Best Colorado Locations To Longboard

(Please note: most of the hills listed herein are TRULY dangerous, and can result in death if taken without proper safety measures and research into your own Skating ability. Please skate the more ominous and foreboding paths at your own peril, as Colorado has cliffs, and big cliffs at that!)

Here in Colorado we are truly lucky for the variety that our location offers. We have the best hot springs, the best views, the best camping and hunting and the best home that any outdoors lover could wish for. More important that all of that, (yes, even more important than nude days at Orvis), we have the best hills and mountains in the states. We have a wide array of inclines, switchbacks, back roads and main roads to fit the day long cruiser or the twenty-five second downhill nut. For traveling street surfers from outside of the rocky mountains, it can be daunting to find the best places to put your wheels to this prime Colorado pavement, and intimidating to hear what the local Reddit road rashes have said. This is a traveling street surfer's guide to provide you the best and most pristine places to bring a board and bomb hard, or take a leisurely cruise to enjoy the amazing sights and sounds of Colorado. If you are coming from the west coast there are hidden gems in Grand Junction to lay your wheels against. The first route in Grand Junction, Colorado is the Riverfront Trail, which (for the most part) is a long and smooth footpath that snakes along the Colorado River all the way From Palisade to the base of the Glade Park. This scenic and leisurely route is an all day affair, so bring plenty of water. On the scarier side of Western Colorado there is the Glade Park Road, which is a winding set of switchbacks that curl just over 22 miles with stunning and famous views the whole way through. This is a path frequented by bicyclists, but the terrain is ready and waiting for a brave Longboarder to test his gusto. (And it will take gusto, as these cliffs have taken lives before.) The Denver Metro area is a maze of hills and most of the parks there have a smooth sidewalk to circle them and paths like Cherry Creek or Bear Creek Trail offer a very leisurely ride. (Be aware, though, that Denver cyclists take their bike trails rather seriously and will often assume they have the right of way.) For a more aggressive run and a good chance to bring some road rash home with you; visit the Golden are or grab a backpack and Longboard and explore around the lookout mountain area. Even the subdivisions there have nice inclines. Another Scenic Colorado Longboard trip would be found in the Durango area, where the Animas River Trail wraps for 7 miles through the city. There are majestic views of this old west town to be had, so take your time on an Animas cruise. If you are feeling like a quick-draw daredevil, however, spend your time around Durango investigating The Million Dollar Highway. As one of the most dangerous roads in the world for cars; this would be a formidable foe for any fan of possibly fatal downhill boarding. In Delta, just south of the Grand Mesa, there is also the Uncompahgre RiverWay Trail that winds for 12 (mostly paved) miles. The trail connects Ouray to Delta and provides gorgeous views the whole way. While in the shadow of the Grand Mesa you may as well pay a visit there to find all of breakneck downhill areas that lie across the sides and top of the scenic mountain and through the back streets of Orchard City and Cedaredge. Finally, in Fort Collins; there is a cornucopia of paved bicycle paths that allow fantastic day trips around this college town. Trails like the Spring Creek Trail or Fossil Creek Trail offers smooth rides and the college town setting that will likely include a couple of other longboarders. To test the limits of your own education and live a little riskier pay a visit to Colorado Springs, where the Pikes Peak Downhill Races take place. The roads will not be blocked as they are during race time, but it's worth a visit to know what it takes to make it Pro! While an average Skate is limited to an average skate park; we have the whole state of Colorado as a Longboarder's skate park. It is a diverse place that can truly offer great longboarding in every city, and we have plenty of room for company! 

Photo by @NoahBergPhotography  Model: @VictorFossen