Longmont Bike Tour

About This Tour

Distance: 8.7 Miles

Active Ride Time: 45-60 minutes

Longmont's modern history dates back to 1870 when a group of prominent Chicago men decided to venture west and establish a new town. They dubbed the venture the "Chicago-Colorado Colony" before naming the town Longmont upon its completion in 1871.

Follow this tour to journey to some of the city's oldest structures, amazing agricultural and industrial landmarks, and taste a sampling of the best food in town on this bicycle tour of Longmont's historical places.

Start your tour at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church (marked on the map with a yellow dot).

Historical Districts

East Side Historic District

The East Side Historic District symbolizes the early period of growth as well as the later development that took place on the east side of Longmont. The district is set within the oldest residential area in Longmont and is tied with the "colony" period of the community's settlement. During the 1880s and 1890s, it was the place for many of the town's prominent people.

West Side Historic District

The West Side Historic District is the second residential neighborhood to develop in Longmont. The neighborhood is visually appealing due to the similar size and complementary styles of the homes. The area is also enhanced by the large, mature trees lining the streets. This fashionable neighborhood attracted prominent people as residents adding to the historical interest of the district.

Downtown Historic District

The Downtown Longmont Historic District encompasses all or portions of eight city blocks which comprise the core of the historic commercial downtown. From its beginnings in the 1870s, Longmont's economy was based on agriculture. The advent of the sugar beet industry, and the construction of the Longmont Sugar Factory in 1903 ensured the city's permanence and commercial growth.

Bike Tour Directions

#1 - St. Stephen's Episcopal Church

RIDE FROM...
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church to Lucile's Creole Cafe
(0.1 miles, about 3 minutes)

1. Ride north on Main Street toward 5th Avenue
2. Turn right onto 5th Avenue
3. Turn left onto Kimbark Street
4. Lucile's Creole Cafe will be on the right

#2 - Lucile's Creole Cafe

RIDE FROM...
Lucile's Creole Cafe to Longmont College
(0.3 miles, about 5 minutes)

1. Ride north on Kimbark Street toward 6th Avenue
2. Turn right onto 6th Avenue and ride through the East Side National Historic District
3. Longmont College will be on the right

#3 - Longmont College

RIDE FROM...
Longmont College to Empson Cannery
(1 mile, about 8 minutes)

1. Ride east on 6th Avenue toward Baker Street
2. Turn right onto Martin Street
3. Turn left onto E 6th Avenue
4. Turn right onto the Spring Gulch Trail
5. Turn left onto E 5th Avenue, then make a right to continue on Spring Gulch Trail
6. Turn right onto E 3rd Avenue
7. Turn left onto Martin Street, Empson Cannery will be on the left

#4 - Empson Cannery

RIDE FROM...
Empson Cannery to Cheese Importers Warehouse
(1 mile, about 8 minutes)

1. Ride south on Martin Street toward E Rogers Road
2. Turn right onto 1st Avenue, Cheese Importers Warehouse will be on the right

#5 - Cheese Importers

RIDE FROM...
Cheese Importers to Hoverhome & Hover Farmstead
(3 miles, about 20 minutes)

1. Ride south on Main Street toward 1st Avenue
2. Turn right onto 1st Avenue and follow as it curves to the left
3. Turn right onto Boston Avenue
4. Turn left at the intersection with Boston Court to access the multi-use path
5. Follow the multi-use path along St. Vrain Creek
6. Take the pedestrian tunnel under Hover Street, then make a sharp left to ride north on the path along Hover Street
7. Merge onto Hover Street and continue riding north
8. Hoverhome and Hover Farmstead will be on the left after the intersection at Mountain View Avenue

#6 - Hoverhome & Hover Farmstead

RIDE FROM...
Hoverhome & Hover Farmstead to West Side Tavern
(2 miles, about 13 minutes)

1. Ride south on Hover Street toward Mountain View Avenue
2. Turn left onto Mountain View Avenue
3. Turn right onto Frontier Drive
4. Turn left onto 11th Avenue
5. Turn right onto Grant Street
6. Turn right onto 6th Avenue
7. Turn left onto Sherman Street
8. West Side Tavern will be at the intersection of 3rd Avenue and Sherman Street

#7 - West Side Tavern

RIDE FROM...
West Side Tavern to Callahan House
(1 mile, about 3 minutes)

1. Ride east on 3rd Avenue toward Grant Street
2. Turn left onto Bowen Street
3. Turn right onto 4th Avenue
4. Turn right onto Terry Street to arrive at Callahan House on the left

#8 - Callahan House

RIDE FROM...
Callahan House to Longmont Fire Department
(0.2 miles, about 2 minutes)

1. Ride north on Terry Street toward 4th Avenue
2. Turn right onto 4th Avenue
3. The Firehouse Art center will be on the right

#9 - Firehouse Art Center (previously Longmont Fire Department)

RIDE FROM...
Longmont Fire Department to Longmont Carnegie Library
(0.2 miles, about 2 minutes)

1. Ride east on 4th Avenue toward Main Street
2. Longmont Carnegie Library will be on the right

#10 - Longmont Carnegie Library

RIDE FROM...
Longmont Carnegie Library to Dickens Opera House
(0.1 miles, about 1 minute)

1. Ride west on 4th Avenue toward Kimbark Street
2. Turn left onto Kimbark Street
3. Turn right at 3rd Avenue, Dickens Opera House and the Dickens Tavern will be on the right

#11 - Dickens Opera House & Tavern

Visit Longmont

LOCO: We are crazy about Longmont!

With a vibrant, historic downtown, Longmont is infused with arts, entertainment, great food and culture - and having been called "The Beer Lover's Best Kept Secret," Longmont's lineup of stellar craft brews include award winning entries from Left Hand, Oskar Blues and Wibby breweries.

Perfectly located only 36 miles from Denver, 31 miles from Estes Park & Rocky Mountain National Park, 30 miles from Fort Collins and 16 miles from Boulder, Longmont is the basecamp for your Colorado adventure.

Visitor Center

512 4th Ave #103, Longmont, CO 80501

Visit Longmont is a welcome and travel center for Longmont with area information, travel tips, souvenirs and more. We have the tools to help make your Longmont vacation great!

Destination #1

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church

470 Main St, Longmont, CO 80501

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church was constructed in 1881. It was the first home of the congregation of St. Stephen's Episcopal parish. Services were held in Old St. Stephen's Church for the first time on Palm Sunday in April 1882. After the congregation outgrew the original building it was sold in 1971. A lengthy community campaign to save the historic church led to the purchase of the property by the St. Vrain Historical Society in 1976. Since then, the church has undergone restorations. The original stained glass windows were replicated and installed, and the exterior which had been painted white was restored to its original red brick. Visitors can enjoy the historic ambiance of the building by appointment. For more information, contact the St. Vrain Historical Society at 303-776-1870 or by email at office@stvrainhistory.org.

Destination #2

Lucile's Creole Cafe

518 Kimbark St, Longmont, CO 80501

Lucile's is a Colorado favorite. They've been serving up the best breakfast around since 1980. Lucile's Longmont eatery is located inside a beautiful historic home. You'll be delighted by their award-winning Cajun-inspired menu that includes everything from Beignets to Etouffee.

Destination #3

Longmont College

546 Atwood St, Longmont, CO 80501

Built in 1886, this historical building served as Longmont's first college. The building was constructed by Longmont Presbyterian College as the first of a series of buildings planned for a larger campus. Those plans never came to life, but this historical landmark still stands. The two-story structure was built in the Second Empire style of architecture noted for its mansard roof and inspired by Napoleon III's French Renaissance. In 1949 the building was converted to apartments and still serves that purpose today. The building received historic landmark status in 1978.

Destination #4

Empson Cannery

15 3rd Ave, Longmont, CO 80501

Longmont's roots are in agriculture, and the Empson Cannery is a monument to its success as a leading manufacturer of agricultural products. In 1887 John H. Empson moved to Longmont and opened his first cannery. After the original structure was destroyed by a fire, he rebuilt and expanded in the 1890s while investing in farms to grow produce for canning. At the time of the cannery's sale in 1920, it was thought to be the largest pea cannery in the world! Today the cannery is no longer active, but the building still stands and has been converted into apartments.

Destination #5

Cheese Importers

103 Main St, Longmont, CO 80501

The building that houses Cheese Importers Warehouse & Bistrot des Artistes was originally built in 1931 and has had many lives over the years. It began as a diesel-fueled power plant that supplied the City of Longmont with electricity for nearly 4 decades. In the 1970s it was repurposed as a government building. After being designated as a local historical landmark in 1997 the building was renovated and served as a storage facility for the Longmont Museum's historical collection. In 2012 Cheese Importers Warehouse & Bistrot des Artistes expanded into this historical space, transforming it into a charming bistro and purveyor of fine foods. Stop in for a meal. The bistro is open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m, Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Destination #6

Hoverhome & Hover Farmstead

1309 Hover St, Longmont, CO 80501

The farmhouse and agricultural buildings on this historic farm were built around 1912. In 1914 an elegant 6,000 square-foot English Tudor/Gothic Revival home was added. The home is on the National Register as a Historic Landmark and is the home of the St. Vrain Historical Society. Browse historical artifacts from the life and times of Hoverhome's original owner, Charles Hover, and explore the farmstead buildings and equipment that are a glimpse into farming practices from the turn of the 20th century.

Destination #7

West Side Tavern

1283 3rd Ave, Longmont, CO 80501

Stop in for a bite to eat and enjoy the ambiance of historic Old Town at West Side Tavern. This modern-day gastropub features an eclectic range of savory dishes on its seasonal menus. Taste your way through their culinary delights and worldly flavors.

Destination #8

Callahan House

312 Terry St, Longmont, CO 80501

The Callahan House is a historically designated home built in 1892. The home features intricate woodwork, an original bronze by August Moreau, and parquet inlay floors. The property includes a formal Italianate garden and a one-of-a-kind garage. In April of 1902, the Callahans purchased the first automobile in Longmont. They built the "automobile house" (garage) with a turntable floor so that the driver could bring the car out without putting it into reverse. This incredible home and garden is a designated historic place that hosts Open House events throughout the year.

Destination #9

Firehouse Art Center (previously Longmont Fire Department)

667 4th Ave, Longmont, CO 80501

After a devastating fire tore through the young town of Longmont in 1879, a local banker named Walter A. Buckingham proposed investing in a fire cart, with the requirement that the city purchase a firehouse. Since nearly all of the community's structures were made of wood, they needed something more than residents armed with buckets and blankets. The community rallied around the plan and formed the city's original volunteer fire company called "W. A. Buckingham Hook & Ladder Company." That was the start of a robust team of trained firefighters that eventually evolved into Longmont's paid fire department. Today you can stop by to see the original building and visit the Firehouse Art Center which is now housed inside.

Destination #10

Longmont Carnegie Library

457 4th Ave, Longmont, CO 80501

Steel magnate Andrew Carnegie dedicated his later years to investing the considerable fortune he'd amassed in philanthropic projects that benefitted the public and allowed people from every walk of life to advance themselves. Carnegie donated over $60 million to construct more than 2,500 libraries around the world, including the Longmont Carnegie Library which was constructed in 1912. The handsome Renaissance Revival building is on the National Register of Historic Places and served as an active library until 1972 during which time it amassed a collection of over 37,000 books.

Destination #11

Dickens Opera House & Tavern

300 Main St, Longmont, CO 80501

The parcel of land on which the Dickens Opera House sits was gifted to the structure's original owner by President Ulysses S. Grant. It was built in 1881 by William Henry Dickens. The Opera House has live entertainment most nights of the week. Stop into The Dickens Tavern to fill up on home-style favorites at the end of your journey and take in a show.

Safety Info

You should consult your physician before starting any exercise program. Bicycling is an activity with risk of personal injury. My City Bikes and its affiliates are not responsible in any capacity for harm or injury that may occur as a result of bicycling. You are solely responsible for your safety while biking.