Central City is a great base for ATV riding and camping near Denver. The National Forest Service's Columbine Campground is nearby. Central City is a historic gold mining town, now filled with casinos. The scenery is gorgeous there, and the ATV trails are awesome. It is 40 miles from Denver.
St. Mary's Glacier is just west of Central City. You will see beautiful turquoise lakes, pine forests, and you'll even be able to ride around the glacier for which the area is named. Include the nearby Empire ATV trail area in your rides. St. Mary's Glacier is 45 miles from Denver.
Keystone is better known for its ski area, but the thrills continue year-round with ATV rides in forests, alpine meadows and rocky peaks. Red Cone and Radical Hill are two favorites, taking ATVers up to 12,800 feet in elevation. The vistas are stunning. Keystone is 70 miles from Denver.
It's not a long drive down Interstate 70 from Denver to Vail, where you'll find an extensive network of trails at nearby Mount Powell. You can also find plenty of National Forest campgrounds nearby. Make sure your ATV is tuned for high altitude driving, because you'll be riding at high elevations. Vail is 95 miles from Denver.
Closer to Denver, you can find a limited number of trails around Idaho Springs. Deep, narrow, forested canyons take you up from I-70 into an area that was once bustling with gold mining activity. It's not so remote and breathtaking as some of the other rides, but Idaho Springs will give your ATV a great workout.
