The Bike the Mountains Tour rises from the town of Littleton, Colorado and explores the Colorado Front Range. Our tour crosses the Continental Divide twice, giving you the opportunity to bike the highest paved roads in the United States. This tour is a classic showcase of Colorado's Rocky Mountain scenery.
"The Bike the Mountains Tour is amazing. I highly recommend it and would gladly return."
Not designed for the weekend cyclist, this tour is offered only for those fit enough to ride high mountain passes. We provide sag wagons and support. Your lodging and meals are also part of the registration fee. We guarantee tough climbs, amazing sights, sweaty jerseys, and lots of fun.
This is the seventh year we've offered the Bike the Mountains Tour. It is our most popular tour and riders are returning again and again. Our experienced tour leaders will be there to guide, help, encourage, draft, and lead you every stroke of the way. Come join us!
We start from the foothills above Littleton, Colorado, promptly at 9am. Be sure to fuel up at Kate's House of Pancakes before starting your ride. The first day is a chance to get your legs in shape, test your gearing, and prepare for what's to come. Be aware that there are several steep grades as we climb out of the valley into the Front Range. Optional side tours and shortcuts will be provided.
Day 2 starts with a climb up Bear Creek Canyon to Lookout Mountain, followed by a swift and winding descent into the town of Golden. Refresh yourself at the famous Coors Brewery. You'll need the break to get yourself ready for a great climb through Golden Gate Canyon to the Peak to Peak Highway, ending in the gambling town of Blackhawk. Try your hand at poker and blackjack, but watch your wallet.
Day 3 takes you along the Peak to Peak Highway. Established in 1918 this is Colorado's oldest scenic byway. This 55-mile route showcases the mountains of the Front Range, providing amazing vistas from Golden Gate Canyon State Park to Rocky Mountain National Park. We'll stop at Estes Park for fun and refreshment. Get a good night's sleep; you'll need it the next day.
Now for the supreme challenge: Day 4 brings some real high-altitude cycling through Rocky Mountain National Park and up Trail Ridge Road. It's an amazing ride, high above timberline, topping out at over 11,000 feet. Stop and rest at the Alpine Visitor's Center before all of that hard work is rewarded with a fast and joyous descent into the town of Grand Lake.
We start Day 5 on the west side of the Continental Divide. From Grand Lake, you'll bike to Winter Park, a great ski town summer resort. From Winter Park it's a steady and scenic climb over Berthoud Pass, and back to the eastern side of the Continental Divide. We'll stay at Idaho Springs, where you can enjoy the natural hot springs at the hotel.
On Day 6 choose your pleasure or your poison. You can ride back to Littleton over Squaw Pass and Bear Creek. The ride is beautiful and enjoyable in its own right. However, if you're "up" to it, this is your opportunity to tackle Mount Evans. The 7-mile side trip to the top of Mt Evans, at over 14,000 feet, is something that can't be found anywhere else in the country. We'll provide the sag wagon, you provide the legs and lungs.
Once you're back to Littleton, please join us for a celebratory dinner as we share memories of an amazing 6 days of riding the Colorado mountains.
