Bustang to Fairplay With a Bike — Ride Home to Denver, Ride There for the Day, or Ride to the Next 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.
This is a long point-to-point push northeast on paved roads, 92 miles with about 4,595 ft of climbing and heavy traffic exposure on over half the route. Expect a serious day in the saddle, and plan your drop-off accordingly. You'll want to scout the traffic patterns before you commit.
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 singletrack trail, with about 15,797 ft of climbing packed in. You're looking at a full day of riding or a relaxed two-day push, so pace yourself through the elevation and keep the fuel flowing. Mostly quiet roads, but expect some traffic where pavement connects the trail sections.
Mountain BikeMTB
Singletrack allowed — the trail gate opens for mountain bikes only.
This is a substantial point-to-point ride heading northeast: 118 miles with about 16,063 ft of climbing split roughly half paved, half trail. It's a full day's work or a comfortable two-day outing, and you'll spend about a tenth of it on roads with traffic, so most of the pavement is quiet. Bring a gravel or adventure bike and plan for serious elevation across the whole ride.
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.
Out southwest on mostly pavement with a couple miles of gravel mixed in, you're looking at about 1,018 ft of climbing over just under 12 miles. Quiet roads throughout, so you can focus on the steady work, then turn around and head back the way you came.
Half day
The best half-day ride from the stop.
Head west on quiet roads, mixing paved and gravel for about 14 miles with roughly 1,317 ft of climbing. The climb is chunky but doesn't pile on all at once, so pace yourself through the rolling sections and you'll roll back to the start feeling solid.
Gravel rideGravel
Dirt roads out of town.
Head west on quiet roads, then pick up singletrack and dirt that trades off with pavement throughout the loop. You're looking at about 1,778 ft of climbing across the 17 miles, so pace accordingly. Most of the riding sits on natural surface, so a gravel or trail bike will feel at home here.