Colorado Cols
5-Day: Ultimate High Country Loop
or 7-Day: Grand Junction Loop
Wheeling Through Colorado’s High Country
If you are looking for cool mountain temperatures, wildflowers, above tree line views and quiet roads, this is your tour.
Tour Dates
NOTE: Whoever is first to open to tour date (by being the first to sign up) may select either the 5-Day ‘Ultimate High Country Loop’ or the Standard 7-Day ‘Grand Junction Loop’ version of this tour.
2023
- June 11 – 17
- Ride to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival!
- June 18 – 24 *Confirmed
- June 25 – Jul 1 *Confirmed
- July 16 – 22 *Confirmed
- 5-day Ultimate High Country – 3-nights camping & 1 night lodging
- July 23 – 29 *Confirmed
- July 30 – Aug 5
- August 6 – 12 *Confirmed
- August 13 – 19
- August 20 – 26
- August 27 – Sep 2
- September 4 – 9
2024
- Contact me for the full list of dates.
Tour Details
- Duration: 7-days;
5-day option available (ask for details) - Ride Type: Road
- Difficulty: Advanced / Expert
- Average Daily Mileage: 60 – 132
- Price from: $3,300 (7-day); $2,550 (5-day)
As Colorado locals, we believe this is among the finest Colorado Bike Tour offered – the Colorado Cols.
This carefully crafted cycling adventure spins a stunning route through the picturesque Grand Mesa, Gunnison, and White River National Forests plus over some iconic mountain passes (called “cols” in Europe) including:
- Kebler Pass
- Cottonwood Pass (newly paved)
- Independence Pass
- McClure Pass
We also visit and spend time in both Crested Butte and Aspen – two very different, but equally enchanting Rocky Mountain towns.
Southwestern Colorado is the most remote area of the state and therefore has the least amount of vehicular traffic.
Although this Colorado bike tour is advanced, it’s not as hard as it may sound. The median age of our guests on this tour is around 50 years.
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.
Tour Itinerary
DAY 1 – Grand Mesa Scenic Byway
DAY 2 – Paonia to Crested Butte via Kebler Pass
DAY 3 – Layover Day near Crested Butte; Optional road & mountain biking
DAY 4 – Crested Butte to Buena Vista via Cottonwood Pass
DAY 5 – Buena Vista to Aspen/Snowmass via Independence Pass
DAY 6 – Layover Day: Maroon Bells and Castle Creek
DAY 7 – Aspen to Paonia via McClure Pass
* Request the full itinerary via the contact form below.
Tour Highlights
- Rim Rock Drive
- Kebler Pass and Marcellina Mtn
- West Elk Mountains and Molas Pass
- Pine and Aspen Forests
- Crested Butte
- Optional MTB ride of Slate Creek, Paradise Divide, Baldy Mountain, and Gothic Valley
- Cottonwood Pass and its 20-mile descent
- Independence Pass
- The enchanting towns of Aspen & Crested Butte
- Rio Grande Trail – 26 car-free miles!
- McClure Pass to Paonia
- Summit the world’s largest flat topped mountain, Grand Mesa
Inclusions
- 6-days of guide service
- 6-nights of lodging
- Mechanical support
- Support vehicle
- Meals: 4-breakfasts, 6-lunches, 5-dinners
- Entrance fees
- Energy food, snacks, and non-alcoholic refreshments
Elation, beauty, laughter, self-knowledge, timelessness, satisfaction, discovery – this and more on every tour with you.
– Jim A
~~~
This trip was fantastic – we had the best time ever. I am pretty sure I want to come back to North America to ride my bike again. We were lucky to have a great weather day by day, the itinerary was perfectly set up, we enjoyed all kind of landscapes, we had a nice bunch of cyclists and there was always a warm and friendly atmosphere in the group and with the guides. We took home a huge number of beautiful pictures but those most memorable are written deeply into our memories. This trip exceeded my best expectations and my thanks go to all of you organizers.
– Tomas
