San Juans of CO
The most beautiful range in Colorado? Let us know after you’ve joined us for ALL our adventures!
Departure on July 11 - July 14
$2275
Arrive by Thursday night 7/10 in Salida
25 hours of total saddle time, 473 Miles, Intermediate skills
Join us as we explore the wonders of Central Colorado and the San Juan Mtns of southwestern Colorado. This trip promises to be an unforgettable adventure, showcasing some of Colorado's most rugged scenery and striking backcountry routes and visits to some of our most notorious mining camps and towns, some of them still incredibly well preserved.
We begin in Salida, crossing the Continental Divide within the first hour. We will cross several passes on our first day, while visiting a few of our historic mining gems along the way towards the San Juan’s. Our first night finds us camping under the vast canopy of stars that you will become accustomed to on this trip. There are no large communities along our journey so light pollution is at an absolute minimum, allowing the wonders of the night sky to enthrall us.
After a brief stop on our second morning to refuel and take in the scenery of Lake City, we head into the heart of the San Juan’s where the jaw dropping alpine views will truly take your breath away. Well, the high elevations might be part of that too!! We will crest 4 passes all over 12,500 ft today, taking in the awe inspiring views and enjoying the camaraderie of an adventure though some of the highest dirt roads in our country.
We continue the journey, stopping in some of the state’s iconic mining camps, like Animas Forks, Bachelor Gulch, Creede, Summitville, and Bonanza before returning to Salida on an old mountain road carved into the landscape by the famous 1880’s Colorado road builder, Otto Mears.
This adventure is a fully supported off-road motorcycle experience, where you’ll travel through some of the most historic and highest elevation areas of the West. Forget hotels and crowded campsites—this is about sleeping in the backcountry, enjoying some of the biggest mountain views anywhere and cooking around a campfire, and truly disconnecting from the modern world.
Get ready for an unforgettable journey to the highest points in the country that you can ride a motorcycle and takes you beyond the ordinary and immerses you in the true spirit of the Mountain West!
Day 1: Salida to Cold Spring Park/Los Pinos Pass
We begin our journey in the charming riverside community of Salida, a railroad and supply hub for the mining regions all around during the boom of the 1880’s. Today Salida is one the state’s outdoor recreation capitals with the Arkansas River flowing right through downtown. As we roll out of town, leaving the vast river valley in our mirrors, we climb immediately to Marshall Pass, crossing the Continental Divide for the first time. Enjoy the stunning panoramic views as we head for Black Sage Pass and Waunita Pass, before dropping into Pitkin, an old mining community with rich history and funky mountain vibe.
As we make our way towards Lake City, we will end our day camping in the peaceful alpine meadows of Cold Spring Park/Los Pinos Pass area, surrounded by wildflowers and the quiet beauty of the mountains, having been treated to sweeping landscapes, towering mountains, and untouched wilderness, making for an awe-inspiring introduction to the trip.
~130 Miles, 10:00 Departure from TBD
Day 2: Cold Spring Park to Bristol Head
The second day promises to be a true highlight of your backcountry travels, as we venture deep into the heart of the truly majestic San Juan Mountains. Be sure to be awake as we start our day with the breathtaking descent into the hamlet of Lake City, nestled in a picturesque valley. We head up the photo worthy Hensen Creek drainage to crest the famous Engineer Pass, with a quick stop at Odom Point (known locally as OMG Pt, and you will see why!!). A quick detour will take us to Animas Forks, a beautifully preserved ghost town frozen in time with its old mining buildings standing tall against the backdrop of the wild landscape. An out and back to California Pass and Hurricane Pass takes us into the true heart of the glorious surrounding mountains, topping out at 13,000’. Then we head back down towards Animas Forks and for Cinnamon Pass, wrapping up our quartet of some of Colorado’s highest and most breathtaking dirt routes in the world. These passes offer jaw-dropping vistas that are sure to leave us speechless as we soak in the high-altitude views before a brief detour into the American Basin area and take in the awe of the surrounding 14,000’ peaks and then make our way to camp along Bristol Head Road, overlooking the headwaters of the meandering Rio Grande River. With no surrounding communities the incredible dark skies let the stars shine brighter than ever.
~ 125 Miles
Day 3: Bristol Head to Carnero Pass
We kick off Day 3 with a visit to North Clear Creek Falls, one of Colorado’s most photographed landmarks, with the stream cascading over a canyon rim in stunning fashion.
From there, it is time to explore the historic mining area of Bachelor Gulch, a hidden gem of the San Juans, before heading into Creede, a town seemingly carved into the surrounding rock walls with its unique mining heritage. Our route then takes us for a ride along the gorgeous Park Creek drainage, heading toward Summitville, an abandoned mining settlement offering another glimpse into Colorado’s mining past near the New Mexico border, with it’s remnants of a bygone era. One highlight of the day is the ascent of Grayback Mountain (12,600'), where the vistas stretch over all of southern Colorado and northern New Mexico. We’ll wind down our journey with a stop at Penitente Canyon, for a quick walk amongst the hoodoos and canyons of the park, before camping near the wooded and serene Carnero Pass, for our final evening under the stars.
~144 Miles
While we will make every effort to ensure this is the route we follow for your trip, we reserve the right to alter the route due to road/trail conditions/closures, weather conditions, rider ability, timing, safety, etc. Please remember the variables that none of us can control and prepare yourselves! We look forward to sharing an adventure with you.
Day 4: Carnero Pass back to Salida
On Day 4, we roll over Ute Pass, for a bumpy descent into the old mining community of Bonanza, and we will stop and tour one of the better preserved mining mills in the whole state, the Cocomongo Mill. Depending time, we may even have time for a quick swim in a local mountain lake just up a fun road from the old mill.
From there, we head up and over the notorious Otto Mears Toll Road, an historic road carved into the mountains in the 1870’s to supply the mining boom that built Bonanza throughout the 1880’s. We end up at the base of the Marshall Pass Road, right where we started a few days earlier and a lifetime of experiences ago!!
We will roll back into Salida with enough time to clean up before we rally one last time for a celebration dinner at an iconic local eatery.
~74 Miles, Arrive Salida 4:30
Minimum Gas Range per tank necessary - ~ 175 miles