Self-Guided Colorado Trail MTB Tour: Highlights

Our Self-guided Colorado Trail Mountain Bike Tour is a lodging based point-to-point journey across a portion of the world-famous Colorado Trail.

After an acclimation ride on the acclaimed Buffalo Creek Trail system, ride remarkable sections of singletrack above Breckenridge and Copper ski resorts, skirt Mount Elbert (the tallest peak in Colorado), and navigate the stunning Collegiate Peaks range. Your journey wraps up in Gunnison, CO where you’ll enjoy a celebratory ride in Doctor Park (some of the most beautiful riding in all of Colorado, in our opinion!).

Lizard Head Cycling’s Lodging-Based, Self-guided Colorado Trail MTB tour is an ideal way to enjoy stunning backcountry mountain biking on the Colorado Trail, all while enjoy the support of shuttles, mechanical expertise, and comfortable indoor accommodations.

Our self-guide Colorado trail tour is an entirely unique cycling experience, and one we can’t wait to share with you!

The Colorado Trail offers the wildest point-to-point single-track mountain biking experience in North America!

Mountains offer… freedom, grandiosity, seclusion, accomplishment, camaraderie and vulnerability…

Self-Guided Cycling in the Rockies Backcountry

The Colorado Trail is arguable the most rugged, remote, and epic long-distance cycling trail in North America. The trail crosses high mountain passes, beneath numerous unnamed waterfalls and traverses fields of verdant wildflowers at elevations that rarely drop below 10,000 feet. Large fauna of most every-type inhabit this landscape.

Lizard Head Cycling Guide’s Colorado-based bike tours offer out of the ordinary mountain biking vacations by delivering cyclists to remote, hard-to-access sections of trail while also providing a high level of riding support and quality accommodations. Vast sections of trail will go by without passing another cyclist.

“Out of the comfort zone, but not into a panic zone”

Self-Guided Colorado Trail MTB Tour: Dates

2025 Tour Dates

• TBD – Mid-June through Mid September each summer.  This trip is available on an on-demand basis. Please reach out if you’re interested and we’ll settle on dates that work for you!

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!

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

Self-Guided Colorado Trail MTB Tour: Overview

Tour Length: 6-Days & 6-Nights, Tour can starts any Sunday Mid-June through Mid-September

Starting Town: Denver, CO

Ending Town: Gunnison, CO (shuttle to Denver can be arranged)

Total Miles: 160 (Can I keep up on this tour?)

Mileage Range: 22-36

Ability Level: Upper Intermediate (3)  to Advanced (3/4) 

Group Size: 6 to 10 (this smaller size ensures an awesome personalized experience on the trails)

Tour Cost: $2,250 per person with shared accommodations. Add $395 per person to this Tour Cost for a private room each night of the tour.

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: 6-nights lodging, 3 dinners, 6 lunches, 4 breakfasts, taxes, energy food, liquid refreshments, daily shuttles to and from the trail, and mechanical support. Alcoholic beverages and bike rental are not included.
Please note: This is supported tour versus a guided tour. Cyclists ride the Colorado Trail on their own. Lizard Head Cycling provides logistical support, helps prepare your bike, gear, puts out a lunch spread each day, provides GPX files and an in-depth briefing on the route, and then meets you at the end of the ride.

Accommodations Included:

The accommodations for this tour will be reserved after a group expresses interest and we “open” a tour date. Specific lodging will depend on availability at the time reservations are made, but you can count on hand-selected lodging that is comfortable and charming — boutique hotels and western lodges that Lizard Head has firsthand experience visiting.

• Night 1: Two Bridges Lodge, Bailey, CO
• Night 2: Hotel Frisco, Frisco, CO
• Night 3 & 4: The Timberline, Leadville, CO
• Nights 5 & 6: Long Holiday Motel, Gunnison, CO

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 guide prepared 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 a someone who loves it all – we will keep you well fed during the tour!

Lunches: Lizard Head Cycling Guides prepares 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.

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

FAQ’s Regarding the Self-Guided Colorado Trail MTB Tour

How will the altitude effect me?

Cyclists from lower elevations ride in Colorado each year, and most have no problems. All it takes is some preparation, patience and a little more hydration than you’d normally have.

Yes, you’ll likely ride slower, and your heart rate will increase, but these are the Rockies, after all.

Even though the elevation on the Lodging-Based Colorado Trail MTB ranges from 7,000 to 12,000-feet, and the average levels on the tour are between 7,500 and 8,500-feet, the views alone will make your heart beat faster!

What about the weather? 

The high Rockies have some of the most dynamic summer weather in the country. One moment, it’s sunny and warm under intensely blue skies. The next, massive clouds race across the horizon and bring a frozen downpour with thunderclaps.

As Coloradans who know a thing or two about this stuff, we’ll make sure you’re outfitted and safe from these intense, but brief weather events.

• Read a Bicycling Magazine article about riding at altitude.

How much singletrack is there?

The Colorado Trail was designed as a point-to-point adventure tour. This tour provides riders with the opportunity to pedal remote, fascinating, and hard-to-access terrain. The route contains sections of single track, unimproved roads, sections with hardly a trail and everything in between. The ride will include sections of alpine terrain, technically challenging terrain, and even some push-your-bike-uphill terrain. In short, the Colorado Trail offers expedition-style mountain biking. Please contact us with your questions.

PLEASE NOTE: Although these tours are for advanced riders, they are NOT death marches. They are well planned, fully-support adventures into the backcountry that are within the ability of experienced riders. In reality, many riders who are capable of riding and enjoying these tours self-select themselves out of participation because they feel the tour will be too hard. If you would like to join us and have a question about your ability, please call. For more information or to make a reservation, contact us: 970.728.5891 or Info@LizardHeadCyclingGuides.com

☛ MUST READ: Training for Your First MTB Tour: 5 Best Tips to Improve Your Pedaling Technique

Self-Guided  Colorado Trail MTB Tour: 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 1: Acclimation Day on the Buffalo Creek Trails
Standard: 14 miles and 1,550′ of climbing
Longer and shorter options are available

We’ll start our self-guided Colorado Trail Tour by leaving Denver behind as we head to the tiny town of Buffalo Creek, CO. Despite the town’s size, the riding here is anything but small-scale — dozens of miles of perfectly-maintained singletrack swoop through pine forests and through the remnants of old forest fires. A few solid hours of pedaling here is the perfect way to shakedown our equipment, stretch our legs, and start the process of acclimating to riding at Colorado’s higher elevation, before we dive into the Colorado Trail in earnest.

Day 2: Kenosha Pass to Breckenridge
32 miles and 4,750′ of climbing

Our journey along the Colorado Trail begins today with a truly epic section of riding: from the heights of Kenosha Pass, through miles of hard-to-access wilderness, to the ski resort of Breckenridge, along the famous I-70 ski corridor. By beginning our day with a shuttle ride to the top of Kenosha Pass, we save ourselves a bit of grueling, uphill pedaling. Still, there is plenty of climbing to be done today, with nearly 5,000 feet of gain overall, much of it in the first half of the ride. All that work will feel well worth it, however, as you enjoy nearly 10 miles of rolling, swooping descent to conclude the day’s ride.

When you reach the main road in Breckenridge, your Lizard Head vehicle will be waiting to transport you to a comfortable accommodation, a well-earned shower, and of course a delicious dinner. This is what the Self-guided Colorado Trail MTB tour is all about!

Day 3: Copper Mountain to Tennessee Pass
24 miles and 4,120′ of climbing

Today marks the first time we’ll experience a quintessential Colorado Trail experience: a long, grinding climb up the flank of a stunning Rocky Mountain peak. Specifically, we’ll begin the day climbing from 9,700′ to a high point of 12,300′ — the gain is spread over 11 miles, however, and our high-quality Scott bikes (with a wide range of gears!) will make steady work of the route.

After reaching our high point and crossing the Continental Divide (and soaking up some stunning alpine vistas), we’ll enjoy a ripping descent alongside Cataract Creek before a final handful of rolling miles to reconnect with our vehicle and support crew at Tennessee Pass. From there it’s a short shuttle to the famous trail town of Leadville, CO (home of the Leadville 100 MTB Race!).

Day 4: Leadville to Clear Creek Reservoir
32 miles and 3,240′ of climbing

Rolling out from Leadville, we’ll begin to traverse the east side of the jagged Collegiate Peaks (the range is so long it’ll take us two days to do so!). Today’s ride gets easier as it goes. The initial miles, as we climb towards Mt. Elbert (the highest point in Colorado at 14,439′) and skirt its rugged east flank, are challenging, with a few punchy climbs. In the second part of the day we’ll enjoy some flat miles as we skirt Twin Lakes before a final rolling section to our end for the day: Clear Creek Reservoir, a short shuttle ride away from tonight’s accommodations in Buena Vista.

 

Day 5: Rainbow Lake to Monarch Pass
36 miles and 5,450′ of climbing

The last day on the Colorado Trial is a special one, as we wrap up our traverse of the Collegiate Peaks and make our way to Monarch Pass. Today doesn’t have a single, acute climb. Instead, the route rolls up and down all day, as challenging uphill sections link seamlessly into joy-filled descents. Despite the burly stats (over 5,000′ of climbing), today should feel easier than expected as we enjoy the benefit of having 4 days of riding behind us to get adjusted, and the psychological boost of knowing we’re reaching the end of an epic journey. Well done!

Day 6: Celebratory Ride in Doctor Park
22 miles and 2,990′ of climbing

After traversing a significant portion of the Colorado Trail, and conquering some challenging riding along the way, a celebration is certainly in order! In our mind, there’s no better way to celebrate than a ride in Doctor Park, on of our favorite mountain biking spots in the whole spot. Here, we’ll enjoy pristine singletrack that winds through Aspen forests and alpine meadows. It’s Colorado riding at its very best!

This evening we’ll enjoy a final, delicious meal together in Gunnison as we share stories from an epic self-guided tour of the Colorado Trail, and speak excitedly of future adventures as epic as this one was.

 

Lodging-Based Colorado Trail MTB Tour: Logistics & FAQs

POST TOUR NOTES: Post tour lodging is not included. On the morning of Day 7, guests are encouraged to fly out of Gunnison, CO (GUC). If flights out of Gunnison are not feasible for your travel plans, please contact us to discuss arranging a shuttle to Denver on the evening of Day 6 or the morning of Day 7.

Bike Shipping

Lizard Head Cycling recommends shipping with BikeFlights.com. Bikes can be shipped either to our partner bike shop in each meeting town for professional assembly or directly to the meeting hotel for self-assembly. Bike boxes can generally be left at the meeting hotel during the tour. Bikes shipped across the continental US should be shipped 8 days prior to your tour.

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