Bustang to Idaho Springs With a Bike — Ride Home to Denver, Ride There for the Day, or Ride to the Next Stop
▼ 2,326 ft net descent to Denver Union Station
The shortest of the mountain rides home and the easiest to talk a friend into — straight down the Clear Creek corridor, roughly 2,300 feet of net descent, and served by both the West Line and the Craig Outrider.
🚲 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 one-way point-to-point heading east on paved roads with about 4,220 ft of climbing across nearly 50 miles, so expect steady elevation work throughout the ride. Traffic runs moderate to heavy on much of this route, so stay sharp on the busier stretches. Plan for around three and a half hours of riding.
Gravel BikeGravel
Dirt where dirt is good, pavement where it isn't.
You're heading east on a one-way point-to-point that mixes pavement and trail, about 40 miles with serious climbing: roughly 4,361 ft of elevation gain over the distance. Expect to spend some time on busier roads to connect the trail sections, but the dirt work is where this ride earns its keep.
Mountain BikeMTB
Singletrack allowed — the trail gate opens for mountain bikes only.
This is a one-way point-to-point heading east on a mix of pavement and trail, about 43 miles with nearly 4,700 ft of climbing. You'll spend roughly 200 minutes in the saddle across some moderately trafficked stretches, so pace yourself for the sustained elevation. Trail makes up over a third of the route, so bring a bike that handles dirt confidently.
Routes at the stop
Riding there rather than home? Start and finish at the bus.
Half day
The best half-day ride from the stop.
Head northwest on quiet roads, mixing pavement and gravel over about 15 miles with roughly 2,567 ft of climbing. The work is substantial for the distance, so pace accordingly on the dirt sections and paved pitches alike.
Gravel rideGravel
Dirt roads out of town.
You're looking at a northwest loop that mixes pavement and trail, 31 miles with about 6,745 ft of climbing. This is a proper expedition: the terrain is singletrack and doubletrack, not graded gravel, so bring a mountain or gravel bike with suspension sorted, and expect the work to come in chunks rather than spread across the whole ride. Quiet roads keep traffic off your back, so you can focus on the technical bits and the climbing.