Bustang to Vail With a Bike — Ride Home to Denver, Ride There for the Day, or Ride to the Next Stop
▼ 2,950 ft net descent to Denver Union Station
Vail sits nearly 3,000 feet above Denver, and the bus does every foot of that climb for you. The ride home drops through Vail Pass and the Tenmile canyon on some of the best separated bike path in the state before the long descent down Clear Creek.
🚲 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 127 miles with about 11,680 ft of climbing over roughly 8.5 hours of riding. You'll spend a fair bit of time on busier pavement, so pick your line carefully and expect traffic throughout. It's a long day in the saddle, but breakable into two easier days if you've got the time.
Gravel BikeGravel
Dirt where dirt is good, pavement where it isn't.
This is a big one: 114 miles point-to-point heading east on a mix of pavement and gravel, about 15,636 ft of climbing over nine hours of riding. You'll spend more than a third of the distance on well-graded gravel with quiet roads throughout, so pick a support plan or break it into two days and soak up the distance at your own pace.
Mountain BikeMTB
Singletrack allowed — the trail gate opens for mountain bikes only.
A one-way point-to-point heading east across 116 miles of mixed paved and gravel roads, with about 15,965 ft of climbing spread across the day. You're looking at roughly nine hours in the saddle if you're pushing it, or a comfortable two-day tour at a relaxed clip. Quiet roads throughout, so you can settle into the rhythm without fighting traffic.
Routes at the stop
Riding there rather than home? Start and finish at the bus.
Gravel rideGravel
Dirt roads out of town.
You're riding out on quiet roads and trail, about 27 miles with serious elevation: roughly 7,721 ft of climbing packed into this one. It's mostly gravel and singletrack, so bring a bike that handles mixed terrain, and pace yourself for the work ahead.