One of the nicer motorcycle rides in south-central Colorado is CO 165. This road runs west from I-25 at Colorado City, through Rye, terminating at its juncture with CO 96. From there on CO 96, east takes you to Pueblo, and west takes you to Westcliffe.

This is a road with a lot of curves, a lot of up and down, a lot of beautiful scenery, and not a lot of traffic. What’s not to like? There are some campgrounds along here but none that are particularly motorcycle-friendly. Your best bet if you’re determined is Ophir Campground, just at the base of the corkscrew you see on the map just to the right and above Deer Peak.

There’s also one totally unique attraction along this road: Bishop Castle. There’s nothing quite like Bishop Castle, and you’ve got to see it to believe it. You might think it is a building, but you’d be wrong. It is officially a sculpture. A really big sculpture, complete with dragons, a moat, turrets, and a lot more.

Ride Characteristics

Curvy Roads: Frequent	Gas Stations: Average	Restrooms: Average
Food: Average	Scenic Areas: Average	Elevation Change: Frequent
Off Road: Slight	Traffic: Frequent	Animal Crossings: Frequent
Hotels: Average

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