Breckenridge, Leadville, Salida and New Castle. Those are the four Colorado towns on International Mountain Bicycling Association’s first Trail Towns list. 

They were among 24 other towns nationwide that applied and demonstrated what IMBA saw as a strong commitment to the sport. Trail mileage and proximity are considered in applications, which must also show a culture of funding and advocacy. 

Colorado’s four towns were more than any other state on IMBA’s initial Trail Towns list. And IMBA Executive Director David Wiens fully expects more to apply and be added in the years ahead. 

“It makes sense,” he said. “There’s such a strong mountain biking culture here, and there has been for a long time.” 

Here are four more towns that come to mind: 

Crested Butte: CB is regarded as the birthplace of mountain biking. The story is still told here of 1970s “klunkers” flying down the rough-and-tumble slopes. The annual Pearl Pass Tour honors that history. As do old-school trails that remain in a portfolio boosted by the ski resort, which lists 30-plus miles of lift-served singletrack. 

Fruita: When IMBA’s people talk about the power of mountain biking, they might as well talk about Fruita. The town was on the verge of bankruptcy in the ’90s, around the time riders insisted on the tourism potential of trails scouring the surrounding, rugged desert. Officials listened, and Fruita was never the same. The Fat Tire Festival continues to draw international acclaim, along with 18 Road, Kokopelli and other networks. 

Steamboat Springs: Steamboat has called itself Bike Town USA, and IMBA has taken notice. The town holds a rare Ride Center designation, which “recognizes the pinnacle of mountain biking communities” in IMBA’s words. The designation points to progressive trails around Emerald Mountain close to town and seemingly endless cross-country mileage in Routt National Forest beyond. And Steamboat Bike Park boasts gravity, jumps and rollers galore. 

Canon City: The town known for prisons has increasingly become known for mountain biking over the past decade or so. The 2013 Royal Gorge fire cleared a vast swath of long-held, undeveloped city parkland — inspiring more than 20 miles of super scenic trails counted today. Royal Cascade is a more recent addition, a double-black diamond plunge from the gorge’s rim. And with the long beloved Oil Well Flats and South Canon trails, the town demands a multi-day stay.