The Peak to Peak Highway runs along the eastern front of the Rockies, linking Black Hawk in the south to Estes Park in the north, and it follows the old route between mining camps and mountain towns. It is a scenic byway for good reason. The road stays between about 2,400 and 2,800 metres, running through pine and aspen forest with the peaks of the Continental Divide standing white on the western horizon, and every few kilometres a gap in the trees gives you a view of Longs Peak, the Indian Peaks or a glittering lake.
Along the way, you pass small mountain communities that grew from the gold and silver rushes of the 1860s. Nederland, near the middle, is a quirky town with an arts and music scene and an annual festival devoted to a frozen corpse, called Frozen Dead Guy Days, which is exactly as strange as it sounds. Farther along, the villages of Ward and Allenspark keep a rustic, mining-camp feel, with log buildings and cafés that serve hearty meals to riders and hikers.
The riding is outstanding. The curves are long and flowing, the surface is mostly smooth, and the gradients are gentle, so it is a joy for a relaxed day. Aspens turn gold in late September, and the road is at its busiest then, when leaf-peepers and bikers share the lanes, but even in summer it is a joy. Weather changes quickly at altitude. Thunderstorms build in the afternoon, often with hail, and temperatures can drop sharply, so bring layers and a rain suit. Wildlife is common, including elk, mule deer and the occasional black bear, and they sometimes cross the road at dawn and dusk.
Boulder, about twenty-one kilometres from the nearest point, is the large town with the services and the university, and it is also a lively place for food and coffee. Nederland has a small supply of fuel and a few cafés, but prices are higher and hours can be short. It is better to fill up in Boulder or at another larger town before you start.
The Boulder Canyon road, which connects the plains to Nederland, is a good way to reach the highway, and it follows a creek between granite walls with tight bends and a few tunnels. Watch for cyclists, who use the canyon road in large numbers, and for rockfall after storms. Take your time and enjoy the climb.