condition, with an elevation change over the entire length of just 2,120 feet. It's just enough to make you work, but not enough to wind you.
The town of Carbondale is a village really. There is a commercial area, and an old-town district complete with dress shops, galleries, trendy restaurants and inviting bars that you would expect. From the park in the center of it all, I made my way to the trail deciding to go until my legs got tired. I kept track of the distance with handy-dandy mile markers posted trail-side.
This is a popular trail. Along my route I met walkers, joggers, recreational bikers like myself, and a handful of the well-indoctrinated who were far too absorbed to waive at a geezer like me. "I'm going 30 miles to Aspen" was written all over their intense expressions. Everybody else just smiled and waived.
According to the mile-markers, I rode up 5 miles. The fist leg being up, I wasn't worried about getting down, and, in fact, kept stopping on the return trip for irresistable pictures. Next time I'll go farther, or maybe start downstream from another point. My legs never tired...I headed for home when I got hungry.
I spotted this trail driving by on one of my first sojourns into town, and couldn't wait to get on it. Today I saw resting Canadian Geese, carefully placed bluebird houses, every manner of eye-candy flora, and gorgeous homes and ranches along the river bank. Initially, I couldn't wait to get on this trail. Today, I just can't wait to go back.
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