Bike Home From Fairplay, CO — Ride There for the Day, or Ride to Another Bus Stop
▼ 4,753 ft net descent to Denver Union Station
The biggest drop on the whole network — nearly 4,800 feet of net descent home across South Park and down Kenosha Pass, where the Colorado Trail crosses US 285. Take the dirt over the top if you have the legs; the pavement version is fast, open, and huge-sky.
🚲 2 rack spaces guaranteed — more usually fit underneath
Bustang's published limit is two bikes on the rack, first-come first-served, with no reservations. In practice the under-bus luggage bay takes more: riders regularly get three or four bikes on a mountain run. Mountain bikes go in the bay with the front wheel off; gravel bikes usually fit underneath as-is, wheels on.
- Take an early departure — the bay fills with luggage later in the day.
- Pull your front wheel before you get to the curb, especially on a mountain bike.
- A group of four should plan to split across two departures if the bay is full.
- Nothing comes inside the cabin, and nobody is responsible for damage. Pack accordingly.
Rack rules:
Bustang FAQ. Real-world capacity from riders who have done it — treat the bay as likely, not guaranteed.
The ride back to Union Station
Same start, same finish, three different bikes — the route changes with what you are riding, not just the surface mix. All three finish at Denver Union Station; plan it to your own address if you live somewhere else.
Road bikeroad
Pavement the whole way, on the quietest roads that still go where you're going.
A 92-mile point-to-point heading northeast on paved roads, with about 4,595 ft of climbing across the ride. You'll spend over half your time on busier roads, so stay sharp on the traffic, but you've got a solid day of distance work ahead.
Gravel bikegravel
Dirt where dirt is good, pavement where it isn't.
This 116-mile point-to-point heads northeast on a mix of pavement and trail, with about 15,797 ft of climbing stacked throughout. You're looking at nearly 10 hours of riding in one push, or a more civilized two-day outing if you split it. Trail sections dominate the second half, so come ready for dirt and plan your energy accordingly.
Mountain bikemtb
Singletrack allowed — the trail gate opens for mountain bikes only.
This is a serious one-way push northeast on a mix of pavement and singletrack trail, about 118 miles with roughly 16,063 ft of climbing that you'll want to respect. It's a full nine-plus-hour day, doable in one go but smart as a two-day bikepack if you're not racing it. You'll spend most of the time on dirt, with a fair bit of elevation scattered through, so bring a capable trail bike and plan your support carefully.
Routes at the stop
Riding there rather than home? Start and finish at the bus.
Short spin
An hour to shake out the bus legs.
Head southwest on quiet roads, mixing pavement and gravel over about 1,018 ft of climbing, then return the same way. The 11.9 miles keeps it manageable, with mostly light traffic and an even spread of elevation throughout.
Half day
The best half-day ride from the stop.
Head west on quiet back roads, mixing pavement and gravel over 14 miles with about 1,317 ft of climbing spread throughout. The climbing sits steady across the ride, so pace yourself early and you'll finish strong on the loop home.
Gravel ridegravel
Dirt roads out of town.
Head west on quiet roads and singletrack for a 17-mile loop with about 1,778 ft of climbing packed throughout. You'll split time between pavement and dirt trail, so bring a bike that handles both, and pace yourself for sustained elevation gain rather than one big push.