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 15 years of pedaling around Big Sky Country. Our home base for the week is the Double Arrow Lodge in Seeley Lake, 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 Double Arrow Lodge
- Chef-prepared, daily meals featuring local Montana produce
- Variety of off-pavement routes, including rides on the Great Divide mountain bike route
- Idyllic early summer or fall riding conditions on quiet, scenic roads
Food
We prepare family-style 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 Seeley Swan Valley just 45 minutes away from Missoula, the historic Double Arrow Lodge is the home base for our adventure on two wheels. The rustic-yet-luxurious lodge, which was built in 1929, has the feel of a bed and breakfast but with the amenities of a resort. 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 Double Arrow Lodge. 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 Seeley Lake is our go-to spot for these adventures. Today we’ll tackle an out-and-back 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:
Seeley to Ovando: Shorter: 28 miles, 1,850 feet of climbing
Longer: 55 miles, 3,600 feet of climbing
Morrell Mountain Lookout
We’ll climb up to 7,700 feet at the Morrell Mountain Lookout, which sits atop Morrell Mountain and overlooks Seeley Lake below.
Today’s Ride:
Morrell Mountain Lookout: Shorter: 26.4 miles, 1,500 feet of climbing.
Longer: 39.6 miles, 4,300 feet of climbing
Seeley to Holland Lake
Leaving Seeley Lake, we’ll head out on a point-to-point ride and end at Holland Lake.
Today’s Ride:
Seeley to Holland Lake: 36.9 miles, 2,385 feet of climbing
Rice Ridge Loop
Our final day takes us on a loop out from Seeley Lake and back.
Today’s Ride:
Rice Ridge Loop: 51.9 miles, 4,080 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
- 2020
- Sep 1 - 6 $2,895 / Person
DETAILS
What’s Included
- 5 nights/6 days accommodations at The Double Arrow Lodge
- Airport transfers to/from Seeley Lake
- 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
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
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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