This is the stretch everyone photographs. Leaving the southeast corner of the Recreation Trail loop, the path runs north along Boyd Lake for almost six miles of flat, open riding with the Front Range stacked up on the western horizon.
The paved trail itself is City of Loveland; Boyd Lake State Park sits alongside it with its own swim beach, campground, and short park paths under Colorado Parks and Wildlife rules. If you leave the trail and enter the park, its rules and its entry fee apply.
Ride it as an out-and-back from any of the lake-side trailheads, or take it as the best third of the full loop.
Can you ride an e-bike here?
Two managers meet here: the city trail you ride in on, and the state park beside it.
City of Loveland Parks & Recreation
The Recreation Trail loop and the city's paved trail system.
| Where | Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paved trails (the whole Recreation Trail system) | Allowed | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Prairie Ridge Natural Area | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited |
“The paved trail system is open from 6:00A to 10:30P daily for non-motorized use only. Type I and II e-bikes are allowed on all paved trails.”
The city writes Type I and II for Class 1 and Class 2. A few natural areas (Morey Wildlife Reserve, Mariana Butte, Sunset Vista) ban bicycles of every kind. The city says nothing about Class 3, and the state default keeps Class 3 off bike and pedestrian paths, so we list it as not allowed.
Source: City of Loveland, Loveland Trails · checked 2026-08-31
Boyd Lake State Park (Colorado Parks & Wildlife)
The park's own trails, including the paved 4.9-mile City Trail along the west shore, and park roads.
| Where | Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Designated multi-use trails open to biking | Allowed | Allowed | Not addressed |
| Off designated trails and roads | Prohibited | Prohibited | Prohibited |
“Class 1 and 2 e-bikes are allowed on roadways and designated bike lanes and on multi-use trails and other areas (e.g., campgrounds) that are open to non-motorized biking.”
The park regulation itself is silent on e-bikes; the permission above is Colorado Parks and Wildlife's published statewide policy, and the park's bicycle rule limits everyone to designated trails and roads. Park access hours are generally 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. The park's trails join the city's Recreation Trail at both ends of the park.
Source: Colorado Parks & Wildlife, biking on CPW lands · checked 2026-08-31
Elevation
The route
Trail data: COTREX (Colorado Parks & Wildlife) (retrieved 2026-08-31). Elevation samples: USGS 3DEP (Elevation Point Query Service). Numbers are computed from that data, not measured by us.