Durango’s Colorado Trail Tour combines some of the best continuous technical singletrack there is and defines backcountry mountain biking. If you’re looking for the most extreme guided mountain biking tour, you’ve found it. Elevations are high, between 9,000 and 12,000 feet and the views are amazing with the entire San Juan range expanding before you. Rewarding your effort is the final day’s “kick ass” 5,000-foot descent. The views include gorgeous basins of wildflowers with backdrops of red mountains, deep green forests and alpine lakes. Our 5-day trip adds the classic Hermosa Creek Trail as a great warm-up ride. For further details, view a photo gallery about this tour. Durango - Colorado Trail Photo Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 – Elevation: 11,000 ft We will then load our support vehicle and shuttle to the famous Hermosa Creek trail. This 20-mile ride is a Durango classic and includes a long rolling descent on buffed singletrack. We’ll finish the ride mid- afternoon and take a shuttle to Little Molas Lake for tonight’s camp and a well-earned dinner. Our camp is high (11,000 ft) so be sure to stay well hydrated leading up to the trip, as this will help you acclimate.
Day 2 – Elevation: 12,400 ft After a hearty breakfast, we start our ride along this western section of The Colorado Trail, which stretches 470 miles from Denver to Durango. This is some of the most beautiful single-track you will ever see. We pass beneath the Twin Sisters peaks on our way to Rolling Mountain Pass and ride the spectacular descent to Cascade Creek. We then travel towards Bolem Pass for our second camp at Celebration Lake. Today’s ride is the toughest of the trip because we have 2 passes to climb. Highlights include the Cascade Creek drainage, with its abundance of wildflowers, and the views of spectacular Engineer Mt. The ride totals 21 miles and we reach an elevation of 12,400 ft.
Day 3 – Elevation: 12,100 ft Today we’ll continue on the Colorado Trail towards Hotel Draw over Blackhawk Pass, Our high point today. From the pass we begin an incredible descent towards Hotel Draw, one of the highpoints of the ride. Camp is along a ridge among the Douglas Firs with beautiful sunset views. Today’s mileage is 18 miles and we reach an elevation of 12,100 ft.
Day 4 – Elevation: 12,300 ft Today’s ride traverses the spectacular Indian Ridge Trail and includes some short portage sections. The panoramic view of the entire San Juan range from the top is definitely worth the effort. Look carefully for Ptarmigans, a high alpine bird similar to grouse found among the tundra rocks. The trail races down from the high ridge to Kennebec Pass and our camp below. Mileage today is 16 miles and the high point reaches 12,300 ft.
Day 5 – 15-30 miles | 5,000 ft –
Elevation: 11,000 ft Elevation: 12,400 ft Elevation: 12,100 ft Elevation: 12,300 ft Distance: 15-30 miles | Elevation: 5,000 ft