Montana

Montana Gravel

An off-the-beaten-path mountain adventure
Guest Reviews 5
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  • From $3975
  • Location Ovando, MT
  • Duration 6 Days / 5 Nights
  • Rider Level 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

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 primarily 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 bike route
  • Idyllic 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

Riders arrive in Montana, and we’ll shuttle to our home base for the week: the Cliff Ranch. Our 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: 22 miles & 1,100′

 

We start the morning out with a 45-minute shuttle to Seeley Lake. The ride traverses the Seeley Swan Valley on the Great Divide bike route offering spectacular views of the Mission and Swan Mountains. We will have an optional 7 miles of single-track along the Swan Crest Trail, many Great Divide riders call this the most scenic portion of their 2,600-mile journey from Canada to Mexico. All the options offer spectacular views on some of Montana’s finest backroads.

Today’s Ride:

Ride the Divide (No Single-track): 37-54 miles & 3,000-3,400′

Ride the Divide  (Includes Singletrack: 52 Miles & 4,700′

Ride the Divide Epic (Includes Single-track): 70 miles & 5,100′

We start our morning with a  short 20-minute shuttle to Ovando.  The ride will take us into the Blackfoot Valley and meander on beautiful gravel roads with views that make you realize why they call it Big Sky Country.

Today’s Ride:

Big Sky Country Loop: 42 miles & 1,300′

We aim 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.

The last aide station has an optional Out & Back to McCabe Trailhead with beautiful views. +8 Miles & 900′.

 

Today’s Ride:

Ovando Loop: 42-50 miles & 3,000′-4,000′

Shorter Option: 36 miles & 2,000′

Our final day takes us on a beautiful point-to-point ride through the Nevada Ogden Valley towards Helmville. The climb up Nevada Ogden Mountain is well worth it; we are rewarded with a fun and fast final descent. We finish up with a picnic lunch on the Blackfoot River before shuttling home.  

Today’s Ride:

Nevada Ogden Mountain: 41 miles & 2,800′

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

DETAILS

What’s Included

  • 5 nights/6 days accommodations
  • Transfers to/from Missoula, MT
  • Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • Bike build and breakdown
  • Professional cycling guides
  • Vehicle sag support
  • Ride nutrition products
  • Tools available to use
  • High-quality ride photos

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 +$
  • Swimming in the rivers and lakes
  • Horseback Riding +$

Questions?

Have more questions? View our FAQ page or call us at 406-312-5770.
SEE ALL FAQs

BIKE OPTIONS

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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.

Available this trip:
Cervelo Aspero 2021-Tucson Rental Bike
Cervelo Aspero Road/Gravel Bike
Manufacturer: Cervelo
Type: Gravel Bike
Cost: $300 / trip
Specialized Vado SL 4.0 E-Bike
Manufacturer: Specialized
Type: Gravel Bike
Cost: $300 / trip
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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:

Shipping your bike

Flying with your bike.

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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

GUEST REVIEWS

Share your trip experience with others by leaving a review.

LEAVE A REVIEW
Tom H., Syracuse, NY
September 17, 2019
I had a wonderful time and I was sorry I had to leave. For my first gravel ride, I enjoyed it immensely. I have already suggested it to several people that I know, so hopefully, they will sign up in the future. Great trip and the staff ALWAYS makes the camps a joy to be part of. I would rate all the camps I have been to a 10++. My wife and I will probably be signing up for the Glacier Yellowstone trip next year!
John, Salt Lake City, UT
September 30, 2019
The trip met the expectations from people that recommended the company to me.
Show All Reviews
Tom H., Syracuse, NY
September 17, 2019
I had a wonderful time and I was sorry I had to leave. For my first gravel ride, I enjoyed it immensely. I have already suggested it to several people that I know, so hopefully, they will sign up in the future. Great trip and the staff ALWAYS makes the camps a joy to be part of. I would rate all the camps I have been to a 10++. My wife and I will probably be signing up for the Glacier Yellowstone trip next year!
John, Salt Lake City, UT
September 30, 2019
The trip met the expectations from people that recommended the company to me.
Barbara B., Atlanta, GA
October 9, 2019
As always, the Cycling House is simply the best. Great organization, great rides, great food, fun guests and the best support. This is my 3rd Cycling House tour and each has been outstanding!
Andy G., Nashville, TN
December 8, 2019
The Cycling House is top-notch. I’ve taken two trips with them (Mallorca and Montana Gravel) and plan to make a TCH trip an annual retreat. Their staff is fantastic. I’d go on a trip with TCH just to hang out with them for a week. Great folks. The routes, food, accommodations, vibe, and attention to detail are what I’d expect at a Five-Star resort. I’d rank my trips with TCH among the best weeks of my life. I’m looking forward to many more.
Tim H., Seattle, WA
September 20, 2023
Run, do not walk, to reserve a trip with The Cycling House if you can. Look no further for the most premium and fun hosted/guided cycling experience you will find. Super fun, super encouraging trip leaders and guides make for a remarkable trip. Oh yeah and the terrain and landscape views don't hurt either. As someone who has planned their own trips like this in the past, the experience of "just show up and everything is taken care of" is an amazing experience...and true. I literally just showed up and rode bikes. Transport, thinking about weather/rides, mechanics, food, lodging...I was able to escape reality for a week and just have an amazing time with my bike and meeting new friends of all walks of life.