On Sept 3, 2009 I road my bike from Aspen to Glenwood Springs Colorado. The trail is about forty miles long. Here is a description of the trail from the brochure.
This trail is built within the former rail corridor of the Denver and Rio
Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW) Aspen Branch. Train operations along this line ceased in phases between the 1960s and the mid-1990s. In 1997, the rail corridor and track were purchased using a combination of funding
from local governments, Great Outdoors Colorado, the Colorado Department of Transportation, and Pitkin County Open Space and Trails. This purchase presented an opportunity to explore transportation
alternatives to State highway 82 congestion and the challenge of
creating recreation connectivity in the Roaring Fork Valley. In 2001, RFTA was formed as a regional transportation district creating a dedicated funding source for transit and trails. Following its completion in 2008, RFTA now manages and maintains the Rio Grande Trail with its partner agencies in the Roaring Fork Valley.
What to Expect…
The Rio Grande Trail treadway is asphalt surfaced with some
sections of concrete and compacted gravel. The pavement is 8 to 10 feet wide with soft surface shoulders of 2 to 6 feet. The trail is
open to those on foot, those on horseback, and those using humanpowered equipment such as bicycles, in-line skates and skateboards. Wheelchairs, both motorized and non-motorized, are permitted. Picnic tables and benches are provided at various locations, as are trash cans and dog waste stations, however there are no permanent toilet facilities or potable water sources on the trail. A number of spur trails lead to services in the towns adjacent to the Rio Grande Trail corridor.
Pictures at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/qkh178/sets/72157623009847142/
