This trip is one of my favorite loops in Colorado. It can be done in one day if you start early, but it’s more enjoyable if you take two days to do it. This particular trip was done in one day with my son. We got an early start, and it was aperfect way to kick off his summer vacation!
The loop starts in Pueblo, CO heading south on I-25. Once you reach Colorado City, you head west towards Rye, and then take a few remote roads all the way to Westcliffe. Then further west to Salida. This is where I would recommend stopping for the evening. But if you wanted to push it you could head back east along the Arkansas River, stop and check out the Royal Gorge, continue on through Canon City and finally return to Pueblo.
Noah was excited and ready to go by 6am! We ate a quick breakfast, suited up and headed out on the K1600 Grand America. It was early summer and cool enough to turn on the heated seats until the sun could warm us up. We hit the on-ramp heading south on I-25, the sunrise was breathtaking.
What a start to our day!
Our interstate ride only lasted about 45 minutes. We pulled off the exit for Colorado City and began working our way to Westcliffe. I have been on these roads many times, so there was no need for navigation. We pulled on to a gravel road that would take us several miles through stunning mountain scenery. The K1600 is by no means an off-road bike, but it is more than capable on gravel roads.
The Grand America is not meant for offroad use, but gravel roads are not a problem.
I put the BMW in “Rain Mode” to maximize traction and kept her in second gear while we tooled along. Periodically I would check on Noah, he was happy as a clam sitting on the comfy rear seat.
Before long, the sun burned off the clouds, and the skies were the brilliant blue one only sees in the rockies.
The brilliant blue skies of Colorado.
There were areas of washboard on the gravel road that are not a fun experience with a big heavy cruiser. I slowed down for the rough areas and this continued until we were back on pavement.
We continued to work our way through the mountains. The air would feel warm, and then cool, dry and then damp…such is life in early summer in the Colorado Rockies.
Our first destination was Lake Isabel. It is a beautiful lake and very quiet. We pulled over and walked around, talked to a couple folks who were fishing. They had a few nice rainbow trout on a stringer. They would eat good tonight! The sun disappeared again behind the clouds and it was getting cool.
Lake Isabel…a peaceful mountain lake with a ton of trout.
Our second destination was Bishop’s Castle. It is an unusual castle nestled in the mountains that was hand build by one man…that’s correct, one man.
It is an impressive accomplishment and free for anyone who wants to check it out. You gain quite a bit of elevation to get there, and it can be cold and foggy at times. It seems to add to the ambiance.
Bishop’s Castle is impressive! It’s massive and took a lifetime to build.
Noah climbed the steep stairs with confidence! Scoffing at his “wuss dad” for being so cautious.
The main foyer is massive. Hard to believe this was all made by hand!
We continued to climb these rickety spiral stairs until we reached the very top.
It’s a long way down and the fog gave it an eerie feeling.
Once we reached the top, Noah’s confidence and boldness disappeared and he was ready to get down as soon as possible!
Once we finished Bishop’s Castle we continued our way to Westcliffe. The road getting there is one of the finest riding roads in Colorado.
Traffic is typically light, and there are plenty of curves to get your lean time in.
We were both hungry by the time we pulled into Westcliffe. We pulled over to top off the K1600, and sat down at a local cafe for a nice lunch. The BMW looked at us through the cafe window…as if trying to hurry us so we can get back on the road.
The BMW K1600 looking at us through the window. It really is a great bike for the mountains! Tons of power and plenty of comfort.
Westcliffe is a neat and historical town. It’s small but thriving thanks to nearby ski resorts and due to the fact that it intersects two popular riding roads. It’s a great place to stop and take a break!
Westcliffe, CO…a beautiful little mountain town
Another neat thing about Westcliffe is their little town square. It is a small play area with games available for adults and kids. Noah and I took a minute to play a game of chess…he promptly beat me.
Noah whooped my butt at chess, and made sure to tell anyone who would listen.
We hit the road again once I recovered my butt-whooping from Noah. We headed north towards Hwy-50, which skirts the Arkansas River.
Normally I would head further west to Salida, but it was already mid afternoon and we wanted to check out the Royal Gorge.
As you depart Westclifffe, you rapidly descend in elevation. The moisture in the air dissipates and it becomes quite dry.
We worked our way to Hwy-50, then turned east towards the Royal Gorge and Canon City. We stopped for a while and took a break by the Arkansas River. I imagined what it was like for the Native Americans who depended on this river hundreds of years ago.
The mighty Arkansas River. Perfect place to fish…or just sit and relax!
We continued our way east on Hwy-50 until we finally reached the entrance for the Royal Gorge. I parked the BMW next to a few V-Twin bikes and we checked out the infamous Gorge.
Unfortunately, the park was about to close for the day so we decided against buying a ticket and being rushed. Instead we strolled around the area and at least got to see part of it.
The BMW hanging out with some V-Twin bikes while Noah and I explored the area.
Part of the Royal Gorge. You can see train tracks at the bottom. What a site to see!
Once we finished checking out the Gorge we hopped on the BMW again and continued our way east. We continued to descend in elevation and coasted all the way into Canon City. We stopped for dinner and walked around for a while.
Walking around Canon City looking for a place to eat dinner and take a load off.
Canon City, CO
We found a local pizza joint and Noah was as happy as could be. We grabbed some ice cream for dessert and walked around until we were bored.
Finally, we fired up the K1600 one last time and headed home. The last hour of our ride was warm and comfortable. It was a great day in the saddle!
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