Today, we will be do Billings (BIL) airport and hotel pickups in the morning. Upon arrival, guests will check in at The Pollard Hotel in Red Lodge, Montana. Our chefs will have lunch prepared for us before our arrival day spin. We will have time to settle in, finish building bikes, and fit folks into their rental bikes. Our ride is an out-and-back that will give us a taste of what lies ahead on Beartooth Pass. Once we arrive back at The Pollard Hotel, we will have time to relax before our camp briefing and introductions before dinner.

Today’s ride:

Arrival spin in Red Lodge: 18 miles, 1,500′

Accommodations:

The Pollard Hotel

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 worth the effort; you get views in both directions since it’s out-and-back. The ride is reminiscent of the Galibier, a famous route in the Tour de France, with most of the climb above the tree line.

Today’s Ride:

Beartooth Pass Highway: 55-63 miles, 5,600- 6,300′

Accommodations:

The Pollard Hotel

Today’s route will take us North toward White Sulphur Springs, Montana. We shuttle from Red Lodge to Melville or Two Dot – 2-2.5 hours.

After a big day on Beartooth Pass, we downshift with fewer miles and less climbing. Gravel curious? Today is your day!

In 2023 we introduced a hard-packed gravel segment and it was a hit! The route starts in Melville at a white-steepled church with a dramatic backdrop of the Crazy Mountains. The first 5 miles are paved and then we hit the champagne gravel. The views are fantastic and you get the true essence of Big Sky Country on a Montana backroad. Honestly, we prefer this route to the pavement, and you can easily ride this with a 28c tire; our rentals have 32c slicks. The final 7 miles are pavement, and we finish up in Two Dot, population 26. Post-ride, we have lunch and shuttle 45 minutes to White Sulphur Springs.

Not into gravel; no worries! We have. a fully paved route that starts in Two Dot and finishes in White Sulphur Springs. The route traverses the Valley between the Crazy and Little Belt mountains passing a couple of beautiful reservoirs.

Ultimately everyone will end up at the Spa Hot Springs Motel, where we can soothe our aching muscles with a natural hot spring soak.

Today’s Ride:

Melville to Two Dot: 33 miles, 1,300′ *Includes 21 miles of hard-packed gravel.*

Two Dot to White Sulphur Springs: 47 miles, 2,400′ *Full Pavement*

Accommodations:

Spa Hot Springs Motel

Today, we start from White Sulphur Springs, heading North on the Kings Hill Scenic Byway.  At mile 30, we hit our high point for the day, Showdown Ski Resort. The climb up to the ski resort is gradual, and the long, gradual descent of the other side makes it worth the effort.  The final 20 miles have a net loss, and we finish in the small town of Monarch, where we will have lunch.  After lunch, we have a 3-hour shuttle from Monarch to East Glacier.  We will stay at Jacobson Cottages in East Glacier, Montana, for the next two nights.

Today’s Ride:

Kings Hill Scenic Byway: 53 Miles, 3,000′ 

Accommodations:

Jacobson Cottages

Today, we head North and slowly start to climb up Looking Glass Pass, one of our favorite mountain passes in Montana. The views of Glacier National Park are spectacular! At the top guests can choose to drop down to the other side and ride back up. All guests will eventually descend back towards East Glacier, but we will make a right-hand turn towards Two Medicine Lake and Glacier National Park. At the lake, we will have towels and we highly suggest making a mid-ride plunge in the crystal clear glacial-fed Two Medicine Lake. Post-swim, you can pedal back to Jacobson Cottages or jump in the van and save the legs for Going to the Sun. The shorter ride will set us up for a big day over Going to the Sun Road on our final day of riding.

Today’s Ride:

Looking Glass Pass & Two Medince: 30-36 Miles, 2,400-3,400′ 

Accommodations:

Jacobson Cottages

Going to the Sun Road is a bucket-list ride with some of the best views you will ever see from the bicycle seat. We will have an optional shuttle to St Mary’s to cut off some mileage. The ride from East Glacier North over Looking Glass Pass –a staff favorite with fantastic views into Two Medicine.  The ride takes us North over several smaller passes before topping out on St Mary’s Pass, offering us breathtaking views of St Mary Lake and Glacier National Park.  In St Mary, we enter Glacier National Park and begin our journey on Going-to-the-Sun Road.  Before descending to Lake McDonald, the road crosses the Continental Divide –topping out at Logan Pass. The climb is just under 8 miles long and gains 2,000 feet with an average grade of 5%. The view from Logan Pass is spectacular.  Going to the Sun Road is an excellent opportunity to see wildlife, including mountain goats, marmots, black bears, grizzlies, and many other critters.  The ride will finish at Lake Mcdonald, where we will have a picnic lunch before shuttling by van to  The Glacier Guides Lodge in West Glacier.

Today’s Ride:

Going to the Sun: 40-68 Miles, 2,600-5,700′ 

Accommodations:

Glacier Guides Lodge

After the last group breakfast, we’ll shuttle everyone to Glacier International Airport (FCA).

We’ll be running shuttles to the airport or West Glacier, Whitefish, Columbia Falls or Kalispell Hotels.