Bike Home From Salida, CO — Ride There for the Day, or Ride to Another Bus Stop
▼ 1,883 ft net descent to Denver Union Station
Salida is the Arkansas Valley's bike town: the Monarch Crest shuttle country above, S-Mountain singletrack straight from downtown, and the river trail along the Arkansas. Home to Denver runs the same 285 corridor as Buena Vista's — a two-day with Fairplay in the middle.
🚲 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 substantial one-way push northeast on paved roads, covering 186 miles with about 12,900 ft of climbing. You're looking at two hard days of riding or three at a relaxed pace, and with over half the route on busier roads, you'll want to time this carefully and stay sharp. All pavement, so a road bike or gravel bike in road mode will do the job.
Gravel bikegravel
Dirt where dirt is good, pavement where it isn't.
A point-to-point push northeast on mostly gravel, about 150 miles and 16,279 ft of climbing across roughly 2 hard days or 3 at a relaxed pace. You'll spend two-thirds of your time on well-graded dirt with minimal traffic, and the elevation is front-loaded so the early miles pack the real work. Bring water, snacks, and a plan for where you're sleeping, because this one doesn't loop back.
Mountain bikemtb
Singletrack allowed — the trail gate opens for mountain bikes only.
A 150-mile point-to-point northeast on quiet backroads, mostly gravel with about 30 percent pavement mixed in. You're looking at 16,244 ft of climbing across what breaks into two hard days or three at a relaxed pace, so bring food and a plan for where you're sleeping. Nearly all quiet roads, which helps when you're carrying everything on the bike.
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 east on mostly pavement with about 550 ft of climbing spread across the ride, then turning around and heading back the same way. Fair warning: this route spends just over half its time on busier roads, so pick your moment or bring your patience.
Half day
The best half-day ride from the stop.
Heading southeast on quiet roads and trail, you'll climb nearly 5,500 ft over 25 miles, with most of that work packed into the singletrack and dirt sections. This is a serious elevation day on mixed terrain, so pace yourself early and bring water. Out and back the same way, all on roads with zero traffic.
Gravel ridegravel
Dirt roads out of town.
Head south on quiet roads and gravel, stacking about 2,152 ft of climbing over 24 miles in a loop that keeps you off traffic. You'll split time between pavement and well-graded dirt, with the climbing woven through rather than bunched at the end, so pace accordingly across the full ride.