The tour rides through our home mountain range: the rugged & remote San Juans. In the late 19th century the tiny mining towns of Ouray, Durango and Telluride, Colorado were remote outposts of civilization. Each town felt they needed a landmark hotel to attract investors and to put their town on the map.

Don’t Worry About the Altitude!

The rarefied air is a tonic to both man & beast! Sea-level cyclists ride this tour each year. Yes, you ride slower and the heart will beat faster in Colorado, but these are the Colorado Rockies and the views alone will make your heart beat faster. Read a Bicycling Magazine article about riding at altitude. Altitude on this tour ranges between 4,500-feet (Gateway Canyons Resort) and 11,000-feet (Red Mountain Pass). The average riding elevation is between 6,500 and 7,500-feet.

Colorado Micro-Breweries

If you are considering Colorado bike tours, the Mountains-to-Rivers Colorado Bike Tour is a well-crafted tour of immense beauty. It also features entertainment each night in towns where old time saloons and Colorado Micro-Breweries abound. Enjoy beer tastings and excellent hospitality as you bike tour across the San Juan Sky-Way and Unaweep-Tabeguache Scenic By-Ways.

Some of the breweries we can visit include:

• Ouray Brewing Company in Ouray, Colorado
• Carver Brewing Company in Durango, Colorado
• Animas Brewing Company in Durango, Colorado
• Steamworks Brewing Company in Durango, Colorado
• Telluride Brewing Company in Telluride, Colorado

• Duration: 6-days
• Ride Type: Road
• Difficulty: Intermediate / Intermediate +
• Average Daily Mileage: 45

• Bike through the Colorado Rockies
• Immense beauty every day of the tour
• Gunnison National Park
• Hike above Telluride  
• San Juan Mountains
• Colorado Micro-Breweries including: Ouray, Carver, Animas, Steamworks, & Telluride
• Stay at the Gateway Canyons Resort

• 6-days of guide service 
• Mechanical support
• Support vehicle
• 6-nights of lodging 
• Meals: 5-breakfasts, 5-lunches, 5-dinners
• Entrance fees
• Energy food, snacks, and non-alcoholic refreshments

After a shuttle from Montrose, Colorado, our first ride of the tour takes us into the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and one of Colorado’s finest bike rides. The route starts at 7,450-feet and soon enters the park offering views of steep cliffs with some of the oldest rock and the craggiest spires in North America.

After Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, we shuttle to the top of Red Mountain Pass, get back on the bikes, and then enjoy a magnificent 10 mile descent along Million Dollar Highway to our first nights lodging in Silverton, Colorado.

Starting from Silverton, we continue south along the San Juan Skyway and soon tackle two major alpine passes: Molas Pass at 10,915′ and Coal Bank Pass at 10,640′. After topping out on Molas Pass cyclists enjoy a net descent to Durango, Colorado (6,512’) of 4,000-feet! Durango is a lively western town with a historic narrow gauge railroad. Tonight’s lodging is the landmark Strater Hotel on Durango’s main street. The Strater’s Diamond Belle Saloon’s attractive bar room belles & old time piano player both adorned in 19th century period garb have proven to be a guest (and guide) favorite.

After enjoying a delicious breakfast and the good coffee that Durango offers, we shuttle northwest to ride the peaceful Dunton road. The Dunton road offers a quiet ride of 18 to 22- mile out and back along the Dunton river. At the halfway point we stop for a lunch along the river. After lunch we turn around and descend 9-miles back to the start.

From this point, if looking to ride EFI to Telluride, riders climb 1,300 in 25-miles to Rico, Colorado. If looking to ride less, this 25-miles can be shuttled.

From Rico, it is a fabulous 27-miles to Telluride with 2,000-feet of climbing over Lizard Head Pass to Telluride for a two day stay.

Today cyclists enjoy a well deserved layover day in box canyon of Telluride, Colorado. Ride the free gondola to explore Mt. Village, enjoy a massage, shop the funky historic, hike to an alpine lake or district or simply sit on one of Telluride’s many park benches and watch the world go by.

Those looking to keep riding can opt to ride the “Tour de Telluride” which is a 53-mile on-your-own route around Telluride and up to Lizard Head peak and back.

Guests are on their own this evening to enjoy dinner from one of Telluride’s many fine dining establishments.

The longest descending day on the tour, the Mountains to the Desert stage descends over 4,000-feet from Telluride (8,827′) to Vancorum! This is an inspiring ride from the alpine terrain near Telluride down to the river valleys and redrock country of southwestern Colorado.

The final day of the our tour is spent pedaling up into the confines of yet another amazing geologic wonder, the Dolores River Canyon. The Dolores River Canyon has been called by previous guests as the “most beautiful ride ever”. Come see for yourself! We believe it is the most spectacular and least known road rides in Colorado.