Overview:
This classic Boulder ride is slightly over 40 miles, and is great for days when it’s too cold to go into the mountains.
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: 41 miles.
Description:
Start at the end of Broadway Road where it meets Highway 36. Go left (north) on Highway 36 and continue for approximately 11 miles where it tees into Ute Road (which is still actually Hwy 36) just outside of the town of Lyons. Take a left (west) and Ute Road turns into Main Street as you pass through the town of Lyons, then continue on 36 (northwest) until you reach Apple Valley Road, about a half mile outside of town. Go left on Apple Valley to begin the first of the “fruit loops” and continue until it winds its way back to Highway 36. Take a right (east) on Hwy 36 back into the the town of Lyons, but this time continue straight (south) past the light at Main Street at which point the road becomes 5th Avenue. Continue straight on 5th Avenue and it turns into Highway 7 near the southern end of town. Then about a half mile beyond that, take a left on Old St. Vrain Road to begin the second “fruit loop.” Follow Old St. Vrain until it winds back around into Hwy 7, then take a right (northeast) on Hwy 7 and continue back to the town of Lyons. You’ve just finished both of the Fruit Loops.
Once you’re back in Lyons, take a right on Broadway (east). It turns into Main Street after a few blocks then becomes Ute Road (or Hwy 36) as you head out of town the way you came in. However, instead of taking Hwy 36 back to Boulder, continue east on Ute Road (aka Hwy 66) toward Longmont. Continue on Ute Road to 75th Street and go right (south) where you’ll pass the township of Hygiene, until you reach St. Vrain Road. Go right (west) on St. Vrain to 65th Street, then left (south) on 65th Street continuing on 65th to Nelson Road. Take a right on Nelson (west), then a left (south) on 63rd Street and follow 63rd all the way to the Diagonal Highway (Hwy 119). Go right on the Diagonal and follow it back into Boulder, where you can take a right (west) on Jay Road, then another right on 28th (Hwy 36), or continue straight west on the Diagonal – which turns into Iris – back to Broadway, then right (north) on Broadway back to your original starting point.
Variations:
Some people prefer to turn around at the end of Apple Valley Road and retrace their way back to Lyons rather than taking 36 back into Lyons. Depending on the day and time there can be quite a bit of traffic on 36. The same is true at the end of Old St. Vrain Road, often riders turn around rather than taking 7 back into Lyons. The only problem with these variations is that you’re not really doing the Fruit Loops, rather you’re doing the Fruit out-and-backs… not quite the same ring.
If you’re short on time, another option is to return to Boulder via Hwy 36 as you head out of Lyons on Ute Road after doing the second “fruit loop.”
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