Please click here to jump to the Overview section with all tour details including pricing.

Bears Ears to Lake Powell: Highlights

Our Bears Ears to Lake Powell rides from high (8,000-feet) to low (3,500-feet) while combining bikes and even boats! It is an MTB journey to one of the most remote locations in the American West. The route offers thrilling double track riding from the Abajo Mountains down through the Bears Ears National Monument before arriving at Lake Powell. The trail offers unsurpassed views of Woodenshoe Canyon, Dark Canyon and White Canyon. Tour length is typically 6-Days, but it can be ridden with a 4-Day or 5-Day option.

Family Friendly Tour

The Bears Ears to Lake Powell is a family friendly tour! This is a good tour for people of all ages and families looking to get away and reconnect with nature.

Upon arrival at Lake Powell cyclists camp along the shores with the option of adding a Stand Up Paddle-Boards or pack rafts. Groups can choose to even add a water-ski boat for water skiing, tubing and wake-boarding. The scenery on this tour showcases Utah diverse ecosystems from mountains to the desert. Once you ride this tour you’ll see first hand why we need to protect Bears Ears National Monument.

Bears Ears to Lake Powell: Dates

Potential tour dates are listed below and not all tour dates will run. Lock in your preferred tour date early as unopened tour dates will be closed. Please see the Spring/Autumn Tour Calendar and the Summer Tour Calendar for confirmed departures. Any unopened date can be a Custom Week (9 riders required). Please contact us via email or call 970.728.5891

To easily register for a particular tour, please click the Book Now! link after the tour date listed below. This will select the tour name and the appropriate date on the registration form.

2024 Tour Dates

No tours are scheduled at this time.

Tour Status Notes: NO STATUS = Date Set, no riders have signed up. TOUR OPENED = Tour Opened, rider minimums not met. TOUR A GO! = Tour is Go, rider minimums met. SOLD OUT = Tour Full, rider maximums met.

Why Should you Sign-Up Now and OPEN a Tour Date?
This is the proverbial chicken and the egg conundrum! We need our cyclists to first commit to the date that works for them so that we can commit to that date.

For starters, when you OPEN a date you get to pick your preferred departure date, and there is no penalty if the tour does not run. Once you pick your tour date, Lizard Head closes nearby dates and funnels all additional riders to your chosen date until the tour meets its 6 rider minimum.

BONUS: As an added bonus, we can also hold a spot for you on another tour date of your choosing. There is no fee to switch to another tour date.

In conclusion, if you want a tour to run, we need you to sign up and not wait for others to do the same! Waiting for others may mean that a tour date takes longer or does not confirm. Just Do It! Once a few riders jump into the proverbial waters, others will follow!

Bears Ears to Lake Powell: Overview

If Flying, Arrival Town/Airport: Grand Junction, Colorado (Grand Junction Regional Airport – GJT)

If Driving, meet the tour in Hite, Utah where your car can be left in a secure lot for the week.

Departing Town/Airport: Grand Junction, Colorado (Grand Junction Regional Airport – GJT)

Tour Length Options:

• 6-Days total with 4-Days Cycling and 2-Days on Lake Powell
• 5-Days total with 3-Days Cycling and 2-Days on Lake Powell
• 4-Days total with 2-Days Cycling and 2-Days on Lake Powell

Total Miles: 50 (2-Day Option) up to 100 miles (4-Day Option) (additional mileage options available)

Mileage Range: 16-31 miles

Ability Level: Intermediate (2-3) to Advanced (3/4)

Tour Cost Options: (Contact us for more details)

• 6-Day with all meals, camping & swimming @ Lake Powell is $1,675 per person
• 5-Day with all meals, camping & swimming @ Lake Powell is $1,450 per person
• 4-Day with all meals, camping & swimming @ Lake Powell is $1,230 per person

Tour Discounts: Please see our Reptile Rewards & Tour Discounts page to learn more about Reptile Rewards, Tour Discounts, and Group Discounts. Tour discounts are not stackable with any other discounts or promotions – only the highest valued discount is provided. Please note that for discounts to apply the tour minimum must be met.

Tour Includes: 4 to 6-days of guide service, all meals, park & forest service fees, energy food, liquid refreshments, shuttles and mechanical support. Alcoholic beverages & bike rental are additional. For an additional cost, add on a waterski boat for tubing & wakeboarding.

Mountain Bike Rentals

NOTE: The make, model, and specifications of rental bikes may differ from what is described below. Please contact us if you have any specific needs for a rental bike or have any questions about rental bikes.

Mountain Bike Rentals

Lizard Head Cycling Guides is proud to rent the Scott Spark 930, a truly fantastic way to go up or down a mountain. We have been riding mountain bikes for a very long time here at Lizard Head, but we can easily say our rentals are the most fun mountain bikes we have ever ridden. The Spark 930 blends the featherweight lineage of its race focused cousin with the single track chops of a 120mm travel ripper - this bike is up for anything.

The Spark 930 features: Spark Carbon HMF-Alloy Frame, FOX 34 Float Performance 130mm Fork, FOX Nude EVOL/120mm/TwinLoc rear shock, Shimano XT-SLX 12 Speed Drivetrain, Shimano Deore Disc Brakes, Syncros X-25 TR Rims, Maxxis Rekon Folding Tires, plus Syncros Dropper Post. Approx. Weight: 28.88 lbs / 13.10 kg (without pedals)

Mountain E-Bike Rentals

The Strike eRIDE 920 offers SCOTT’s latest technologies together with the newest Bosch motor. Versatile, reliable, and accessible, the Strike puts the accent on the comfort with 150mm of travel, slicker tires, thicker grips and saddle to give you a solid choice for any outing.

☛ Learn more about our Mountain Bike & E-Bike Rentals and Equipment

If you have any further questions, please read more on our Rental Bikes FAQ page. You can also email us at info@lizardheadcyclingguides.com or call us at 970.728.5891

How young can a child do this? We have tagalongs that 5 year olds and up can ride.

Overall Route Map

Bears Ears to Lake Powell: Itinerary*

*PLEASE NOTE: Tour itineraries are subject to change and modification based on the group, available accommodations, road construction, road closures, and other unforeseen circumstances including weather, wildfires, flooding, hurricanes, landslides and/or other acts of nature. Also, the distances and elevation profiles shown below may not reflect the actual distances and elevations while on tour as these are provided here to give an idea as to the anticipated mileage and terrain. Please view this itinerary, the distances, and elevation profiles as a general outline as to what to expect while on this tour.

Day 0: Arrival at Meeting Hotel

We will meet in the evening at our starting hotel to fit bikes and issue dry bags. This will allow us to get out earlier on day 1 so we can get to riding sooner!

Day 1: Causeway to Butts Point
25-miles with up to 2,500- feet of climbing

Starting high in the Abajo Mountains above 8,000 feet! We start riding along the you will be on the Causeway; which is a spectacular ridge connecting the Abajos Mountains to Elk Ridge. Along the gradual climb to Elk Ridge, we are also treated to Little Notch offering spectacular views to the mysterious canyon country far below. Tonight’s backcountry camp is among stately ponderosa pines overlooking Butts Canyon. It is hard to top this Day 1, but as you will see, we will do our best. 🙂

Day 2: Butts Point to Dark Canyon
29 miles with 3,000 feet of descending! 

As we ride out of the Abajos and Monte-La Sal National Forest, the trail offers truly incredible views the canyons with Bear’s Ears National Monuments. The namesake Bears Ears Buttes themselves tower above us as we ride from a Ponderosa Forest into juniper, pinion and scrub oak trees rooted in the iconic Utah red dirt. If all these sights were not enough, this day also has 3,000 feet of descending! This night offers what is notably our guides favorite camp; the edge of Dark Canyon. This camp has often been likened to having your own personal Grand Canyon. Just sit and stare.

Day 3: Dark Canyon to River Tunnel Camp
31 miles with over 3,000-feet of descending

After morning coffer sipped while watching the sun rise over Dark Canyon, another day with over 3,000 feet of descending lays ahead.  Along this route, we now have fully entered the red rock canyon country of Utah. The route is mostly down through arroyos, canyons and rock. This is a beautifully remote and wild day ending at a small steam crossing where camp awaits

Day 4: River Tunnel Camp to Good Hope Bay
17 miles with up to 1,270 feet of climbing

Today’s destination is the shores of Lake Powell. From camp we climb a 1,000-feet over 4-miles to Blue Notch Pass. From the top, the views of Lake Powell with the the Little Rocky and Henry Mountains as a dazzling backdrop. From Blue Notch Pass, the route rushes down 2,000-feet to remote Good Hope Bay. We establish a camp along the shores of Lake Powell and for an additional cost, you can add on a waterski boat for tubing & wakeboarding.

Day 5: A Full Day on Lake Powell

Swimming, chilling, kayaking and exploring. A whole day on the water. Lake Powell is noted for its incredible rock features and twisting canyons such as Forgotten Canyon and Crystal Springs Canyon. Take the day easy and take in the scenery. You are in the most remote area of the Lower 48-United States.

Day 6: A Morning on Lake Powell with A Return to Grand Junction in the Afternoon

This morning savor the waters of Lake Powell and sip in more canyon serenity. In the early afternoon we will dock up in Bullfrog and shuttle back to Grand Junction, Colorado before evening.

Bears Ears to Lake Powell: Logistics & FAQs

General Tour & Cancellation Policies

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with all of our tour and cancellation policies, which can be found by clicking here.

Travel Insurance

If you have not already, now would be a great time to consider adding travel insurance to your tour. You are welcome to use any travel insurance company you would like. We recommend Generali/Trip Mate.

Generally, if contracting COVID causes clients to cancel or interrupt their tour, trip insurance companies would treat it as any other illness as long as it is contracted after the insurance was purchased. Please check your individual plan documentation for details. Please note that quarantine is usually only covered if clients are actually sick with COVID. If a state requires quarantine upon arrival because of standardized state law, coverage is generally not covered. Again, check your individual plan documentation for details.

American Guests - use this link: http://www.generalitravelinsurance.com/get-a-quote.html?partner=LIZA0855

• The Premium Plan is the only plan which offers Pre-Existing coverage so long as the plan is purchased prior to Final Payment.
• The Premium Plan is the only plan that offers an optional Cancel For Any Reason - the policy must be purchased within 24 hours of initial trip deposit, the full trip cost must be insured, and if they cancel for Any Reason, it must be 48 hours prior to departure, and the reimbursement for an Any Reason claim is 60% of pre-paid, insured, non-refundable trip cost.
• Customer Service can be reached at 1-800-874-2442 for coverage questions and policy modifications or to purchase by phone. Agency Code: LIZA0855

Canadian Guests - use this link: https://tripmate.catravelins.ca/?utm_source=lizardhead