Lefthand Canyon to Ward

The most beloved training climb among Boulder's serious road cyclists — a 19.3km canyon road that rises from the plains at 1,600m to the mountain town of Ward at 2,698m. Lefthand Canyon Drive follows its namesake creek through a winding, forested gorge with minimal traffic and a consistent gradient that rarely punishes but never fully relents. The lower half maintains 4-5% through willow and cottonwood, before the road pitches to a sustained 6-8% above the small community of Jamestown at the canyon's widest point. Ward itself, at nearly 9,000ft (2,743m), is one of the highest permanently inhabited towns in the United States — a handful of buildings, a general store, and the arrival of thin air that reminds visiting riders why Boulder cyclists are disproportionately strong at races back at sea level. The descent back to Boulder through Boulder Canyon — or over the Peak to Peak Highway toward Lyons — extends the day into a 100km+ loop.