One of My Favorite Things About Living in the Springs
I’ve lived in Colorado Springs for over 20 years now, and one of my favorite things about this city is being able to hop on my e-bike and be on a trail in five minutes. I live on the west side near Ute Valley Park, and from my front door I can connect to trails that run all the way downtown, through Garden of the Gods, and up through the Air Force Academy. No loading bikes on a rack, no driving to a trailhead. Just walk out, power on, and go.
I’m not a cycling expert. I’m not going to tell you about gear ratios or tire pressure. I’m a 61-year-old guy who loves being outside and figured out that an e-bike is the best way to enjoy Colorado Springs without destroying my knees or gasping for air at 6,000 feet. If that sounds like you, keep reading.
The Santa Fe Trail Loop — My Go-To Ride
This is the ride I do more than any other. It’s about 25 miles total, and it hits some of the best scenery in the city without ever getting boring.
I start from the Ute Valley Park area on the west side and pick up the New Santa Fe Regional Trail heading south toward downtown. The Santa Fe Trail follows a portion of the old Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad line, so the grade is gentle — perfect for cruising. You’re riding through open space with views of the Front Range the whole way.
Once I get downtown, I cut through the city trail system and loop west toward Garden of the Gods. Riding through the park on an e-bike is something else entirely compared to driving through it. You actually feel the scale of those red rock formations when you’re moving at 12 miles an hour instead of 25. You hear the wind. You smell the juniper. It’s a completely different experience.
On the way back from Garden of the Gods, I usually swing by Red Leg Brewing Company on Garden of the Gods Road. They’ve got a big beer garden, food trucks, and it’s right off the road — easy to pull in, lock up the bike, and grab a cold one before finishing the ride home. Trinity Brewing is right down the road too if you want something more adventurous on tap. Honestly, having a beer stop built into your ride makes the whole thing feel less like exercise and more like living.
From there it’s a straight shot back to the west side. The whole loop takes me about two and a half hours if I’m not rushing, which I never am.
Santa Fe Trail North Through the Air Force Academy
The Santa Fe Trail runs both directions, and heading north is a completely different ride. Going this way takes you up through the U.S. Air Force Academy property, and it’s beautiful — wide open grasslands, ponderosa pines, and almost no one around on a weekday.
The trail runs roughly 16 to 18 miles from Colorado Springs up to Palmer Lake, dropping about 1,200 feet in elevation as you head north (which means you’re climbing on the way back — another reason e-bikes are great). The surface is a mix of paved sections and packed gravel, so you don’t need a mountain bike but a road bike with skinny tires won’t cut it either. An e-bike with standard tires handles it perfectly.
This is a ride where you can go as far as you want and just turn around. I don’t always do the full out-and-back. Sometimes I’ll ride up to the Academy gate area and call it good — that’s still a solid ride with great scenery. If you’re feeling ambitious, push all the way to Monument or Palmer Lake and reward yourself with lunch before heading back.
Other Trails Worth Riding
The Santa Fe Trail loop is my bread and butter, but Colorado Springs has a surprisingly solid trail network for e-biking. Here are a few more worth knowing about:
Pikes Peak Greenway
This is the spine of the Colorado Springs trail system — about 16 miles running north-south through the city alongside Monument Creek and Fountain Creek. It’s mostly paved, connects to a ton of parks including Monument Valley Park and America the Beautiful Park, and links up with the Santa Fe Trail. If you want one long, easy ride through the heart of the city, this is it. Great for beginners or anyone who just wants to cruise without worrying about navigation.
Midland Trail
This 5-mile paved trail connects Manitou Springs to the Pikes Peak Greenway, so you can ride from Old Colorado City all the way out to Manitou without touching a road. It starts at America the Beautiful Park and heads west along Monument Creek. Easy grade, about 300 feet of climbing spread over the whole thing. If you’ve never ridden to Manitou Springs on a bike, do it — it’s one of those rides that makes you wonder why you ever drove.
Rock Island Trail
This one completed a critical connection in the trail network — it links the Shooks Run Trail to the Pikes Peak Greenway and finishes off the northern section of the Legacy Loop. That gives you a continuous 6.6-mile loop with minimal street crossings. It’s a great option if you want a shorter ride that stays off roads entirely.
Templeton Gap Trail
About 4 miles running east-west from Goose Gossage Park out to Palmer Park. Mostly cement and asphalt with some gravel sections. It’s flat and easy — a good connector trail if you’re heading to the east side of town. Nothing spectacular, but functional and uncrowded.
E-Bike Rules in Colorado Springs
This is important, so pay attention. Colorado Springs has specific rules about which e-bikes are allowed where, and they’re stricter than some people expect.
As of the most recent update, here’s how it breaks down:
- Class 1 e-bikes (pedal-assist only, motor cuts off at 20 mph) — allowed on designated urban and regional trails. The city did a phased rollout starting in 2025 to open these trails up.
- Class 2 e-bikes (throttle-powered, up to 20 mph) — prohibited on city trails.
- Class 3 e-bikes (pedal-assist up to 28 mph) — prohibited on city trails.
Big one: E-bikes of all classes are not permitted on City of Colorado Springs open space properties. That includes places like Ute Valley Park’s natural surface trails, Red Rock Canyon, and other open space areas. You can ride the paved urban trails, but stay off the dirt singletrack in open spaces.
If you’re buying or renting an e-bike for trail use here, get a Class 1. Anything with a throttle (Class 2) or that assists above 20 mph (Class 3) will technically get you in trouble on the trail system. The city has an interactive map of permitted trails at coloradosprings.gov/Ebikes — check it before you ride somewhere new.
On roads, all classes of e-bikes are legal and follow the same rules as regular bicycles under Colorado state law.
Best Time to Ride
I’ll keep this simple: weekdays are way better than weekends.
On a Tuesday morning, I’ll see maybe a handful of people on the Santa Fe Trail. On a Saturday? It’s a parade. Joggers, families with strollers, dogs on retractable leashes (the worst), other cyclists — it turns a relaxing ride into an obstacle course. If you have any flexibility in your schedule, ride on weekdays. It’s not even close.
Morning is the best time of day, especially in summer. Colorado Springs afternoons from June through August can hit the upper 80s and low 90s, and there’s almost no shade on long stretches of the Santa Fe Trail. Plus, afternoon thunderstorms roll in like clockwork from about 2 PM on during monsoon season. Morning rides let you beat the heat and the lightning.
The absolute best time to e-bike in Colorado Springs is September and October. The air is cool, the crowds thin out, the cottonwoods along Monument Creek turn gold, and you get those perfect 65-degree bluebird days that remind you why you live here. If you’re visiting and can pick your timing, pick fall.
Altitude Matters — And E-Bikes Are the Answer
Colorado Springs sits at 6,035 feet. That doesn’t sound like much until you’re pedaling a regular bike up a hill and wondering why your lungs are on fire.
At this elevation, you’ve got about 17% less oxygen than at sea level. Visitors feel it immediately — even people in good shape. Locals are better adapted, but the hills still hit different at altitude. The west side of town where I ride has plenty of elevation changes, and the Santa Fe Trail heading back from the north gains over a thousand feet.
This is exactly why e-bikes make so much sense here. The pedal assist takes the edge off the climbs without doing all the work for you. You’re still getting exercise — trust me, I feel it in my legs — but you’re not destroyed after every hill. I can do my full 25-mile loop and feel energized when I get home instead of wrecked. For visitors coming from lower elevations, an e-bike is the difference between enjoying a ride and cutting it short because you can’t breathe.
Drink more water than you think you need. The dry air and altitude will dehydrate you fast, and you won’t realize it until you bonk. I carry a full water bottle on every ride, no exceptions.
Where to Rent an E-Bike in Colorado Springs
If you’re visiting or just want to try e-biking before buying, there are several solid rental options in the area:
- Amp’d Adventures — They’re the authorized Pedego dealer in town with about 20 different e-bike models available for rent. They also run guided tours through Garden of the Gods and Manitou Springs, including a “Bike-n-Brews” tour that I respect on principle.
- Rocke Mountain Bike — Mobile e-bike delivery service. They’ll bring the bike to you anywhere in Colorado Springs, which is a nice touch if you’re staying in a hotel or Airbnb.
- Manitou E-Bike Company — Located in Manitou Springs, great if you want to start a ride from that side of town. Sales and rentals.
- inclinE-Bikes — Dedicated e-bike shop in Manitou Springs. They also do mobile pickup and drop-off in Colorado Springs.
- Colorado Springs Bike Shop — Locally owned since 1973. They sell and rent e-bikes and know the local trails inside and out.
- PikeRide — This is the city’s public e-bike share program with over 90 stations around Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs. Download the app, grab a bike, and go. Good for shorter rides and getting around town, though not ideal for a long trail ride.
Quick Tips Before You Ride
- Charge your battery fully. A 25-mile ride at altitude with hills will use more battery than the same ride at sea level. I’ve never run out on my loop, but I’ve come back with less juice than expected on windy days.
- Bring water and sunscreen. At 6,000 feet the sun is intense and the air is dry. You’ll burn faster and dehydrate quicker than you’re used to.
- Check the trail map for e-bike access before you go — not every trail allows them. Stick to designated urban and regional trails with a Class 1 bike.
- Announce yourself when passing pedestrians. A simple “on your left” goes a long way. E-bikes are quiet and people don’t hear you coming.
- Watch for afternoon storms May through September. If you see dark clouds building over Pikes Peak, head home. Lightning on an exposed trail is no joke.
- The west side is less busy. I’m biased because I live here, but the trails on the west side of town are consistently less crowded than the east side. More natural, fewer road crossings, better views.
Get Out There
I’ve hiked most of the best trails in Colorado Springs over the years, but e-biking has opened up a completely different way to experience this city. You cover more ground, you see more, and you don’t have to be an athlete to do it. Whether you’re a local looking for a new way to explore or a visitor who wants to see more than the inside of a car, grab an e-bike and hit the trails.
Just do it on a Tuesday.
About the Author: Dominic Ferrara has lived in Colorado Springs for over 20 years. After working for Delta Airlines and visiting just about every major city in the United States, he chose Colorado Springs for its scenery, sunshine, and outdoor lifestyle. He lives on the west side near Ute Valley Park, where he e-bikes, camps, and explores the mountains regularly. His recommendations come from two decades of eating, hiking, and living here — not from a weekend visit.
