Historic Bachelor Loop
Gravel Loop in the San Luis Valley
The Bachelor Historic loop begins in the town of creede, situated at the headwaters of the Rio Grande in the San Juan Mountains. the abundance of dilapidated mines, ghost towns, and historical sites are a testament to its importance in Colorado’s 19th century mining boom, after the federal government’s 1873 land grab for the mineral-rich landscape.
With the plummeting price of silver, Creede tumbled into rapid decline, staving off ghost town status through a reliance on modest mining operations and summer tourism. no doubt, One of the bigger attractions is the Bachelor Historic Loop, a 17 mile tour up through the ghost towns and abandoned mines of Willow Creek Canyon. Most choose to travel the loop by car and atv, but the smooth gravel roads coupled with aspen stands and overwhelming vistas make this trip, in our opinion, way more fun by bicycle.
We chose to ride the loop as intended, counter-clockwise, enjoying the various interpretive stops along the way. This included an incredibly steep first few miles (don’t give up, it gets easier) followed by rolling hills and a beyond enjoyable descent down to the Creede cemetery and back into town.
We didn’t invent this route and depending on the time of year it can get pretty busy. Indeed, there was a lot of motor traffic while we were there. We didn’t see any other bikes though. For how much information is out there, it surprised us that there is very little intel on its bike or non-bikeability (lol). Let it be known- this route is confirmed 100% bikeable. Enjoyable beyond measure. A real 10/10.
During the summer and fall months, “the valley” is an outdoor paradise. There are multitudes of gravel roads, passes, and trails to keep a person busy. If you’re not looking to camp, be sure to stay at the Mellow Moon Lodge in Del Norte, which has it’s own coffee bar for guests. Even if you can’t stay, definitely stop in to the attached bike shop, Sendero Bikes, which has all the intel, bike supplies and repair services (also, an impressive fleet of rentals). We also can’t stress enough how good the tacos are at Ofelia’s.
