Itinerary

We’ve rated this tour moderate in difficulty, but an E-bike can make it friendly for energetic beginners, and there’s plenty of cycling for advanced riders looking for more miles as well. While we may not be grinding up steep mountain roads at high elevation on this tour, it is in the Rocky Mountains, so a substantial amount of the cycling is between 5000-7000 feet elevation

Day 1: Pedal a paved bike path along the Bitterroot River then head towards Lolo Pass.

After a quick shuttle and a bike fitting, we hop onto the Bitterroot Trail (paved bike path) and cycle to the town of Lolo. From there we turn west and follow the historic Nez Pierce Trail up a gradual climb along Lolo Creek into the Bitterroot Mountains. Spend tonight in upscale log cabin rooms at The Lodge at Lolo Hot Springs, located along the Lewis and Clark Trail. You can choose to check-in and get right into the private natural hot springs just outside the hotel lobby. Or for more miles before you soak, you can continue along this lonely road past the hot springs as far as you like.
Meals: L, D. Lodging: Lolo Hot Springs
Distance: 34 miles (or more), elevation: +1555 ft / -574 ft

Day 2: Descend from Lolo Hot Springs to Hamilton in the heart of the Bitterroot Valley.

Get a head start on today’s miles with a gentle 25-mile descent from the hot springs back to the Bitterroot Valley. Continue along the paved Bitterroot Bike Trail to the town of Hamilton while admiring unbeatable views of the eastern flanks of the Bitterroot Mountains and taking in some of the history of the Bitterroot Salish tribe’s ancestral homeland. Watch for evidence of the ancient shoreline of the prehistoric Lake Missoula which existed here during the most recent ice age as you pedal past modern ranches and farmlands. The Bitterroot River Inn provides a nice setting for the night. Dinner is on your own.
Meals: B, L, D. Lodging: Bitterroot River Inn
Distance: 61 miles (or less), elevation: +1166 ft / -1745 ft (or less)

Day 3: Finding “Wisdom” along the Lewis & Clark and the Nez Pierce historic trails.

After a shuttle (one hour) from Hamilton to the Montana Idaho border, our day continues along the Nez Pierce historic route. We start at the base of Lost Trail Ski Area (6800’) and head up the Chief Joseph Pass (7250’) before descending into the Big Hole Valley. For those preferring flatter riding, you can choose to start in the valley. On our way to Wisdom, we will stop at the Big Hole National Battlefield to learn about the events which took place here in 1877. The Big Hole River cuts through the valley with views of the Pioneer Mountains to the east. The unincorporated town of Jackson awaits: Here you have the option to jump in the van or continue cycling for the remaining 25 miles all the way to the Montana High Country Guest Lodge, our lodging for tonight and tomorrow.
Meals: B, L, D. Lodging: Montana High Country Guest Lodge
Distance: 44 miles (regular route), up to 70 miles (long route) elevation: +1201 ft / -1746 ft (regular route) up to 2918 ft / 3457 ft (long route)

Day 4: Rest and recharge as you choose your own adventure today.

Visit an amazing ghost town followed by a dip in the local hot springs. Hike to Sawtooth Lake (6.6mi. 1500’ gain). Or simply relax at the lodge while absorbing the expansive views and big skies of Grasshopper Valley. Lunch is on your own today, but all the fixings will be available at the Lodge to make a sandwich to eat there or take on an adventure. If you want more cycling, your guides can share optional routes.
Meals: B, D. Lodging: Montana High Country Guest Lodge

Day 5: Follow blue-ribbon trout streams through high-country scenery from the Pioneer Mountains to the Pintler Range.

Cycle the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway the length of the Pioneer Mountain Range to the quaint town of Wise River. Granite Mountain Peak reaches 10,000 feet on one side while the gentler forested hills and mountain meadows of the Anaconda Wilderness Area spread out below on the other.
Our primary ride gently ascends to a 7,800-foot divide between the Wise River, flowing north, and Grasshopper Creek, flowing south. Ghost towns, abandoned silver mines, and blue-ribbon trout streams are the hallmarks of this area. Cap it off with a fun descent into Wise River.
After lunch, you may choose to shuttle or continue cycling on to our lodging. This stretch takes us into the Anaconda Mountains. Take a rest and admire the 360° views from the top of this gradual ascent before descending to Fairmont Hot Springs for the night.
Meals: B, L, D. Lodging: Fairmont Hot Springs
Distance: 36 miles (regular route) or 76 miles (long route). Elevation: +1,964 ft / -2,788 ft (regular route) or +3,655 ft / -5,025 ft (long route)

Day 6: Pedal the Pintler Veterans Memorial Scenic Byway past gorgeous Georgetown Lake and a doozie of a smokestack before descending to the historic mining town of Phillipsburg for a final celebration.

No shuttle this morning! Pedal right out the door of your lodging onto the Pintler Veterans Memorial Scenic Byway. Savor the beauty of Georgetown Lake nestled between the Anaconda and Sapphire Mountain Ranges on your way to Phillipsburg in the Flint Creek Valley. As you ascend the gentle grade (avg. 1.5%) toward the lake, you can tip your helmet to the bricklayers who constructed Anaconda Copper Company Smoke Stack. At 585 feet tall, it remains one of the largest free standing brick structures in the world! Our final celebration in Philipsburg will include a stop for some huckleberry taffy – a local treat – before a relatively short shuttle (1hr 15min) back to Missoula.
Meals: B, L
Distance: 40 miles, elevation: +2,013 ft / -1,869 ft

* This is a general itinerary. Tour itineraries are subject to change based on the group, available accommodations and other unforeseen circumstances such as the weather, local conditions, government intervention, that may affect the quality of the trip and/or safety of the participants. Please view this itinerary as an outline as to what to expect on this tour.

Lodging

Montana’s Bitterroot Bike Tour

Lolo Hot Springs|
The Lodge At Lolo Hot Springs is a nostalgic family get away resort, that focuses on outdoor adventure. The log cabin lodge is located along the Lewis and Clark Trail, filled with history, scenery, and wildlife. Our Pacific Northwest charm exudes from the upscale log cabin rooms. Hand honed log furniture accents the spacious but cozy rooms.

Bitterroot River Inn
The newly renovated Bitterroot River Inn in Hamilton offers travelers just about all the attractions of a large metropolitan city plus easy access to millions of acres of heavily forested public lands and mountains, which support almost any form of outdoor recreation that one can imagine!

Montana High Country Guest Lodge
Montana High Country Lodge is very comfortable, spacious, and completely modern. You will appreciate its thoughtful guest oriented design, laid back luxury atmosphere and traditional western ambiance

The hotels, Inns, and B&B’s we use are always among the finest the area has to offer. Our smaller group sizes(max. 13) allow us to stay at some award-winning places that can’t handle groups of 25 or more. We work closely with the innkeepers to make sure they understand your needs and ours, whether that is having a place to store your bike, an early morning breakfast or a convenient place to park the van, they are as committed to your vacation experience as we are.
Lodging is based upon two people to a room with a private bath. If you’re traveling solo on any of our trips, we’ll assign you a roommate of the same gender and often of the same age bracket. There is no extra charge if we can’t find you a roommate, even if you sign up the day before the trip starts. You can guarantee yourself a private room and bath if you pay the Single Room Fee. Occasionally a room with two beds consists of one bed plus a roll away bed or sofa bed.

Included:

• Deluxe lodging and fine dining.
• All meals except 1 lunch and 1 dinner on your own. Snacks and beverages between meals
• Road /hybrid bike, (E-bike rent possible). Helmet and Wahoo GPS device
• Hiking, ghost town visit, hot springs
• Park and other entry fees
• Luggage transfer.

Not included:

• Night before and after the tour.
• Flights to and from the tour
• Alcoholic beverages at meals,
• Gratuities guides

Pricing / Tour dates

Tour price 2024: $3346.- pp Single fee $ 903.- This is not required. It is an optional fee to allow a solo traveler to guarantee a private room for the duration of the tour.
E-bike for an extra: $200.-
Tour date 2024:
30 Jun – 05 Jul Guaranteed

Conditions

Deposit 25%
The deposit payment for a tour must be paid within two weeks after the booking is confirmed.
The remaining payment is due 90 days before the start of the tour.
For tours that are booked within 90 days before the start of the tour you will pay 100% of the tour price

Information

Meals and dining:
We know how important breakfast is to make sure your day starts off right. Most breakfasts are served at the inn where we spend the night and are either a set menu or a continental breakfast buffet. But if there is a local restaurant with a reputation for a great breakfast, we can guarantee we will find it and you will be treated to a nutritious meal to start the day.
Lunch is provided at a state park or similar scenic setting midway during the day’s ride. Guests are always surprised at the variety and quality of lunches we prepare. Besides sandwich fixings and cold drinks, we offer fresh fruits and vegetables and hot lunches such as tortellini with pesto or veggie burritos. If you prefer a certain item of food or drink, just let your tour guide know and we will be sure to prepare just the right lunch to keep your energy up for the rest of the day.
During the day water, fruit juices, soft drinks, energy bars, fruit, and snacks are available from the van. A cold beer from our cooler waits at the end of the day, and you can relive the day’s highlights at our wine and cheese party before dinner.
Dinner is eaten together at the best restaurant in the area. At most restaurants, you order what you want from the menu. Except for alcohol, everything is included, even appetizers, salad, soup, and dessert. If we have to shuttle everyone a short distance to get to that special place, we do it. We like to eat well.

If you have any special dietary requests, please let us know in advance. We regularly accommodate vegetarians and other restricted diets. All of our meals are carefully selected to provide you with the unusually high nutritional and caloric needs of your body on an outdoor adventure.