Montana Gravel Camp
An off-the-beaten-path mountain adventure
Discover the less-traveled, scenic roads of Big Sky Country.
Ready for an epic backcountry gravel adventure? Join us in Montana, where we’ll show you our favorite routes based on 20 years of pedaling around Big Sky Country. Our home base for the week is the Cliff Ranch in Ovando, just 45 minutes away from downtown Missoula. We’ll ride on mostly smooth, double-track dirt roads in search of that famous champagne gravel. We’ll plunge down fun mountain descents and muscle up challenging climbs along the way. This camp includes riding sections of the Great Divide, an over-3,000-mile route that stretches from Canada to Mexico. Expect stunning scenery, serene roads and perfectly cool riding conditions. To top it all off, a Cycling House chef will prepare you a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Highlights
- Five days of guided, supported gravel rides in Montana’s backcountry
- Accommodations at the charming 3,500 acre Cliff Ranch on the edge of the Blackfoot River.
- Chef-prepared, daily meals featuring local Montana produce
- Variety of off-pavement routes, including rides on the Great Divide mountain bike route
- Idyllic early fall riding conditions on quiet, scenic roads
Food
We prepare delicious meals specifically for endurance athletes, with an emphasis on lean proteins, leafy greens, root veggies and plenty of flavorful side dishes. We work directly with the local community to source regional ingredients whenever possible, which our chefs use to create diverse, interesting dishes inspired from around the world. You can count on us to take care of breakfast, lunch and dinner. We are sure to accommodate all dietary preferences and restrictions.
Accommodations
Nestled in the heart of the Blackfoot River Valley just 1 hour away from Missoula, the historic Cliff Ranch is the home base for our adventure on two wheels. Enjoy waking up to picturesque mountain and forest views as we take off on our daily rides.
ITINERARY
Welcome to Montana!
Riders arrive in Montana, and we’ll shuttle to our home base for the week: the Cliff Ranch. Our pro mechanics will get to work on fitting riders to rental bikes or building riders’ personal bikes, then we’ll head out on a welcome spin before the trip briefing and dinner.
Today’s Ride:
Arrival day ride: Shorter: 20 miles, 700 feet of climbing
Longer: 31 miles, 2,000 feet of climbing
Seeley to Ovando
Our goal is to find that perfect champagne gravel, and riding in Ovando is our go-to spot for these adventures. Today we’ll tackle a loop route to Ovando (population: 50), a remote historical site on the Lewis and Clark Trail. It’s also home to the scenic Blackfoot River, the inspiration for the movie A River Runs Through It.
Today’s Ride:
Ovando Loop: 41 miles, 1,800 feet of climbing
Ovando Loop Long Option: 48 miles, 3,500 feet of climbing
Point to Point to Holland Lake
Leaving the Cliff Ranch, we’ll head out on a point-to-point ride and end at Holland Lake. The ride traverses the Seeley Swan Valley on the Great Divide bike route offering spectacular views of the Mission and Swan Mountains. The ride will finish at beautiful Holland Lake with a picnic lunch and cold beverages.
Today’s Ride:
Seeley to Holland Lake Long Option: 66 miles, 4,600 feet of climbing
Seely to Holland Lake Short Option: 41 miles, 3,400 fee of climbing
Garnet Ghost Town
After a short shuttle, we will start the ride on the edge of the Blackfoot River. The ride will take us high into the mountains to one of Montana’s most well-preserved ghost towns. After lunch at the ghost town, we have a long fun descent back to the Blackfoot River.
Today’s Ride:
Garnet Ghost Town: 38 miles, 3,400 feet of climbing
Ride the Divide
Our final day takes us on a beautiful point to point ride on the Great Divide Bike route. We start in Lincoln, Montana after a 45-minute shuttle and ride the divide back to the Cliff Ranch.
Today’s Ride:
Ride the Divide: 54 miles, 3,200 feet of climbing
Departure Day
After breakfast and morning coffee, you can enjoy a travel/rest day to absorb an amazing week of epic gravel riding. We’ll shuttle back to Missoula after breaking down and packing bikes.
Today’s Plan:
Checkout and shuttle back to Missoula.
DATES & PRICES
- 2021
- Jun 8 - 13 $3,395 / Person
- Jun 15 - 20 $3,395 / Person
- Aug 31 - Sep 5 $3,395 / Person
- Sep 7 - 12 $3,395 / Person
- 2022
- May 31 - Jun 5 $3,695 / Person
- Jun 7 - 12 $3,695 / Person
- Aug 30 - Sep 4 $3,695 / Person
- Sep 6 - 11 $3,695 / Person
DETAILS
What’s Included
- 5 nights/6 days accommodations at The Cliff Ranch
- Airport transfers to/from Ovando
- All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) for 6 days
- Mechanical support (including bike build and breakdown)
- Professional trip guides
- Daily sag support
- Ride nutrition products
- High-quality ride photos
- WiFi access
- Question about COVID-19 and what we’re doing to keep our guides and guests healthy and safe? Contact us.
What’s Not Included
- Airfare
- Single occupancy rate
- Bike rentals
- Café stops
- Gratuity for guides
- Personal shopping
Optional Activities
- Core/stretching sessions
- Trail runs or hikes
- Fly Fishing
Questions?
BIKE OPTIONS
Rent A Bike
Traveling through the airport with a bike—and paying for it to fly—is not everyone’s idea of a fun way to start a vacation. Fortunately, we offer high-quality, full carbon bikes on all of our trips across the United States and Europe. Want to just show up and ride? Just bring your shoes, pedals, helmet, and saddle (if you want), and rent one of ours.
Bring Your Own
Your bike is yours—we get it. Bringing your own bike has obvious advantages in terms of individual comfort. Before your trip, we suggest getting a tune-up at your local bike shop so it’s ready to roll for your week of riding. Once you arrive, we’ll be sure to have our mechanics build it and help with any necessary tweaks. Check out some helpful resources here:
Skip The Bike
If you or your travel partner want to enjoy the trip and explore a new destination without a bike, drop us a line and we’ll discuss options. Some trips are better suited for non-rider participants than others.
TRIP TEAM
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