Riders arrive at Glacier Park International Airport (FCA), and we will shuttle to the Glacier Outdoor Center. Our chefs will have lunch prepared as we settle in and finish building bikes and fitting rentals. Our arrival day spin will be an out-and-back route into Glacier National Park for a small taste of what lies ahead. On the way back, we will make a quick stop for an optional swim in the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Once we return to the Great Northern Resort, we will have some time to relax before we do our camp briefing and introductions before dinner and our first night under the Big Sky!

Today’s ride:

Arrival spin in West Glacier: 29 miles, 1,770 feet of climbing

We’ll get an early start to avoid traffic on this very memorable day on the bike. Going-to-the Sun Road is a bucket-list ride with some of the best views you will ever see from the saddle. The climb itself is just under 11 miles long and gains 3,200 feet with an average grade of 5%. The road crosses the Continental Divide, topping out at Logan Pass before descending to Saint Mary Lake. The view from Logan Pass is spectacular and well worth a stop. From the pass, you can take a quick walk out on the boardwalk toward Hidden Lake. You may spot some wildlife, including mountain goats, marmots, black bears and grizzlies. As we exit Glacier National Park, we will continue south to St. Mary’s Pass towards East Glacier. The final climb of the day will be up Looking Glass Pass, a staff favorite with amazing views into the Two Medicine region. We’ll spend the night in East Glacier, originally an Amtrak stop on the outskirts of Glacier National Park.

Today’s ride:

West to East Glacier on Going-to-the-Sun Road:

Main route: 58 miles,  5,500 feet of climbing

Long route: 81 miles, 7,400 feet of climbing

We head east toward Browning inside the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. After passing Browning, we head southwest toward Heart Butte along the Rocky Mountain Front. The ride can be windy, but the views will not disappoint. Our lunch stop will be in Heart Butte at mile 40. We’ll finish in Dupuyer, a classic small Montana ranching town, where we’ll rest for the night at Buffalo Joe’s. Dupuyer is one of the oldest towns along the Rocky Mountain Front (two whiskey traders settled here in 1874), and it offers great views of the Bob Marshall and Great Bear Wilderness.

Today’s ride:

East Glacier to Dupuyer: 68 miles, 2,900 feet of climbing

East Glacier to Dupuyer: 60 miles, 2,600 feet of climbing *12 miles of gravel*

We’ll shuttle to Monarch and get off the beaten path on this spectacularly scenic route to White Sulphur Springs. The first 20 miles climb gradually towards the high point of the day – the Showdown Ski area, where we’ll stop for lunch at 7,400 feet. In the afternoon, we’ll take a trip into White Sulphur Springs for a soak in the developed hot springs or to relax by the lake. That evening, the Cycling House chef will serve dinner in the authentic Willow Creek barn, followed by some amazing stargazing!

Today’s Ride:

Monarch to White Sulphur Springs.

53 miles, 3,600 feet of climbing

Today’s route will take us south towards Yellowstone National Park, parallelling the Bridger and the Crazy Mountains. The ride will have 3 options so that guests can choose between multiple mileages; all the rides start with a shuttle. We will finish at Chico Hot Springs for showers, with the option to soak and have lunch. Once we finish lunch, we will load up in the vans and continue towards Yellowstone National Park. We enter the park in Gardiner, Montana, and have a great opportunity to see the Lamar Valley, buffalo, and a small portion of Yellowstone National Park. We stay in Cooke City, Montana, on the edge of Yellowstone and Wyoming. We will be staying at The High Country Cabins in the stunning small town surrounded by mountains.

Today’s Ride:

Shorter: 25 miles, 1,100 feet of climbing *Excellent recovery ride!*

Main: 56 miles, 2,400 feet of climbing

Longer: 72 miles, 3,700 feet of climbing

We decided riding one bucket-list ride wasn’t enough for this trip, so we added Beartooth Pass. The ride starts in Montana and crosses into Wyoming, climbing many hairpin turns to the summit at 10,947 feet, before circling back into Montana. You’ll get spectacular views of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, home to 25 peaks soaring over 12,000 feet. The climb is well worth the effort, considering the endless views and the recently re-paved descent. The ride is reminiscent of the Galibier, a famous route in the Tour de France, with the majority of the climb above tree-line. The trip finishes in the town of Red Lodge for some real small-town Montana fun.

Today’s Ride:

Beartooth Pass Highway: 58 miles, 5,500 feet of climbing

After the last group breakfast, we’ll shuttle those flying out on Sunday to Billings International Airport (BIL), and shuttle back those who drove back to West Glacier.

Today’s plan:

We’ll be running shuttles to the Billings, MT airport for those that are flying out (1 hr 15 min)

We also have a shuttle back to West Glacier, MT if anybody left a car there or is flying out (fyi, this is 7.5 hrs). +$150/guest