In 2010, I drove through the Glenwood Canyon on the I-70 and was blown over by its beauty. I stopped at each of the rest stops along the canyon and saw bikers passing through at each one. So, I knew that one of these days, I'd have to find a way to bike it. At that point, I had no details on how, where the path started or ended, etc.

Now, in 2012, I'm spending the summer in Colorado and am currently staying in Glenwood Springs, the canyon being a just a few miles away. I inquired downtown about biking the canyon and was amazed at not only how easy it is, but the options I had.

Of course, easiest of all is to have your own bike and just go. I did not, but a local bike and rafting company not only rent out bikes, they drive you and your bike to the fartherest point on the route, the Dotsero Trailhead .

It's 16.2 miles along the Colorado River through the canyon from Dotsero (at the east end) to Glenwood Springs (at the west end). By starting in Dotsero, the path is slightly downhill; there's a difference in elevation of 126 feet.

The path is hike or bike only, flat and paved all the way except for a couple of hiccups as you're riding into Glenwood Springs. If you don't mind the gradual uphill along the 16-mile distance to Dotsero, then it's probably best to start in Glenwood Springs to save a couple of climbs at the end. These details are obviously for those who are novice bikers, not the hard-core type.

The most wonderful thing about the trail is that you can stop anytime you want to either take pictures, or just put the gorgeous views your memory bank.