Bike Home From Glenwood Springs, CO — Ride There for the Day, or Ride to Another Bus Stop
▼ 561 ft net descent to Denver Union Station
Glenwood is where the ride home becomes a tour: the Glenwood Canyon path, the climb to Vail Pass, and the long Front Range descent — a genuine two-day with Frisco or Vail as the overnight. Day riders get the Rio Grande Trail rolling south toward Carbondale from town.
🚲 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 one-way point-to-point ride heading east on paved roads, covering nearly 230 miles with about 15,700 ft of climbing. You're looking at roughly two hard days or four at an easier pace, though expect moderate to heavy traffic throughout since you're on busier pavement for most of it. The climbing is substantial across the distance, so fuel and pacing matter more than speed here.
Gravel bikegravel
Dirt where dirt is good, pavement where it isn't.
This is a proper gravel bikepacking route: 190 miles point-to-point heading east, split roughly 68% pavement and 32% gravel, with nearly 24,400 ft of climbing. You're looking at about two hard days or three relaxed ones depending on how you break it up, mostly on quiet roads with just under 10% traffic exposure. The climbing is substantial and will dictate your pace more than the distance, so plan your water and supplies accordingly.
Mountain bikemtb
Singletrack allowed — the trail gate opens for mountain bikes only.
This is a serious point-to-point push: 192 miles of mixed paved and gravel heading east, with about 24,597 ft of climbing across roughly 15 hours of riding. You're looking at either two hard days or three at a manageable pace, mostly on quiet roads but with enough gravel mixed in to keep you honest. Bring a bikepacking setup and plan your resupply stops 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.
Out southeast on quiet paved roads, you'll climb steadily for the first half with about 561 ft of elevation gain, then roll back the way you came on the easier descent. Quick 13.5-mile loop that takes just under an hour.
Half day
The best half-day ride from the stop.
Head out on quiet paved roads with about 1,136 ft of climbing spread across the ride, then turn around and come back the way you came. Nearly 39 miles total on low-traffic streets, so you'll have plenty of peace to settle into a rhythm.
Gravel ridegravel
Dirt roads out of town.
Head southeast on quiet roads, mixing pavement and gravel across about 43 miles with roughly 2,852 ft of climbing spread throughout. You'll turn around at the farthest point and return the same way, staying mostly off traffic the whole ride.