Best mountain towns for road & gravel cycling

Across the West’s mountain towns, here’s where the road & gravel cycling scene runs deepest — ranked by the recurring groups, clubs, and meetups we track. Tap a town to see who’s out there and when.

  1. Fort CollinsColorado State University — the Poudre River & canyon, Horsetooth & Lory.8 groups
  2. Colorado SpringsPikes Peak — Garden of the Gods, the Incline & Manitou Springs.7 groups
  3. Gallatin ValleyBozeman & Big Sky — the Bridger, Gallatin & Madison ranges.7 groups
  4. CorvallisOregon State University — the McDonald-Dunn Forest, Marys Peak & the Willamette.6 groups
  5. BoiseIdaho’s capital — the Ridge to Rivers foothills, the Boise River & Bogus Basin.5 groups
  6. DenverThe Front Range — the South Platte, Clear Creek & the foothills.5 groups
  7. FairbanksUniversity of Alaska Fairbanks — Birch Hill Nordic, the Chena River & the Interior.5 groups
  8. North IdahoCoeur d’Alene & Sandpoint — Schweitzer, Lake Pend Oreille & the Panhandle.5 groups
  9. PortlandForest Park, the Columbia Gorge & Mt. Hood — plus the Mazamas since 1894.5 groups
  10. ProvoBYU — Mount Timpanogos, Provo Canyon & Utah Lake.5 groups
  11. BellinghamWestern Washington U town — Galbraith Mountain, Mt. Baker & the Salish Sea.4 groups
  12. BoulderCU Boulder — the Flatirons, Chautauqua & Boulder Creek.4 groups
  13. EugeneTrackTown USA — the University of Oregon, the McKenzie & the Willamette.4 groups
  14. Park CityThe Wasatch Back — Mountain Trails singletrack, the Utah Olympic Park & world-class Nordic.4 groups
  15. SpokaneInland Northwest hub — the Spokane River, Mt. Spokane & Riverside State Park.4 groups

The 15 towns where we track the most recurring road & gravel cycling groups (of 59 with any) — a proxy for how active the local scene is, not a verdict on the terrain or trails. New towns and groups are added regularly, and many listings still need a verification pass.