We’ve been wanting to bike from our condo in Durango to Telluride for years. Between missed opportunities and just not being intentional with the time, it never quite came together—until this summer. Some friends invited us to camp at the town campground in Telluride (epic location!) for a weekend of biking and Via Ferrata, and we jumped on the chance. We asked them to haul our camping gear and planned to bike over and meet them.
TL;DR quick stats:
- Mountain biking route from Purgatory Ski Resort to Telluride, CO
- Distance 48.03 mi
- Elevation gain: 5,748 ft
The Start: Purgatory to Rolling Pass
After a few hiccups on Saturday morning—troubles with my bike pedals and dropping our pup off at Willow Tree Kennels—we finally hit the trail around 11:30 a.m. from Purgatory Ski Resort.
We pedaled up Bolam Pass Road, then connected to Cascade Divide Road, and climbed toward the Rolling Pass section of the Colorado Trail, where the road dead-ends. From highway 550, it was a 16-mile dirt road climb that was steady and rideable – with some small downhill sections along Cascade Divide that gave us a break from climbing. Until the last mile before you hit the Colorado Trail (CT), it was mellow with minimal hike-a-bike. We crossed several creeks, filtered water, snacked, and soaked in the alpine vibes. Once we left Cascade Divide Road, traffic pretty much disappeared. We only saw a couple of ATVs the whole time.
When Cascade Divide Road ended, we continued onto a small connector to the CT. Then we climbed a couple more miles on the CT, enjoying meadows of wildflowers and views of Engineer Mountain. When we rounded a corner at the top of Rolling Pass, the views absolutely exploded. As we stood at the top of the Pass, we could see Engineer Mountain and the Needles to the East and Lizard Head and the San Miguels to the West – at the same time!! This stretch of the CT is stunning and we were blown away. It might’ve been the best views we’ve seen on the CT so far—and we’ve ridden a lot of the sections between Durango and Silverton.
Downhill to East Fork and Lizard Head
The descent from Rolling Pass is short and sweet before hitting the East Fork Trail intersection. East Fork was mostly rideable, with some beautiful stream crossings, a few techy bits, and tons of water access. We only walked a couple of sections when we were low on energy or hit some tricky roots.
The final stretch toward Lizard Head Pass rolls through meadows with views of the highway and Lizard Head Peak in the distance. Eventually, we dropped out onto the highway (state highway 145, Lizard Head Pass).
Galloping Goose to Telluride
At this point, we could’ve taken another singletrack connector to Galloping Goose, but with daylight fading, we opted to ride the highway for about five miles to the Goose.
This section was so worth it. The Galloping Goose is a historic rail grade turned doubletrack trail. You roll past old tunnels and bridges, with views that are absolutely unreal. We flew down for about 6–8 miles until we hit the river crossing.
From there, it’s a final 3-mile climb (about 550 feet) to get back up to Telluride’s elevation. We rolled into town just as the sun was setting—golden hour, elk grazing in the meadows, protected open space all around. That’s what makes Telluride so magical.
Post-Ride Rewards
After about 8.5 hours on the bike, we met up with our friends (who were finishing dinner) and rolled straight into a restaurant still in our sweaty riding clothes. But hey—Telluride is chill. The staff helped us stash our bikes in the alley and hooked us up with amazing vegetarian pasta. We housed it.
We set up camp at the town campground, changed into clean clothes, and rallied for some dancing at the Irish bar in town. It felt like the perfect end to a big day.
A Chill Sunday in Telluride
The next morning, we took it easy and explored town on foot, one of our favorite things to do in Telluride in the summer. We grabbed pastries and coffee, ran into some Durango friends, and chatted at the coffee shop about how special Telluride is. Maggie with Beacoup Babe gave us the beta on a few hikes and told us to check out the library.
Now, we’ve seen a lot of libraries from our years of RV travel—but the Telluride Library? Total gem. It felt like a boutique hotel with plants, cozy corners, and the most welcoming vibe. Even better—it’s a true community hub. You can borrow everything from pressure washers to camping chairs and bikes. It’s a perfect example of how a community can support each other through shared resources.
Back to Durango (with Plans to Do It Again)
We grabbed a quick wrap and rode back with our friends. That scenic drive home was the perfect wind-down.
We’re so stoked we finally did this ride—and we’re already scheming new routes to bike into Telluride again. It’s such a rad way to experience the landscape. We know not everyone can pedal all the way in, but if you can ride even a section or use public transit and bike partway, it makes a big difference. Less traffic, less stress, and more time soaking it all in.
Here is our ride route. Got your own beta? Drop it in the comments on our community forum—we’d love to hear about your routes and recommendations. Thanks for reading!
