This 415-mile paved route begins just west of Denver in Golden, Colorado. It follows a roughly southwesterly path to Durango. Highlights include Loveland Pass, Hoosier Pass, Monarch Pass, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Red Mountain Pass, Molas Pass, and Coal Bank Pass. This ride was done over two days, and a good overnight stop is Montrose. Other towns on the route include Breckenridge, Ouray, Silverton, and Durango. This route was published as part of the Favorite Ride feature “Denver to Durango: Bagging passes in the Colorado Rockies” published in the July 2026 issue of Rider magazine. (ROUTE & PHOTOS BY GREG DREVENSTEDT)