Ridgway Telluride Gravel Tour - Lizard Head Cycling Guides
   
107 Aurum St, Box 855, Ophir, CO 81426 970.728.5891 info@LizardHeadCyclingGuides.com

Ridgway Telluride Gravel Tour

Please click here to jump to Pricing within the Overview section that includes all tour details.

Ridgway Telluride Gravel Tour: Highlights

Join us for a gravel filled adventure in our backyard. This tour explores the best gravel in the Ridgway and Telluride area, with smooth, quiet dirt roads and true Colorado mountain towns. We snake through narrow canyons, explore wide open mesas, all the while flowing through river basins and climbing through aspen forests. This is a great trip for someone looking to dive into the world of gravel biking on smooth, approachable dirt roads surrounded by natural beauty.

Ridgway Gravel: 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

SPECIAL OFFER: For the first five sign ups on our inaugural Ridgway Telluride Gravel Tour, receive a free gravel bike rental for your trip!

2026 Tour Dates

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 we can commit to that date.

When you OPEN a date, you get to pick your preferred departure 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 the rider minimum. Don't wait. Just do it!

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.

NOTE: In anticipation and encouragement of future tour sign-ups prior to reaching the tour minimum, the Lizard Head Cycling website may be updated to show TOUR A GO prior to actual tour confirmation. Even if the website says that the tour is a GO, please wait for your official Email Confirmation before booking non-refundable travel reservations.

Ridgway Gravel: Overview

Reptile Rewards

Tour Length: 6-Days Cycling/5-Nights Lodging

Meeting/Ending Town: Montrose, CO

Total Miles: 164 to 218 miles (additional mileage options available)

Mileage Range: 17 – 44 miles

Ability Level: Intermediate (2/3) , Upper Intermediate (3)

Tour Cost: $3,595 per person. Add $695 per person to this Tour Cost for a private room each night of the tour (includes 5-Nights). Please see our Reptile Rewards & Tour Discounts page for more information on Group Discounts. Please note that for discounts to apply the tour minimum must be met.

Tour Includes: 6 days of guide service, all meals, park service fees, energy food, liquid refreshments, shuttles, and mechanical support. Alcoholic beverages, bike rental, and massage are additional.

Lodging for 5 Nights: (subject to change)

Meeting Hotel and Ending Hotel reservations and costs are NOT included unless specified otherwise. Guests are on their own to make reservations at the Meeting Hotel or Ending Hotel, or other nearby hotels.

Gravel 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.

Lizard Head Cycling Guides is proud to rent the Scott 2023 Addict 30 which is light, can handle rough terrain, fits chunky tires and has enough mounts to carry all the liquids and freeze-dried chicken curry you want. What's really important, though is what this bike allows you to do. Now, perhaps more than ever, the Addict Gravel 30 is your ticket to adventure when you need it most.

The Addict 30 features: Addict Gravel Disc HMF Carbon Gravel geometry, Shimano GRX 22 speed drivetrain, Shimano BR-RX400 hydraulic disc brakes, Schwalbe G-ONE Bite Performance 700x45C tires. Approx. Weight: 20.3 / 9.2 kg (without pedals)

☛ Learn more about our Rental Bikes 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

There are also opportunities to rent gravel bikes for use in the area before or after the tour. This would have to be set up prior to the tour, but feel free to inquire about pricing and availability.

Meals On Tour

Lizard Head Cycling Guides provides most meals on all tours (unless otherwise noted), including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guides will prepare a daily lunch en route for nearly every tour, both road and off-road, as well as provide nutritious snacks at periodic aid stations during the day.

Most of our road tours utilize local restaurants for all meals and, occasionally, guides may prepare a dinner or two during a tour. Due to the nature of being "off the grid", most of our off-road tours feature guides preparing meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. FUN NOTE: When guides prepare a meal in camp and the guests sit around and watch, this is called "Guide TV". :)

We also pride ourselves on being able to cater to specific dietary requests and needs, so rest assured that you will be able to get the nutrition that works best for you during your tour. Gluten free, Dairy free, Vegan, or someone who loves it all – we will keep you well-fed during the tour!

Lunches: Lizard Head Cycling Guides prepare healthy lunches to keep you going. We will serve you fresh organic fruits and veggies, salads, hummus, sandwich fixings, nuts, gourmet cheeses and, of course, plenty of salty/sweet snacks such as chips and cookies.

Dinners: On our road tours, Lizard Head Cycling sources our favorite restaurants in each town that we visit. Our guides focus on establishments that offer fresh and local ingredients and guests choose whatever they desire to eat off the menu, including: appetizer, salad, entrée, and of course, dessert... yum! :) Also, while on tour, if a guest wants to dine early before the group and go to bed, this is fine. We understand that on some days, sleep is the most important post-ride element.

Ability Level: Can I Ride This Tour?

Definition of Ability Levels

= Intermediate (2/3) Rides and/or takes spin classes 1 to 3 times a week for a total of 50 or more miles.
= Upper Intermediate (3) Rides and/or takes spin classes 2 to 4 times a week for a total of 75 or more miles.
= Advanced (3/4) Rides and/or takes spin classes 3 to 5 times a week for a total of 100 or more miles. Has ridden multi-day tours and done a century ride.
= Expert (4) Rides 4 or more times per week totaling 150 or more miles. Rides E.F.I. with regularity. Has done numerous multi-day tours, century rides and races.

How Fit do I Have to Be? If one month prior to the tour, you can ride 2 to 3 times a week, equaling a total of 75 or more miles a week, you'll do just fine. We like to jokingly say that "one is ready for a Lizard Head Cycling Tour when they are finished with the tour" and this is true! The only way to simulate a week-long bike tour is to go on a week-long bike tour.

Our average rider age is 55 years. These are bike tours, not races, so we take our time to stop, take pictures and see the sights. We have all day to reach our destination and most riders take "bumps" at some point. We offer reduced mileage options for each day. Of course, if someone wants to ride E.F.I. (Every Freaking Inch), we love to show them all the extra climbs, loops and hidden canyons that can be included!

Do the Bump! Daily mileage options allow cyclists of varying abilities to enjoy this tour. One of our favorite options is to give cyclists a "bump" via the support vehicle, or a 10 to 20-mile lift down the road representing an hour of pedal time. After the bump, the rider is "off the front" and riding at his or her own pace without feeling they are being left behind the group. They'll then have time to linger and take in the spectacular scenery. All cyclists come together in time for lunch. Afterward, cyclists can take another bump and/or continue riding.

Seamless Mileage Options. Lizard Head Cycling Guides designs multiple mileage options for each tour – something we're well known for in our business. This technique is similar to heliskiing in that one does not ski everything, they ski the best. 🙂

Slow or Fast? Many cyclists who sign up for our tours have worried themselves silly about not being able to keep up, but then they're surprised to find that all the worrying was about nothing. They do just fine! Slow and Fast only exist relative to other cyclists. Speed does not matter as long as one is moving on the bike. As long as one is moving, they are truly going fast enough.

Questions? If you have questions about your ability to ride this tour, please contact our office via email or call us at 970.728.5891, we will be more than happy to guide you!

Please also see this blog post for more information.

Ridgway Gravel: 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 of what to expect while on this tour.

Day 1: Lady Bird to Ridgway
19 miles with up to 1,900 feet of climbing (50% Gravel/50% Paved)
EFI: Up to 42 miles with up to 4,200 feet of climbing

Start our journey with a morning shuttle from Montrose, CO to they start at the small town of Colona, CO. We will start at a local favorite bakery, Ladybird and get some good grub in before starting the ride. From Colona, we will head due south on Route 1, quickly finding our first gravel of the trip passing through some wonderful open terrain dotted with small Colorado farms. We end in the town of Ridgway, our home for the next two nights, staying at the Chapita Solar Lodge.

Day 2: Ouray Hot Springs
23 miles with up to 980 feet of climbing (100% Gravel)
EFI: 34 miles and up to 3,200 feet of climbing

On day two, we continue our path south from Ridgway. We head up Umcompahgre River, on the west side of the river for the entire way to the town mountain town of Ouray. Today is a true introduction into the mountains of the San Juan’s, with towering rocky peaks and beautiful forested hillsides. Once arriving, we have a chance to swim in the hot springs located right in the heart of town, starting in 1927. That’s 99 years old! After getting a good soak in, there is an EFI option to head up to Camp Bird, an extremely productive gold and silver mine. It got its name from the camp birds, most likely Gray Jays, who were known to steal the lunches of miners. The rest of the day entails a gradual downhill back to Ridgway, with an opportunity once back in town to check out one of the “Galloping Gooses”.

Day 3: Dallas Divide
30 miles with up to 3,100 feet of climbing (70% Gravel/30% Paved)

After heading South for the past two days, it’s time to head West and cross a Divide! We take some side gravel roads out of town before heading up the Dallas Divide, through acres and acres of the Uncompahgre National Forest and Ranch land. Keep an eye out for elk herds as you cross the divide, before getting onto Last Dollar road for a return to gravel. The last section of the day will snake through wild country, and includes a home from the western movie “True Grit”. We descend into the small town of Sawpit, named after sawpits used to saw lumber for placer mines along the San Miguel River. For the last step of the day, we ride to our lodging for the rest of the trip at the Bivvi Hostel.

Day 4: Telluride Adventure
17 miles with up to 2,000 feet of climbing (40% Gravel/60% Paved)

Today we head up the San Miguel River to the picturesque town of Telluride. We start off on the river trail, until we cross the road and head up around the Telluride airport, a sight to behold with its high elevation and intense runway. We descend back into the valley before taking a relaxing bike path into town, which is nestled in a box canyon, with mountains towering in all directions. This is the mellowest day of the tour, with the afternoon off to explore the town, go on a hike, or ride the Gondola for expansive views of the valley.

Day 5: Specie Mesa
44 miles with up to 4,000 feet of climbing (63% Gravel/37% Paved)
EFI: 62 miles with up to 5,800 feet of climbing

Start your day out right, with a wild descent out of Telluride that follows the San Miguel River. After descending, we head up to the Mesas, going up Fall Creek, a small tributary to the San Miguel River. Getting up to Specie Mesa, we get panoramic views of the mountains, and you might even catch a glimpse of our namesake, Lizard Head Peak. We descend back from the mesa through another creek valley back to the main road before a small shuttle back up the hill to Telluride.

 

Day 6: To Norwood!
33 miles with up to 3,100 feet of climbing (69% Gravel/31% Paved)

Our last day takes us out onto a high plateau, leaving the San Juan’s. We trace our steps back from the previous day, heading back up into the mesa country, before continuing west until we reach the small town of Norwood, CO, for a meal at a local restaurant. This marks the end of our cycling adventure, with a shuttle back to Montrose to finish it all out.

Ridgway Gravel: 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.

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

 
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