Rocky Mountain High — No Fumes Required

Denver is where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, and the city has built its identity around access to the outdoors. At 5,280 feet elevation, it's a city that takes its air seriously — and that attitude extends to how visitors are increasingly choosing to explore it. The craft beer, the mountain views from downtown, and the 300 annual days of sunshine draw visitors year-round, but the real draw is what's within an hour's drive.

Electric mountain bikes have transformed alpine recreation in the Colorado Rockies. Shuttle-assist e-bike descents from high elevation bring mountain biking within reach of visitors who wouldn't otherwise attempt it — no gas-powered dirt bikes required. The surrounding national forests and state parks have enthusiastically embraced e-bike access, and guided tours operate on trails that gas-powered vehicles simply aren't permitted to access.

Cherry Creek Trail, the South Platte River Greenway, and Denver's expanding urban trail network are all serviced by e-bike tours that show the city as Denverites actually experience it — at bike pace, with mountain views. From alpine e-bike descents to urban trail rides, Colorado's zero-emission adventure scene is as good as anywhere in the country.