Durango launches its summer tourism season with a full calendar of events and activities catering to cyclists of all disciplines and ability levels

The Durango Area Tourism Office (DATO) is ready to launch its summer tourism season with a full calendar of events and activities catering to cyclists of all disciplines and ability levels. We invite you to bring your bike or rent a bike in Durango and enjoy all of the events.

Rated a Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists, Durango will host over 30 cycling events in 2018, including the famed Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, the second longest continuously run cycling event in the United States. Cycling enthusiasts can get in on the action with a variety of events taking place nearly every week throughout the summer, including criteriums, circuit races, road races, tours, BMX races, trials, dual slaloms, team trail rides, training camps, mountain bike races, and more.

A headquarters for all forms of cycling and mountain biking, Durango offers some of the best riding in North America. Access to trails, good weather and a bike friendly community are just a few reasons many cycling celebrities call Durango home, including World Champion Ned Overend, Carmen Small and Olympians Travis Brown, Ruthie Mathes, Todd Wells and Howard Grotts.

Durango is also home to some of the best outdoor, historic and cultural attractions in Colorado, so cyclists can expand their itineraries to include the whole family. Visitors can board the historic 1880’s Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for breathtaking views of the San Juan National Forest and old-world atmosphere. (Or visit the archeological wonders and ancient cave dwellings at nearby UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Mesa Verde National Park, Aztec Ruins National Monument and Chaco Canyon.

For those looking to explore Durango and the San Juan Mountains by bicycle, the following offers sample itineraries appealing to a full range of bike friendly activities.

Road Cycling - Highway 550
This 50-mile section of asphalt cuts through jaw-dropping scenery to the historic town of Silverton. After climbing 6,500 feet over two mountain passes exceeding elevations of 10,000 feet, kickback in an open-air gondola on the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for the return.

In Town Trails
Durango offers over 300 miles of trails within 30 minutes of downtown, from buttery smooth singletrack and technical climbs, to endless county roads, BMX, pump tracks, and downhill flow trails. All of Durango's trails are built and maintained by local nonprofit, Trails 2000, which hosts an interactive trail map, trail descriptions and trail conditions report online at Trails2000.org.

The Colorado Trail – Kennebec Pass 
Enjoy high mountain riding following the last 22 miles of the Colorado Trail from Kennebec Pass to Durango. The 5,000-foot descent offers three glorious hours of riding through pine and aspen forests along some of the state’s sweetest singletrack. Shuttles available from Durango, staring in May.

Purgatory Resort 
Home to Durango's only lift-served downhill flow trail, Purgatory’s Bike Park opens for the summer season on May 26th, followed by a full schedule of pro-level races, clinics, and new trails for all levels. In September, Purgatory will celebrate mountain biking with three days of high country shuttles, live music, crafted beverages and demos (Sept. 26th – 30th). www.purgatoryresort.com

Phil’s World Trail System
Cyclists can experience the archeological wonders and ancient cave dwellings at nearby Mesa Verde National Park. Don’t miss some of the best trails in Colorado at Phil’s World, offering 60 miles of mind-blowing trails for mountain bikers. Located 40 miles west of Durango, just outside of Cortez, Colorado.

The Durango area is Southwest Colorado’s premier four-season destination, attracting more than 600,000 visitors annually. For information about the Durango Area Tourism Office visit Durango.org. For a complete list of 2018 cycling events in Durango, please visit www.pedaldurango.com.

About Durango Area Tourism Office
The Durango Area Tourism Office (DATO) is an independent non-profit organization operating with the mission to promote Durango and La Plata County’s multitude of tourism attractions, events and services. The unbeatable combination of the iconic San Juan Mountains, art galleries, culinary fare, cultural and historic sites makes it the perfect base of operations to explore Southwest Colorado. Visit DATO’s full-service Welcome Center, located at Main Avenue and 8th Street in the heart of historic downtown Durango, or online at www.durango.org. Follow @visitdurango on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.