Evergreen is the mountain town that Denver residents escape to, and you can feel it as soon as you arrive. Pine trees close in around the road, the elevation has crept above seven thousand feet, and the lake in the middle of town reflects aspen and sky. After the open prairie and the busy suburbs, this feels like a different state, and it takes only forty minutes by bike to get from one to the other.
The approach is the best part. Highway 74 follows Bear Creek through its canyon, with rocky walls, shaded curves, and a surface that is generally smooth and well-kept. The corners are flowing rather than fierce, and in the morning you may have it nearly to yourself. By midday the traffic fills in, with cyclists, cars, and the occasional slow truck. The loop around via Lookout Mountain and Morrison is easy to ride in either direction, though many riders prefer to arrive in Evergreen from the east so that the canyon comes at them fresh.
The town has roots in ranching, logging, and tourism, and it still feels half like a village and half like a suburb. A historic homestead, now a museum, tells the story of an early family who built a big mountain house here, and the lake offers a path for strolling. Elk are common around the edges of town, and in autumn the bulls can be loud and bold. Treat them with respect. Mount Blue Sky, once called Mount Evans, rises to the southwest, and its summit road is among the highest paved roads in North America, though it is seasonal and a separate commitment.
Practically, Evergreen is the place on this loop where you will find everything: fuel, grocery stores, bakeries, and a choice of restaurants and coffee shops along the main street. It is a good place to rest properly rather than snatch a sandwich. Kittredge, a smaller community nearby, is on the way back toward Morrison. Spring can bring surprise snow, and winter ice lingers on the north-facing corners of the canyon, so check the forecast. Late summer and early autumn are the easiest and most colourful seasons to ride.