I'd been on the trail twice before; once while riding a bike and the other time on cross-country skis.
But I didn't have a camera with me either time, so I didn't have any pictures to post on the Mineral Belt Loop Trail on the trailsnet website.
So this Labor Day weekend, I finally made it back up there. (And when I say up there, I'm not exaggerating. Leadville is over 10,000 feet above sea level.) This time I was armed with my bicycle and my camera, so I was ready to take some trail pictures. As a result, the Mineral Belt Loop Trail page on the website finally has a trail photo gallery.If you're thinking about riding this high altitude trail, here are the basic facts:
- It's 12.5 miles long.
- It's a paved trail and very smooth.
- The loop trail is almost like an outdoor museum with all its historic signs and mining memorabilia scattered along the path.
- Leadville has numerous accommodations for overnight bikers, but none of them are overly fancy.
- Leadville has some great places for eating. We ate at the Tennessee Pass Cafe and enjoyed buffalo burgers, Reuben sandwiches, and a turkey/bacon sandwich. The food and service were excellent.
For more information about the Mineral Belt Loop Trail, you can visit the American Trails website.
