Bustang to Kremmling With a Bike — Ride Home to Denver, Ride There for the Day, or Ride to the Next Stop
▼ 2,113 ft net descent to Denver Union Station
Middle Park ranch country: quiet highway shoulders, the Trough Road toward the Colorado River put-ins, and a two-day home by way of Granby and Berthoud Pass with Winter Park as the overnight.
🚲 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 serious 138-mile point-to-point heading east on pavement, with about 11,870 ft of climbing stacked across the day, enough to run you ragged if you're not pacing it deliberately. You'll spend more than half the ride on busier roads, so stay sharp and consider breaking it into two days at a comfortable cadence. Fuel and water discipline matter on a push this long.
Gravel BikeGravel
Dirt where dirt is good, pavement where it isn't.
A point-to-point push east on a mix of gravel and trail, about 111 miles with 11,627 ft of climbing spread across the day. Mostly quiet roads, with the riding split between well-graded gravel and singletrack that'll demand focus. This is a proper expedition: one long push or two relaxed days depending on what you've got in the tank.
Mountain BikeMTB
Singletrack allowed — the trail gate opens for mountain bikes only.
A long point-to-point push east across 111 miles of mostly trail and pavement, with about 11,620 ft of climbing stacked throughout the day. You're looking at close to ten hours of riding if you keep moving, or a mellow two-day tour if you've got the time. Quiet roads dominate, so it's mostly you and the dirt out there.
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.
You're heading south on a loop that mixes paved and gravel roads, about two-thirds dirt, nothing too technical, just a nice rolling ride. There's around 384 ft of climbing spread across the 11 miles, and you'll hit some traffic on the paved sections, but nothing brutal. Expect about an hour start to finish.
Half day
The best half-day ride from the stop.
Head out on quiet roads splitting roughly even between pavement and gravel, with about 2,667 ft of climbing across the ride. You'll tackle the elevation in chunks rather than all at once, so pace yourself through the middle miles. It's an out-and-back, so you're retracing your line on the way home.
Gravel rideGravel
Dirt roads out of town.
You're heading out on quiet singletrack and dirt, nearly 29 miles with about 2,845 ft of climbing spread across the ride. It's almost entirely off-pavement, so bring a gravel or mountain bike and expect to be out there close to three hours.