Drop-in Cyclists WELCOME to Join my Three-Week Bikepacking Adventure to Celebrate Colorado’s 150th Birthday!
The Golden 150 is a three-week bike ride across Colorado from border to border, east to west, in honor of our Centennial State’s 150th birthday! The route follows the Colorado section (Section 3) of the Adventure Cycling Association’s newly-launched Golden Gravel Trail.
I’ll be cycling this itinerary solo and self-supported from Aug 1 – 21, 2026. I’m inviting other Colorado-loving bikepackers to join me on a drop-in basis (i.e. you are also self-supporting and not reliant on a guide or vehicle support).
Three Weeks, Three Colorado Vibes
The trip spans three distinctive regions of Colorado over three weeks:
- Week 1 (Aug 1 – Aug 7) crosses the Eastern Plains, from the border to Pueblo.
- Week 2 (Aug 8 – 15) crosses the heights of the Rocky Mountains, from Pueblo to Crested Butte.
- Week 3 (Aug 15 – 21) crosses the Western Slope’s mesas and valleys, from Crested Butte to Moab, UT.
Join for all or any of the ride segments. Detailed itinerary and GPX tracks below. There will be a rest day in Pueblo, Salida, and Crested Butte to facilitate joining and leaving from bus-transit-served communities.
Specs and Logistics
Total mileage is 844 miles, averaging 53 miles per riding day. Total altitude gain is 55,683 feet, averaging 3,480 feet per riding day. Terrain is mostly gravel. This is a challenging ride, and prior bikepacking experience is recommended. Please see the ACA’s practical advice for the Golden Gravel Trail to get clear on difficulty levels, resupply, recommended bicycle specs, etc.
Where possible, I’m reserving campsite lodging to accommodate up to 8 – 10 tents/cyclists or more. Please fill out the interest form to help me get an idea of what kind of camping and lodging capacity to confirm.
In the detailed itinerary below, you’ll find links to the day-by-day route maps on RideWithGPS, available for GPX download. I created these to follow the ACA’s official Section3 route map.
Week 1: Colorado’s Eastern Plains
Saturday August 1 – Friday August 7
250 miles, average 50 mi/day
6,506’ climb, average 1,301’/day
Sat Aug 1: Arrival
Arrive in Elkhart, KS and stock up for the week ahead
Ride: 0 miles
Lodging: On your own
Sun Aug 2: Colorado border to Springfield
Vehicle transit to border starting point recommended. Prepare for high temps on the high plains.
Lodging: Tent Camping at Blue Skye Ranch (horse rescue nonprofit)
Mon Aug 3: Springfield to John Martin Reservoir
Long miles with a dip in the reservoir to cool off at the end of the day.
Lodging: Tent Camping at Hasty Campground (group site)
Tue Aug 4: John Martin Reservoir to La Junta
Continue our tour of the high plains, with a midday stop in Las Animas.
Lodging: Tent camping at La Junta KOA, cabin upgrade options
Wed Aug 5: La Junta to Fowler
More miles through prarie fields and towns, with a midday stop in Manzanola
Lodging: Tent camping at Fowler RV Park, next door to the town swimming pool
Thu Aug 6: Fowler to Pueblo
The final stretch to Pueblo, CO through Colorado’s eastern prairie.
Lodging: On your own in Pueblo
Fri Aug 7: Rest day in Pueblo
Enjoy the small city of Pueblo, famous for its chiles and historic riverwalk.
Ride: 0
Lodging: On your own in Pueblo
Week 2: Colorado’s Mountain Heights
Saturday August 8 – Saturday August 15
319 miles, average 53 mi/day
29,000’ climb, average 4,833’/day
Sat Aug 8: Pueblo to Rye
Today we climb up up up into Colorado’s high country, passing through the town of Beulah.
Lodging: Camping at Davenport campground
Sun Aug 9: Rye to Hillside
We’ll continue our tour of the Sange de Cristo mountain range, passing through Westcliffe..
Lodging: Lake Creek Campground or Hillside Colorado Cottages
Mon Aug 10: Hillside to Salida
Climb up toward the Sawatch mountain range, stopping at the Cotopaxi General Store.
Lodging: Bunks or yard camping at Salida Cirque House
Tue Aug 11: Rest day in Salida
Relax and recover in one of Colorado’s most colorful mountain towns.
Ride: 0
Lodging: Bunks or yard camping at Salida Cirque House
Wed Aug 12: Salida to Snowblind
Climb up and over Marshall Pass, cross the Continental Divide, visit the town of Sargents.
Lodging: Snowblind Campground
Thu Aug 13: Snowblind to Taylor Park Reservoir
Take in the views as we climb over Cumberland Pass and visit the towns of Pitkin and Tincup.
Lodging: Lakeview Campground
Fri Aug 14: Taylor Park Reservoir to Crested Butte
Cross into the Elk mountain range as we approach the unmistakable Mount Crested Butte.
Lodging: Town Camping in Crested Butte
Sat Aug 15: Rest day in Crested Butte
Relax and enjoy the vibrant and historic mountain town of Crested Butte, Colorado.
Ride: 0
Lodging: Town Camping in Crested Butte
Week 3: Colorado’s Western Slope
Sunday August 16 – Friday August 21
274 miles, average 55 mi/day
20,177’ climb, average 4,035’/day
Sun Aug 16: Crested Butte to Paonia
A mostly-downhill day as we descend into orchards, river valleys, and mesas of Western CO
Lodging: Camping at Big B’s Orchard
Mon Aug 17: Paonia to Delta
Take in the Western Slope landscapes as we pass through Hotchkiss and Orchard City.
Lodging: Camping at Riverwood Inn RV Park
Tue Aug 18: Delta to Naturita
Climb up Columbine Pass and cruise down it into Nucla, landing at riverside glamping resort.
Lodging: Camping at CampV
Wed Aug 19: Naturita to Buckeye Reservoir
We’ll approach the state border with Utah, ascending into the La Sal mountain range.
Lodging: Camping at Pioneer Campground
Thu Aug 20: Buckeye Reservoir to Moab, UT
Cross the border, then climb through the La Sals before heading down down down into Moab.
Lodging: TBD in Moab, probably town camping at Sun Outdoors or Up The Creek
Fri Aug 21: Rest day in UT
Celebrate, see the sites if you’d like and arrange your own transport home. Possible shared shuttle to Grand Junction, which is served by Bustang transit.
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