On any given evening, open spaces throughout Colorado Springs start filling up before the sun sets behind Pikes Peak. Cars with bikes mounted pull into parking lots as an unmistakable pre-ride buzz fills the air. Mountain bikers click helmets into place, then start pedaling.
And increasingly, those riders are women.
More women are showing up for mountain biking in Colorado Springs. Some arrive as beginners dialing in skills while others come with experience to chase technical features and steep flows. The variety of trail systems in the Springs is loved among riders of every ability level.
But talk to the women who ride in the Springs and you’ll hear the same theme: It’s not just the terrain that keeps them coming back; it’s the comfort that women bring to the discomfort of mountain biking.
For Susan Kolbush, board chair of the Women’s Mountain Biking Association of Colorado Springs (WMBA), the vibe is “in one word: epic! There are so many lady shredders who love the sport and love getting more women into the sport.”
Kolbush moved to Colorado Springs in January 2024 after decades of riding around the world, including 13 years while living in the United Kingdom. She and her husband were drawn to the Pikes Peak region’s renowned trail system.
“What I did not expect was to find such a vibrant and large community of women to ride with,” she says.
A Growing Community of Riders
Women make up about 20% of mountain bikers nationally, according to Kolbush. In Colorado Springs, women riders are on the rise.
“Once you have a self-sustaining population and you see so many women out on the trails, you have more confidence to keep riding and then to encourage more women to ride,” Kolbush says.
That momentum is reflected in the growth of WMBA of Colorado Springs. The organization began in 2008 when four women set out to connect local riders. Their first official group ride in 2009 drew 40 participants.
Weekly rides throughout the summer now attract about 100 riders spread across multiple trail networks in the Springs. The group regularly counts around 350 members each year, reaching a peak of 420 women during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“For a city our size, we have the best mountain biking of anywhere in the country,” says Alison Dunlap, a two-time Olympian (1996, 2000), Mountain Bike Cross Country World Champion (2001) and Colorado College graduate. “The community for women was improved immensely with the creation of WMBA.”
Rides with WMBA are intentionally structured to welcome riders of every ability and often serve as the first step into mountain biking for women in Colorado Springs. Their “Never Ever” rides are designed specifically for people who have never tried mountain biking before. If membership cost is a barrier, scholarships are available.
“Riding with all women feels more supportive, more encouraging and a safer environment to push yourself and expand your skills,” Kolbush says.
Women Learning Skills Together
For beginners, getting started in mountain biking can feel intimidating. The sport requires physical endurance and a willingness to push beyond comfort zones.
“It is very easy to get intimidated, especially in a male dominated sport, but at the end of the day we are all here because we like to ride bikes and enjoy the outdoors,” says Kylie Moerk, a graduating racer on the Air Academy High School mountain bike team.
That’s where the local community plays a crucial role.
Organizations like WMBA offer structured group rides, clinics and mentorship from experienced riders who help beginners build skills in a supportive environment.
So do the many local high school teams, like Air Academy’s, that are part of the Colorado High School Cycling League, which includes nearly 2,000 students from 180 high schools
Dunlap is seeing more young women getting into cycling and attributes this rise to high school mountain bike teams. The sport has become “cool” among student athletes, she says, and in many cases, it’s the girls who lead the pack as top riders on their teams.
“The community within high school mountain biking is incredible,” Moerk says. “I met some of my best friends during my time on the team, and definitely grew as a person.”
Hannah Frei, now 26, started riding at age 14 after joining the mountain bike team at Cheyenne Mountain High School. When she joined, she was the first — and only — female rider. But she says the experience never felt isolating.
“When we arrived for practice with our matching team jerseys and headed up Cheyenne Cańon, everybody was a mountain biker,” she says. “There was no separation of gender, just by speed and skill.”
The team itself was a patchwork of personalities, what she describes as a “Brady Bunch of kids.” But the shared love for riding bonded them.
More girls eventually joined the team, and Frei says the experience helped shape her identity as a rider.
“Mountain biking has given me self confidence and accomplishment that comes from within, not from anything or anyone else,” she says.
The Vibe on Springs Trails
Spend time riding in Colorado Springs and one thing quickly becomes clear: The bike culture here is friendly.
Frei says interactions on the trail are welcoming, often beginning with a nod, wave or smile.
“We recognize each other’s bikes and that familiarity earns respect,” she says.
Many mountain bikers participate in both mixed-gender and women-only rides in Colorado Springs, and both environments offer benefits. But several riders say there’s something uniquely empowering about riding with other women.
Kara Wyatt describes women’s rides as a supportive energy that encourages riders to try new things. “There is an essence that [women] tend to believe in you more than you believe in yourself,” she says.
That encouragement often helps mountain bikers overcome the discomfort that comes, like steep switchbacks, intimidating drops or punchy climbs.
“I love being able to give that energy back loudly with hyping up fellow lady shredders on features that they are hesitating on,” Wyatt says.
She says women-only rides often remove a silent reality that can exist in mixed groups. “I think most of the time on mixed rides there seems to be an unspoken pressure to keep up,” she says. “I don’t feel like that is the case on women’s only rides.”
Instead, riders take time to work through obstacles together.
“There is [a common] understanding that it’s okay to respectfully take up time and space to work through the psychological challenges that come with mountain biking growth,” Wyatt says.
Local rider Kelsie D’Aurelio says what keeps her coming back is the belonging she experiences with the women she rides with. “My favorite part about riding with my friends is the camaraderie,” she says. “We giggle a lot!”
Riding together becomes space for connection and support.
“It really doesn’t feel any different than having a movie night except we are sweaty and dirty and riding our bikes,” she says. “We support each other through difficult terrain and push ourselves through difficult situations. We catch up on our personal lives and support each other through life’s perils.”
Trails That Shape the Experience
Women in Colorado Springs aren’t just riding trails — they’re helping to build and maintain them.
The Colorado Springs Mountain Bike Association (COSMBA) regularly hosts women-only trail work days where volunteers learn trail-building skills such as clearing vegetation, building rock features and leading the project itself.
“Our women-only trail work days tend to be our most well attended trail days,” says Jaclyn Roberson, COSMBA board member and coach for the Manitou Coronado Palmer MTB high school team. “On our women’s dig days, trail crew leaders, park rangers and volunteers are all women.”
Ask riders about their favorite local trails to ride and the answers come quickly.
Wyatt points to Stratton Open Space, where the climb leads to rewarding downhill routes like The Chutes.
Frei feels nostalgic about Captain Jacks — an iconic trail that was, in fact, named for a woman.
“I’ll never not be sentimental about Captain Jacks,” she says, explaining that she first rode the trail at age 12 with her father. “My favorite local trail is a short little segment into Red Rocks Open Space from the Section 16 parking lot. It’s steep with switchbacks and such a classically built trail.”
Roberson, who enjoys more technical riding, gravitates toward trails like Section 16 and Palmer Park. “Colorado Springs has such a unique variety of terrain that no matter what your mood, there’s something that will suit it for the day,” she says.
“I love riding down Pikes Peak via the Elk Park trailhead,” D’Aurelio says. “It is truly an epic ride and guaranteed a great time with the best views.”
An Invitation for Women to Bike
Despite the growth of women biking in Colorado Springs, riders acknowledge that women still represent a minority in mountain biking nationally. But in Colorado Springs, the momentum feels undeniable.
Wyatt says she’s seeing riders test bigger features and tackle more advanced trails. “It’s exciting to see and is an invitation for myself to test some of those limits,” she says.
For women curious about mountain biking, local riders say the key is simply to start.
“Keep riding until you find your comfort,” Frei says. “Trust me, there’s a style and type of riding for everyone.”
D’Aurelio echoes that advice.
“You don’t have to ride with shredders to have a good time and learn new skills,” she says. “The most important part is showing up … and also wearing a helmet and knee pads.”
Get connected with these local mountain bike groups at:
Women’s Mountain Biking Association of Colorado Springs: wmbacos.org
COSMBA: cosmba.org
Colorado High School Cycling League: coloradomtb.org
And find some trails to get started on in Best Beginner Mountain Bike Trails in Colorado Springs.
