Rule the Rockies
Dates: July 21-31
Status: Now accepting reservations
Want to ride some of the best high-elevation twisty roads in the world, without traveling to Switzerland?
The AMA Rule the Rockies Tour allows you to discover our own “American Alps,” without ever leaving the state of Colorado.
During 10 days of riding on this spectacular tour, you’ll never be less than a mile above sea level, and at times you’ll ride as high as 14,000 feet in elevation. You and your motorcycle will traverse 16 mountain passes, ranging from 8,700 to 12,100 feet, and you will cross the Continental Divide on nine different occasions! Colorado was truly made for motorcycling. And by the time you complete this trip, you’ll certainly feel like you Rule the Rockies.
The tour takes us on a meandering loop that begins and ends in Colorado Springs. The itinerary includes legendary motorcycling routes such as Trail Ridge Road, the Million Dollar Highway, the San Juan Skyway, Independence Pass, the Mount Evans Summit Highway, the Peak to Peak Highway, and the Silver Thread Scenic Byway. These roads will bring the tour group through places like Rocky Mountain National Park, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Grand Mesa, the Royal Gorge, and Colorado National Monument, to name a few.
Our aim on this trip is to put our tour members on every mile of the best Rocky Mountain roadways that we can find. The air will be thin but clear, the pavement will be relentlessly twisty, and the horizon will always be filled with mountains, some of which retain their uppermost snow pack throughout the summer. Our experience will give us glimpses of the history of the Rockies, from the natural wonders, to the ancient Anasazi Indians, to the harsh existence of 19th and 20th century mining settlements, to modern ski villages turned summer retreats.
Each day, our motorcycles will follow pavement that tackles seemingly impossible terrain, and we will be treated to some of the most beautiful scenic views found anywhere. By evening, we’ll tuck into some well known — and some obscure — Colorado towns to enjoy wonderful and unique accommodations and delicious group dinners.
The goal of our professional AMA Tour Leaders is to allow you to experience the trip on your own, at your own pace, stopping where you want and riding by yourself or with others. It’s your vacation. It’s your choice!
Ride or trailer your own bike from home to our departure site in Colorado Springs. Or, as an AMA member, take advantage of special services and arrange to have your bike shipped one way or round-trip while you fly. Perhaps you’d prefer to rent a bike and leave yours at home. Again, as an AMA member, you can take advantage of special rates on rental motorcycles from well-known sources we can recommend to you in the Denver area if you prefer to fly and ride.
Our daily rides will average 4 to 8 hours, and virtually all of that will be spent on two-lane, paved roads. Many of our routes are full of curves, and some sections might be considered challenging. Your riding time will vary, depending on such things as your riding style, and weather conditions. Our daily mileage will average between 150 and 275 miles. Optional mileage on the two free days on this tour (which we’ll describe in the trip itinerary below) can also vary greatly, depending on your sightseeing preferences.
We pace our tours carefully, and usually include at least one multiple night stay in desirable or scenic areas, so you can unload your bike upon arrival and have the second (free) day to explore the area by motorcycle or on foot, or else just relax and unwind. And on travel days, those who prefer can leave early, ride briskly and arrive in plenty of time to explore. Others can ride at their own pace, explore along the way, and arrive in time for supper. Ride by yourself or with some of the new friends you’re sure to make on the trip, or with your AMA Tour Leaders. It’s up to you.
Rule the Rockies Tour Itinerary
Monday, July 21
We’ll gather up at our beautiful and
modern lodge in Colorado Springs and get settled in to kick off the beginning
of our ride on the next morning. During our first dinner together, we’ll provide
a complete overview of the tour, give everyone a chance to ask any questions,
and then spend some time getting to know each other. Tour members who have
chosen to trailer their bikes to Colorado Springs will be able to leave their
trucks/trailers at our lodge during the tour. If you’ve been able to arrive in
Colorado Springs early enough, or perhaps a day or so before the start of the
tour, you may want to take a tour through the nearby U.S. Air Force Academy or
visit the small but very nice air museum at Peterson AFB. More intrepid riders
may even wish to head to Pike’s Peak. However, we’ll caution you against that
idea unless you’re completely at ease on steep gravel roads, and have become
acclimated to the higher elevations.
Tuesday, July 22
The fun and scenery starts almost
immediately. Before we even leave Colorado Springs, we’ve plotted a course that
will take you on a little bit of an appetizer for the tour... the Garden of the
Gods loop.
Like the majority of this tour, you’ll be on twisty roads for much of the day.
Weather permitting (and if you’ve acclimated to the elevation), you’ll have a
chance to ride a fully paved road to the summit of a 14,260-foot mountain today.
Following that ride, the fun continues until the Peak to Peak Highway finally
brings us into the town of Estes Park, right at the eastern gateway to Rocky
Mountain National Park’s Trail Ridge Road. We’ll spend the night at a wonderful
new lodge in Estes Park in preparation for our climb through the Rockies on
Monday.
Wednesday, July 23
Today, we’ll hit the famous
Trail Ridge Road, which by all accounts is the highest, continuous paved roadway
in the United States. Expect to spend most of the morning at elevations in the 10,000 feet
range, before we descend back down into civilization. Two more nice passes,
Muddy and Rabbit Ears, are all that stand in our way of reaching our destination
of Steamboat Springs. Once we’ve arrived, we’ll stay at a vintage but
modernized hotel right in the old town section of Steamboat, complete with one
of the town’s oldest and most popular Italian restaurants attached. If you
arrive in Steamboat early, our hotel’s convenient location will allow you to
easily stroll among the many shops and attractions on the main drag.
Thursday, July 24
Follow some deserted byways south out of
Steamboat, and enjoy the serenity and seclusion through this part of Colorado.
Our route will eventually take us through the historic town of Leadville, a
former silver mining center, which, at over 10,000 feet bills itself as the
highest city in the United States. From Leadville, we’re well on our way to our
destination of Aspen. But first we must climb up and over Independence Pass,
which is crossed by one of the finest motorcycling roads in the world. Allow
yourself plenty of time to pull over from time to time, and look back at the
road as it twists and turns back and forth on its climb to over 12,000 feet.
Immediately on the other side of Independence Pass is the ski town favored by
the rich and famous, Aspen. Once again, our hotel is superbly located in the
center of town, allowing you to make the most out of exploring Aspen on foot
after you arrive.
Friday, July 25
This day provides us with another
fabulous ride. Keep your swimsuit handy, because our route will take us right
past our own, secret roadside hot spring. We’ll spend most of this day looking
up at the jagged peaks of the Rockies, until we begin our ascent of the Grand
Mesa, which is the largest flat-topped mountain in the world. We’ll take the
twisty road up one side and down the other, before following a short but sweet
stretch of canyon road that parallels a section of the Colorado River. Our
modern hotel in Grand Junction is easy to reach, and makes the perfect home base
for our first two-night stay.
Saturday, July 26
We mentioned earlier
that we try to build in one or more multiple-night layovers on all AMA Tours.
Today, you can leave your motorcycle luggage in your hotel room and
hit the road to explore some nearby attractions. Or, perhaps you’d prefer to
unwind for a day, hit the pool or hot tub, or maybe get an early start at happy
hour in the hotel pub. Either way, we’ll have the convenience of being able to
return back to our same hotel rooms by day’s end. Our Free Day ride suggestions
include the very impressive Colorado National Monument Rim Road, as well as the
longer ride that crosses the Utah border, and follows the mighty Colorado River
to Moab, and the famous Arches National Park.
Sunday, July 27
On this tour, it is probably impossible to pick
one daily route as being better than the others. However, the ride from Grand
Junction to Ouray has to be one of our favorites. We think that the ride through
the Uncompahgre National Forest and Unaweep Canyon is truly an undiscovered
jewel of a motorcycle ride. The town of Ouray also has to be one of our
favorites. It definitely retains a feel for its Old West mining town
heritage. Feel like taking a hot soak upon your arrival at our Ouray Lodge?
You’re in luck, because we picked a place that has its own 140-degree mineral
springs. Ahhh! By the way, the folks who’ll be cooking us dinner in Ouray are
the same ones who fed actor John Wayne numerous times while he was there for the
filming of his movie, True Grit. Weather permitting, we’ll park our bikes in
town and take a Jeep ride up the side of a mountain to a clearing for a
delicious outdoor barbecue. Feel free to unload your motorcycle in Ouray,
because we’ll be staying there for two nights.
Monday, July
28
This will be our next (and last)
free day, and we’ve got plenty in store for you if you’re up for some great
motorcycling. Our two main options on this day are either a San Juan Skyway loop
that will feature Mesa Verde National Park, which is home to some of the most
extensive and well-preserved ancient Native American ruins in North America. Or,
for those folks more interested in some pure, sportbike riding, you can head
north to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison (right). There, we think we’ve discovered one
of the finest sportbike roads we’ve ever ridden. Trust us when we tell you that
it will be impossible for you to enjoy any of the stunning, Black Canyon scenery
unless you pull off of this road and park your bike! What ever you decide to do
during your free day, we’ll all end up back at our lodge, where the
hot springs will be waiting.
Tuesday, July 29
This day is intended to be a
flexible, easier riding day. That gives you time to hang out in Ouray
for part of the morning if you want, because it’s a relatively short day in
terms of riding time if you take the most direct route to Pagosa Springs. Of
course, that route does include the famed Million Dollar Highway, and three
mountain passes that each rise to more than 10,000 feet! Those who
opted for the Black Canyon ride during our free day may want to choose the
option of hitting the San Juan Skyway and visiting Mesa Verde on the way to Pagosa
Springs – if you get an early enough start.
Wednesday, July 30
Another route that may be among our
favorites, the Silver Thread Scenic Byway is one of the lesser-traveled roads
we’ve encountered in Colorado, featuring lots of open ranchland and its own
pair of high passes that reach upwards of 11,000 feet. But before we get to any
of that, we still need to tackle the wonderful road over Wolf Creek Pass, first
thing in the morning as we depart Pagosa Springs. Our destination on this day
will be a modern hotel right in the ski village of Crested Butte, one of the
more hard-to-reach and most attractive of Colorado’s ski towns.
Thursday, July 31
Think the fun is over? Not
quite. The 11,312-foot Monarch Pass still stands in the way of our final
destination. And the road up and over Monarch will certainly not disappoint.
Just beyond Monarch, the road gets entertaining again as it twists and turns its
way in tandem through a canyon containing the Arkansas River, which is on its
way to the famous Royal Gorge. In fact, you’ll have a chance to visit the
world’s highest suspension bridge, which will give you a dizzying perspective of
the impossibly steep, sheer and narrow gorge itself. By the end of the day,
you’ll arrive back at our fabulous lodge in Colorado Springs to kick off our
final group meal. We fully expect each tour member to head off to sleep that
night with a smile, knowing that they did indeed Rule the Rockies!
A few important notes about the Rule the Rockies Tour
Riding Ability and Conditions
Riding the mountain roads of Colorado requires very special skills. Many of the
roads are twisty and challenging, and the visibility around some curves is
severely limited. You should be an extremely proficient, experienced
motorcyclist in good health, and be capable of handling some challenging road
and weather conditions. Some of the routes available to you are also shared with
other large vehicles, such as logging trucks, tractor-trailers, and motorhomes.
We will also be crossing through areas of open range cattle grazing. You should
expect to encounter livestock on the road, and become accustomed to riding over
the steel cattle guards that are embedded in some of the roadways.
You should also be prepared to spend the entire duration of this tour at elevations anywhere between approximately 5,000 and 14,000 feet above sea level. Our nightly lodgings will be located at elevations of between approximately 5,000 and 8,000 feet above sea level. You need to be aware that the oxygen content of the air we’ll be breathing at higher elevations will be less than what our bodies are used to at lower elevations. For most folks, it takes only a couple of days to gradually acclimate to this condition. And for the most part, healthy individuals may not notice any effects of the higher elevations unless they strenuously exert themselves. Anyone who has health concerns about traveling at higher elevations should consult a physician before taking this tour.
This part of North America in late July and early August experiences a variety of weather conditions. Expect the daytime temperatures in most places to be quite comfortable, with highs in the 70s and 80s. The area in and around Grand Junction, and into the Moab, Utah region can be expected to be quite hot, with highs above 90. At the higher elevations of Rocky Mountain National Park, along with some of the high passes, the daytime highs may only reach the 50s and 60s.
Generally, rainfall is not abundant in many parts of Colorado in the summer months. However, the annual monsoon season can affect portions of the Rockies. Monsoon weather typically consists of afternoon and evening pop-up rain showers, which can often be seen from quite a distance prior to their arrival. If you book this tour, we’ll provide you with more information concerning weather, clothing and packing suggestions in an upcoming newsletter.
The bottom line is that if you are mostly a fair-weather rider who rarely takes long motorcycle trips that include a wide variety of weather and challenging road conditions, you should seriously consider taking another tour. Additionally, although this is not a requirement for our tours, we strongly recommend that you carry motorcycle towing coverage. Because our tours do not employ a chase vehicle, it is your responsibility to make sure that you and your motorcycle have access to transportation services in the event of a mechanical problem.
Routes and Daily Mileage
Please keep in mind that this tour allows you to cover long distances using
mostly secondary routes in a little over one week’s time. Distances of between
150 and 275 miles are typical, and the daily distances can often be modified to
be higher or lower, depending on if we are offering route options on certain
days. While a 150 to a 275-mile day may not sound like a long ride, it is
important to remember that on the majority of our routes, your riding speed may
be reduced below the posted speed limit, and dictated by the design and
condition of the roadways. Naturally, some of the most scenic routes are also
the most time-consuming. Regardless of the route, it will be important for you
to get on the road at a reasonable time each morning, and choose a pace that
will provide you with the most enjoyment while on the tour — and, of course, get
you to each destination in time for a hearty dinner!
Accommodations
The Rule the Rockies Tour includes all accommodations during the tour for a
total of 11 nights. To make your trip as pleasurable and relaxing as
possible, we have made every effort to obtain unique or extraordinary hotels,
inns and lodges wherever they are available. We will travel to a different
location during each day of the tour, except when we arrive in the towns of
Grand Junction and Ouray, where we will stay for two nights.
Meals
The tour price includes welcoming and closing receptions, cooked or continental
breakfasts each morning, and dinners every night except on the second nights of
the locations (mentioned above) where we are spending two nights. This leaves
you free to choose from among several restaurants that are all within walking
distance from our lodgings. Lunch each day is on your own. In most cases, our
meals will be provided at the location (or within a short walk) of our hotels,
inns and lodges.
Tour Costs
Upon request, when possible, we will attempt to pair singles into twin rooms
with two beds to save the single occupancy add-on. Prices per person.
| Single occupancy room | $3,755 |
| Sharing a room with two beds with another rider | $2,705 |
Bike Rentals
The AMA suggests the following motorcycle providers, all of which have locations
in Denver, Colorado:
Eaglerider rents Harley-Davidsons and offers discounts to AMA members.
Colorado Tour Bike Rentals rents Ducatis, BMWs, Kawasakis, Triumphs and offers discounts to AMA members.
Note: Regardless of which motorcycle provider you choose, AMA Tours has no direct affiliation with any motorcycle provider. If you choose to utilize their services, your contract will be with their company and not AMA Tours. AMA Tours assumes no responsibility for rental motorcycles with this tour. Other rental companies may also become available for your use on this tour.