First Friday Art Walks have become a popular tradition of Denver's Art District on Santa Fe. Galleries along Santa Fe Dr. open their doors, food trucks gather, and on almost every block you can even find some live music to listen to. You can find more info about the monthly event here: First Friday Art Walks.
Since the event has grown in popularity, the Art District on Santa Fe highly encourages alternative transportation. With a B-cycle station conveniently located right at 9th & Santa Fe., we want to provide a few safe route suggestions to show how to get there. While starting points may differ, these ideas give you a sense of the quick and quiet options you have when riding through town. Thanks to the Cherry Creek Trail, some routes become both a quick and a quiet route, as you'll see in many of the options below.
We use personal experience, Google Maps, and Avi Stopper's Bike Streets Map to create these route suggestions. As always, please be sure to finalize your route ahead of time and plan for a path that you feel comfortable and safe riding.
How to Ride to the Art District on Santa Fe
From Union Station/LoDo:
The Quick Route: Ride up 17th Ave for a block and turn right on Blake St. Then, turn right on 14th Ave., and use the bike lane until you reach Champa St. Turn right again and continue through Speer Blvd and follow the road onto Kalamath St. Turn left on 9th Ave. to reach the B-cycle station. To ride towards the south end of Santa Fe Dr., turn left on 9th Ave. and right on Inca St. From there, you can turn left again at any point before Alameda Ave. to reach the Art District.
The Quiet Route: Ride south on Wynkoop St. until you reach the Cherry Creek Trail. Enter the trail and ride down to the exit between 13th Ave. and 12th Ave. Ride east on 12th Ave., turn left on Delaware St., and left on 11th Ave. to cross Speer Blvd. Continue down 11th Ave. and turn left on Inca St. Turn right on 9th Ave. for the B-cycle station or anywhere between 12th Ave. and Alameda Ave.
From Five Points/RiNo:
The Quick Route: Make your way to Champa St. and ride southwest until you cross Speer Blvd. Continue onto Kalamath St. and turn left at 9th Ave. for the B-cycle station. You can also take 9th Ave. to Inca St. to access the other streets further south along Santa Fe Dr.
The Quiet Route: Find your way onto Curtis St., ride down a few blocks, and turn right on 24th St. Then, turn left on Arapahoe St. to enter the buffered bike lane. Ride down Arapahoe St. until you can cross Speer Blvd. and enter the Cherry Creek Trail. Ride the Cherry Creek Trail to the exit between 13th Ave. and 12th Ave. Ride east on 12th Ave., turn left on Delaware St., and left on 11th Ave. to cross Speer Blvd. Continue down 11th Ave. and turn left on Inca St. Turn right on 9th Ave. and cross Santa Fe Dr. for the B-cycle station or anywhere between 12th Ave. and Alameda Ave.
From Highlands:
The Quick and Quiet Route: Use either 33rd Ave. and Tejon St. or the 29th Ave. bike lane and 15th St. to get to Central St. At Central St. and 16th St., use the Highland Bridge to enter the South Platte River Trail. At Confluence Park, turn left across the river and enter the Cherry Creek Trail. Ride the Cherry Creek Trail to the exit between 13th Ave. and 12th Ave. Ride east on 12th Ave., turn left on Delaware St., and left on 11th Ave. to cross Speer Blvd. Continue down 11th Ave. and turn left on Inca St. Turn right on 9th Ave. and cross Santa Fe Dr. for the B-cycle station or anywhere between 12th Ave. and Alameda Ave. for the Art District on Santa Fe.
From Sun Valley:
The Quick and Quiet Route: Make your way to 13th Ave. and ride east. Turn right on Mariposa St., left on 11th Ave., and right on Kalamath St. Turn right on 9th Ave. for the B-cycle station or ride to Inca street to access the streets anywhere between 12th Ave. and Alameda Ave. for Santa Fe Dr. and the Art District.
From Cherry Creek:
The Quick and Quiet Route: Take Cook St. to Ellsworth Ave. to enter the Cherry Creek Trail by the mall. Continue on the trail and exit just before you reach 10th Ave. You can ride on the Speer Blvd. sidewalk until you reach 11th Ave. Turn left on 11th. Ave and left on Inca St. From there, turn right at 9th for the B-cycle station or anywhere before Alameda to get to Santa Fe Dr. and the Art District.
From Washington Park:
The Quick and Quiet Route: Head north on Marion Pkwy and Downing St. to enter the Cherry Creek Trail. Ride the trail, exit before 10th Ave., and ride on the sidewalk to 11th Ave. Turn left on 11th Ave. and left on Inca St. Turn right at 9th Ave. or anywhere before Alameda to reach Santa Fe Dr.
From Capitol Hill/Cheesman Park:
The Quick Route: Ride west on 11th Ave all the way until you reach Inca St. Turn left and then right on either 9th Ave. for the B-cycle station, or between 12th Ave. and Alameda to reach the Art District on Santa Fe Dr.
The Quiet Route: If coming from east of Cheesman Park, ride down 11th Ave and around the park, connecting with 9th Ave. on the west side. Ride down 9th Ave and, turn right on Marion St., and left on 10th Ave. Use 10th Ave. to ride down until you reach Acoma St. Turn right on Acoma, left on 9th Ave., and Cross Speer Blvd by walking your bike across the bridge. Ride through Sunken Gardens Park until you reach 9th Ave., and take that to Inca St. Turn left and then right on 9th or anywhere before 12th Ave. and Alameda Ave.
From City Park:
The Quick Route: Ride through the park and cross York St. at 23rd Ave. Turn left on Franklin St. ride to Cheesman Park, and turn left on 11th Ave. Continue on 11th Ave., turn left on Inca St., and right on either 9th Ave. or anywhere between 12th Ave. and Alameda.
The Quiet Route: Ride through the park and cross York St. at 21st Ave. Turn right on Race St. and ride down to 11th Ave. Turn left on 11th Ave., ride through the park, and continue onto 9th Ave. Turn right on Marion St., left on 10th Ave., and ride all the way down to Inca St. Turn left and ride to 9th or anywhere before Alameda to reach the Art District on Santa Fe Dr.