Riding a Dirt Bike or Dual Sport in Colorado - things to know, before you go 

All great points! Especially about drinking plenty of water, people don't realize how quickly they can get dehydrated at high altitudes, and drier climate.

I moved to Colorado about 4 months ago, and everything you said is very true. Thanks for the tips about the lightning strikes on the peaks...I hadn't considered that or experienced it before and it is greatly appreciated that you mentioned it.

Ha! Yea, some of the jeep trails can be a little rough... but at least they are wide so you have lots of options... Glad you like it! Lets go BACK!

That is Rachelle on the Freeride. We took it up there twice, the first time I re-jetted it. It ran pretty good, but a little sluggish at higher altitudes. The next time (the footage in this video), she had bought a Lectron carb, and it ran great - no adjustments needed at all. Of course the Lectron is about $500, if you don't want to spend the $$, then I would definately rejet. I just followed the owners manual for the altitude and temp you will be riding in and you should be fine. May need to adjust the air screw a little once you get up there. I've ridding my ADV bike in that area a few times, but the only off-road I did was forest access roads, etc... Haven't ridden my dirt bike up there, funny.... I was supposed to be in the Frisco area last week, but choose to stay home because I had a couple of jobs come up... so $$ over fun.... :(

Honestly I am not 100% sure. Most of the areas I was riding required a street legal vehicle so every bike I've ridden in CO has been tagged. I know that I had run across several FS workers and rangers while riding, and was never once asked about the OHV sticker. Having said that, it has now been a few years since I've ridden a bike in CO, so it would be best to check what the current requirements are.

the closest riding area to Denver that I'm aware of is Rampart Range. I've never ridden there personally, and have heard mixed reviews (mostly due to how crowded it is). Other than that, the scenes in this video were shot in the Crested Butte/Taylor park area. A little in the La Veta area (okay, but mostly ATV type trails). Other than that, pretty much anywhere in the western part of the state will have some pretty good riding. The San Juan National Forest around Ouray, Telluride, Lake City is really good. Mostly Jeep trails, but they are really easy to follow, and the area is beautiful.

Getting to Taylor Park from Denver is US 285 South to Buena Vista. Then take a left at Main Street. It will take you over Cottonwood Pass, andwella! 3 scenic hours behind the wheel of your truck and you have arrived at Taylor Reservior.

You really can't go wrong in the Ouray/Silverton/Lake City/Telluride area. These are mostly jeep trails so they are wide with a lot of line options, and are still fun. Scenery is amazing. Trails to hit are Imogene, Engineer, Corkscrew, Black Bear (most difficult). You can ride Imogene from Ouray to Telluride, have lunch in Telluride, then take Last Dollar Road back to Ouray (via Ridgeway). Last Dollar is one of the most scenic roads in Colorado, especially in the evening. There are different variations, but the Alpine Loop is also a lot of fun. If you start from Ouray, you would take Engineer to Lake City, then take Cinnamon to Silverton, from Silverton there are a lot of options to get back to Ouray (corkscrew for example). You can get a pretty good map at the Ouray visitors center that shows most of these. Black Bear and Poughkeepsie are the two roughest trails, but doable on a dual sport. Trails like Engineer and Imogene are kind of moderate, Last Dollar is pretty easy as long as it's not muddy, Corkscrew is one of the funnest because it is a little narrower and there are a lot places you can catch some air. The Taylor park area is really fun too, it has great scenery too, and it is probably better for pure riding, but the Ouray area is pretty hard to beat for scenery. Have Fun!

@@EddieMarak-EM2 Thanks for the recommendations! I hope these trails are open and snow free!

So, did you make it out?

tdirtpor good point. I usually bleed them before every ride, so didn’t even think about mentioning it. But I know a lot of people don’t.

I've never had to have an out of state trail pass, or OHV sticker when I've ridden in CO, but that may have just been the places I've ridden. Having said that, a couple of things to note 1-all of the bikes I have ridden in CO have been plated, street legal (dual sport kit on the 2t). Not sure if that makes a difference or not. 2 - its been a few years since I've made to to Colorado to ride, so you may want to check up on the current requirements.

@@EddieMarak-EM2 thanks for the guidance here in MN you need a DNR sticker regardless of plate or not. I'll do some more digging.

@@thecitiots yea, som places here in TX you need OHV stickers and some places you don't. I think it is the same in CO, I think it just depends on where you are riding. I believe at places like Rampart Range near Denver you do, but in the San Juans you don't. None of the places I've ridden in CO have required them, at least at the time I was riding. Have fun! Colorado is a blast whether on a dirt bike, dual sport, or ADV bike. I haven't been in a while, but need to get back out there soon.

Yes, there are some really good maps called "Latitude 40º" I believe.

this video is mostly around Cuchara, and Taylor Park.