Durango in Colors

Itinerary Details

1. Day 1Hermosa Creek Trail

   After pick up and orientation, you will begin your ride on a true Durango classic.

   After a quick ford of Hermosa Creek, the guides will lead you south down the Hermosa Creek Trail. Like every day, the tour operator will be at the end of the trail waiting with refreshments and snacks.
   

   • 19.9 miles
   • First Class Camping or Casual Inn
   • Lunch and Dinner
2. Day 2Jones Creek Trail

   Today’s ride is physically challenging but simply amazing and well worth your effort. You’ll start by climbing up Jones Creek Trail through thousands of turning aspens. Soon you will top out near the Hermosa Cliffs and stop for a breather and take in the epic views of the Weminuche Wilderness.

   As you turn onto the Pinkerton Flagstaff Trail, the yellow canopy will remain, but the climbing gets a bit more challenging. It’s quite common to do a little pushing in this section. Views both east and west will keep your mind off the climb!

   Soon you’ll swing onto the Dutch Creek Trail. The first few miles of the Dutch Creek Trail are a mix of double track and forest service road, but it quickly turns to singletrack. The vistas from this first leg of singletrack are legendary. The Weminuche comes back into view on your left and the La Plata Mountains reveal themselves to your right. It’s a great place to stop for photos and to “soak it all in.”

   Hold on to your pants –the “soak” is over and you'll be headed downhill on one of the best descents in all Durango. The trail now hugs Dutch Creek itself, which you will cross many times as you weave through aspen groves, through open meadows and over technical root and rock. A final little climb spills you out onto the tail end of Hermosa Creek Trail and a smooth cruise back to the shuttle van.
   

   • 19.9 miles
   • First Class Camping or Casual Inn
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
3. Day 3The Dry Fork Loop

   Today you'll hit a local’s favorite: the Dry Fork Loop. This ride is perfect for a mid‐week recovery. The singletrack climb starts in the high desert scrub oak and ascends to a thick forest of aspen, spruce and Ponderosa pine. The climb is generally very gradual and mild. Eventually, you'll connect to the Colorado Trail and finish on a fast flowy descent back to the waiting van.
   

   • 11.8 miles
   • First Class Camping or Casual Inn
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
4. Day 4Kennebec Pass to Durango

   Kennebec Pass to Durango....a 5000 foot descent....a true Durango classic. Weather permitting, this ride starts at tree line and immediately sends you on a thrill ride down narrow singletrack hugging the mountainside.

   After regrouping at the Champion Venture Road crossing (the alternate start if snow is an issue), the downhill bonanza continues through thick, forested singletrack, past a gorgeous waterfall and finally onto the rocky singletrack cutting through the lush vegetation alongside Junction Creek.

   Wide‐eyed and grinning, you’ll regroup again at the Wall’s Gulch Bridge and start a heavy climb away from Junction Creek....sorry, it can’t ALL be downhill!! The top of the climb makes for a great snack location. Refueled, you’ll take your Time traversing up and down on narrow singletrack through a variety of aspen and pine forest. The beauty of the singletrack in this area is the stuff of which magazine photo spreads are made.

   Finally, you’ll reach what the locals call “High Point”, named for its status as a turnaround for riders climbing up from Durango. They climb, you'll descend. The downhill buzz continues for another 2500 feet of great Colorado Trail singletrack to the Junction Creek Trailhead, the southern terminus of the Colorado Trail.
   

   • 19.9 - 24.9 miles
   • First Class Camping or Casual Inn
   • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
5. Day 5Townie Ride

   The Townie Ride. Sure, Durango is famous for its many backcountry trails, but locals know that a spider web of excellent routes is right in and around town. The tour operator has found that this is a great way to leave a lasting impression on guests –live a day in the life of a Durango mountain biker.

   You’ll start with a breakfast at the area cycling hive, Bread, where there’s a good chance of spotting one of Durango’s many local pros. This bakery serves up a delicious variety of croissants, bagels, cookies, bread, muffins and many more aromatic treats. Once you’ve had your fill and crammed your pack with extra goodies for the ride you’ll climb up the tight singletrack of two new connector trails recently constructed by the local advocacy group, Trails2000 (the tour operator is a proud member and contributor). The top of this climb rewards you with a panoramic view of Durango, the Animas River Valley and the San Juan Mountains. The terrain here is high desert, which you will certainly notice as you snake through junipers and pinon pines.

   Soon you’ll turn south into the Telegraph Trail System, called Horse Gulch by the locals; a trail system IMBA designated an “IMBA Epic.” The Telegraph Trail System includes over 30 miles of singletrack for you to choose from, but rather than outline the route in advance the tour operator likes to gauge the mood of the group and pick a few loops to please everyone.

   You'll be returned to Durango for your future travel by around 4pm.
   

   • 24.9 miles
   • Breakfast and Lunch