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This is a one of a kind tour unlike any other we’ve come across. Over 10 days of world class riding, you’ll travel to a handful of the most quaint mountain towns in all of Colorado with spectacular Rocky Mountain views in between. We’ll start in Durango and head to the gorgeous town of Telluride, followed by a drop into a box canyon and the Swiss-inspired town of Ouray, then a 2 day visit in Lake City, over to the old west mining town of Silverton and finally after 4 days on the best section of the Colorado Trail we end back in Durango. You’ll enjoy a mix of comfortable lodging in each town along with 4 nights camping under the starry skies of the Rocky Mountains. We’ll travel in style with good food, massages, laundry service and even a nice shower when we camp.
Our staff will greet you at your gate at the Durango/La Plata County Airport, relieve you of your luggage, and bring you into town where your room in downtown Durango is waiting. Situated just a short walk from the historic downtown area, you are free to explore on your own as the staff make final preparations and take care of your fellow guests arriving throughout the day. Grab a sandwich and a beer on the patio at one of several local brewpubs, walk historic Main Street, or pick up some last minute supplies at our partner local bike shop.
We’ll meet up that evening to discuss our plan, make sure that you are well situated, that your bike and all your gear are ready to roll and that all your needs are being met.
We start and end our tour in the historic town of Durango, CO. Durango was founded in 1880 when the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad built a track to Silverton and established Durango as the hub of its rail system to transport ore from the mountains to smelters in Durango. The narrow gauge railroad survives today as a beautiful tourist attraction, transporting visitors to Silverton along the Animas River and the Animas River Gorge. Durango is also one of the cycling hubs of the United States that many professional cyclists call home.
Our route from to Durango to Telluride includes the well-known Hermosa Creek Trail, a 22 mile forested singletrack. Our next leg is a climb up to Graysill Mine and then over Bolam Pass. From Bolam Pass we’ll descend to Telluride on a several great singletrack trails with unbelievable views of Lizard Head Wilderness and the San Miguel River Valley.
The town of Columbia was established in the Telluride valley in 1880. Because of confusion with another mining camp, Columbia, California, the United States Post Office refused to grant the town a local branch. Thus, Columbia, Colorado, was changed to Telluride. This name was probably derived from tellurium (ironically, not found here), a nonmetallic element often associated with rich mineral deposits of gold. The other theory is that the town was named for the famous send-off, “To-hell-u-ride!” given to fortune seekers heading to the southern San Juan’s.
Today, Telluride's population is less than half of what it was during its mining heyday; it is now estimated at 2,000 residents. Miners have been replaced by (or have become) skiers and festivals have grown up and improved, but Telluride's history is intact.
From Telluride we head for Ouray, a Swiss-inspired mountain town nestled deep in a box canyon. We will travel high altitude dirt roads over Imogene Pass and down toward Ouray. If there’s time, we’ll shuttle the group up to Yankee Boy Basin for lunch before finishing our ride down into Ouray.
Ouray has been a destination of world travelers for more than 100 years. This small intimate community is nestled in some of the most rugged and towering peaks of the Rockies. Set at the narrow head of a valley and surrounded on three sides with 13,000 feet snowcapped peaks - Ouray has been eloquently nicknamed the "Switzerland of America." Two-thirds of Ouray's original Victorian structures, both private and commercial, are still occupied, and have been lovingly restored in order to preserve their turn-of-the-century charm.
Upon arrival in Ouray we’ll quickly make our way over to the Ouray Hot Springs Pool for a well-deserved soak before dinner and a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow we start off with a short shuttle to avoid the treacherous 550 Highway and then onto the Alpine Loop Road toward our next destination, Lake City. We’ll cross over lofty Engineer Pass today before the long downhill into Lake City. This crossing is quite a challenge; so don’t be afraid to hitch a ride for a spell on the 4x4 jeep today.
In some ways, it’s a wonder that Lake City is so well preserved. Many western frontier towns succumbed to fires or were abandoned by dreamers gone bust.
But Lake City remains intact, with its wood plank boardwalks, for you to enjoy. It might look like a town that time forgot, but we have lots of lively things to do, and, if you like, there are plenty of real ghost towns around us for you to explore.
We’ll have a rest day here in Lake City the day after our arrival. Generally, we’ll leave you to explore on your own and get some rest, but we’d feel bad if you missed the Hardtack Mine Tour. The owner is a one-time hard rock miner himself and has a wealth of mining and mineral expertise. His knowledge of the local mining history is unmatched and you can tell it on this tour. Come see how the miners really lived and experience the bygone age of Lake City mining.
Following our rest day we’ll rejoin the Alpine Loop Road and head for Cinnamon Pass and onto Silverton. The views on this stretch are spectacular; perhaps none more than the view of American Basin. Once over Cinnamon Pass we’ll give our braking muscles a workout on the long descent into Silverton.
The Silverton district opened legally to miners in 1874, following the Brunot Treaty with the Ute Native Americans. An estimated 200 men moved into the region that year. They came from across the U.S., many parts of Europe and even China, to endure severe winters and dangerous mining conditions in their pursuit of the minerals they hoped would make them rich. Not all who settled were miners. By 1875 the 100 “sturdy souls” who lived in Silverton proper worked in the post office, sawmills, blacksmith shop, mercantile, newspaper, liquor stores, smelters or assay office. The town’s population grew to 500 by 1876. Life was not easy for any of them. Statistics from Silverton’s cemetery note causes of death in early Silverton as 117 from snow slides, 143 from miner’s consumption, 161 from pneumonia, 138 from influenza (most in the 1918 epidemic) and 202 from mine accidents.
Today’s Silverton, with a population or 500, is a tribute to the survival of a gritty, tough community for whom quitting was never an option. The entire town has been designated a National Historic Landmark. It is a favorite destination for train fans, history buffs, and outdoor enthusiasts. Silverton remains Silver Queen of Colorado, beloved by those who live here and those who come to visit.
Our next leg of the tour, and the home stretch, is on the state’s gem, The Colorado Trail. We’ll start with another short shuttle of Highway 550, but we’ll soon be pedaling on the CT from Molas Pass. This is arguably the most challenging day of the entire tour and there is no bail out, so we’ll get an early start. This is a good day to ride in the van if you’re not feeling up to a challenge. We’ll spend the next 4 days riding the Colorado Trail, camping under starry skies and finally arriving at our point of origin, Durango.
After a great week of riding, we love to celebrate the end of the trip with a group dinner in town. We’ll shuttle back into Durango where we’ll spend this final night at a hotel near historic downtown. Take a few hours to relax and clean up, then we’ll meet at the hotel to stroll over to our closing dinner celebration. This is a great time for everyone to reflect on their experiences and tell war stories accumulated from the many great miles of singletrack. Hermosa Tours thank our guests tonight with some goofy awards and some unique gift bags. Cheers!
If you are leaving the next day Hermosa Tours will shuttle you to the airport for your flight home.
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