Boulder,CO - Highway 36/Nelson/75th

Author: admin

2 Apr

Overview:
This classic, relatively flat loop makes an excellent lunch hour ride.

Difficulty: Easy

Distance: 22 miles.

Description:
Like the “Fruit Loops” ride posted previously, this one starts at the north end of Broadway Road where it meets Highway 36. Go left (north) on 36 and ride approximately 6 miles to Nelson Road. Take a right (east) on Nelson and enjoy the descent down to 75th Street. Go right on 75th (south) and continue through a dog-leg where the road veers slightly west and becomes 73rd Street. Continue straight (south) on 73rd until you reach Niwot Road and take a right (west). Follow Niwot for a little over a mile to 63rd Street. Go left (south) on 63rd until 63rd meets with the Diagonal Highway (Hwy 119), where you’ll go right (southwest) and continue on the Diagonal back into Boulder. You can then 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:
There several common variations to this ride if you’d like to increase or decrease the mileage. To add a few more miles, you can continue north on Highway 36 past Nelson Road and take a right (east) on St. Vrain Road - which is roughly 3 miles past Nelson - then take another right (south) on 75th Street to connect back into the original loop. Or if you’d like to cut the ride a little short, you can take a right (south) on 63rd Street from Nelson (instead of 75th) and take 63rd all the way back to the Diagonal to connect back with the original loop.