Great Sand Dunes Loop

Great Sand Dunes Adventure Ride

JULY 22-24 2022  Friday to Sunday

From Colorado Springs, CO

From Colorado Springs, ride your Adventure motorcycle around Pikes Peak on spectacular old railroad lines to Silvercliffe and over Medano Pass to the Great Sand Dunes Hot Springs. Day 2 Ride over 4 passes in the dirt to the old Railroad town of Salida. Day 3 Ride to the South Platte River and back through the Garden of the Gods.

• This is an Epic route you would not do on your own.
  

3 Day Adventure Ride to the Great Sand Dunes. Overnight at the Sand Dunes Hot Springs and in Salida

• The Great Sand Dunes Loop is a spectacular 3 Day 400+ mile Adventure loop, that doesn’t just take you down the Highway to get there.
• Day 1 the loop visits old mining towns, railroad stops and takes little used dirt roads on a adventurous route from Colorado Springs.

• The route goes around PIkes Peak towards Canon City, then into Silvercliffe and the Wet Mountain Valley and the back way into the Great Sand Dunes National Monument over Medano Pass.
• If you don’t like Sand, there is an alternate route, continue scrolling.
  

After riding over Medano Pass, spend the night camping at the Sand Dunes Hot Springs.

Eat, relax and soak in the Hot Springs Pool at the end of Day 1.

• Camping and soaking at the Hot Springs is included.
• The Club will portage your gear so that you may ride unencumbered.

Day 2 ride to Salida on a creative route over 4 mountain passes, all in the dirt.

• Ride old toll-roads and old rail lines.
• Dinner is included on Saturday Night and we’ll spend the night in Salida.
• Lodging is on you.
  

Day 3 ride in the dirt from Salida the back way into 11 Mile Canyon on the South Platte River.

• Then ride down Rampart Range road from Woodland Park to Garden of the Gods.
• Ride up Pikes Peak if your game, or return to where our trucks have been securely parked at the Colorado Springs Airport.

WHAT IS INCLUDED ON THIS RIDE TO THE GREAT SAND DUNES ?

• GPS Tracks
• Ride with GPS Club membership
• Exit Tours MC Club Membership
• Camping & soaking at the Sand Dines Hot Springs Pool Friday night
• Campfires
• Camaraderie of Like-minded individuals
• Luggage portage so you may ride unencumbered
• Chase truck
• Local support
• Dinner Saturday night in Salida
• T-shirt
• Stickers

From Colorado Springs a Loop to the Great Sand Dunes entails:

Day 1

1. Staging in long term parking at the secure Colorado Springs Airport
2. Stagecoach road to the old Colorado Springs & Cripple Creek & Victor old railroad right-of-way.
3. Gold Camp Road to the Cripple Creek & Victor gold mine.
   
4. Victor Pass
5. Victor
6. Phantom Canyon old railroad right-of-way
   
7. Canon City
8. Oak Creek Grade
9. Westcliffe & Fuel
10. Wet Mountain Valley
11. Medano Pass
12. The Great Sand Dunes National Park
13. Sand Dunes Hot Springs

Day 2

1. Town of Center & fuel
2. La Garita
3. Canero Pass
4. Sanderson Stagecoach road
5. Saguache & fuel
   
6. Ute Pass
7. Bonanza
8. Otto Mears Toll-road
9. Silvercreek
10. Marshall Pass old railroad right-of-way
    
11. Sargents
12. Old Monarch Pass
13. Monarch Summit
14. Salida

Day 3

1. Ute Trial from Salida
   
2. Hwy 9
3. Dirt roads west of Pikes Peak
4. 11 Mile Canyon old railroad right-of-way
   
5. South Platte River
6. Florissant
7. Hwy 24 old railroad right-of-way
   
8. Divide
9. Woodland Park old railroad right-of-way
10. Rampart Range Road
11. Garden of the Gods
12. Cheyenne Canyon old railroad right-of-way

Additional Loop Descriptions

Day 1 ride over scenic and a virtually unknown area from behind Pikes Peak on utterly spectacular old Railroad Right-of-ways towards Canon City and Westcliffe.

• To 10,000 foot Medano Pass through the Sangre de Cristo wilderness from the east side into the back of the Great Sand Dunes.
• There are 9 creek crossing on Medano Pass before you get to the back of the Sand Dunes. The road out is a sandy jeep road few people traverse.

• You could have the option to glamp in a cabin at the Sand Dunes Hot Springs or pitch your tent for the night.
• Ride unencumbered by camping gear on this 400+ total miles route.

 

• On Day 2 Enjoy a fun lightly traveled mainly off-road loop through the Rio Grande river headwaters.
• Over Canero Pass, a short jaunt on an old Barlow & Sanderson Stagecoach route, past the Hoagland Stage Stop at Old Cowtown to the old town of Saguache in the northern San Luis Valley.
• Then climb up little known old Ute Pass, through the Bonanza mining district and over the built in the 1870’s Otto Mears Toll-road to the old railroad grade which is Marshall Pass.
• Stop in the old railroad town of Sargents
• Ride old Monarch pass to over 11,000 foot Monarch Pass and spend the night in the old railroad town of Salida.

 

• Day 3 on the way back to Colorado Springs from Salida, we’ll take a very creative route with as many dirt roads as possible around the backside of Pikes Peak.
• Ride out of 11 Mile Canyon on the old rail line and head towards Woodland Park, again the back way in the dirt.
• Ride down dirt Rampart Range to Garden of the Gods, where you can decide if your game to ride up Pikes Peak or call it a day and head to the trucks ?
• Fuel and snack stops are available about every 80 miles.

• The club has reserved the 3 glamping cabins at the Sand Dunes Hot Springs, where lodging is on you.
• The Club will also provide space for tent camping at the Sand Dunes Hot Springs Pool included with the ride.
• Soaking in the Hot Springs Pool is also included.
  

Ride through a little known National Park on your Motorcycle and enjoy:

• No Crowds
• No hassle
• Hot springs
  
• Glamping cabin, or tent camping
  
• Good food and High Adventure with like-minded enthusiast’s.
• Gear Portage
• Secure Truck parking at the Colorado Springs Airport ($7/day)

Alternate route description that avoids the Sand Dunes road.

Off-Road tires are required to ride over Medano Pass and into the back of the Sand Dunes.

• This route is suitable for a large Adventure bike with off-road tires and some skills.
• If you dont show up with off-road tires, or are concerned with your sand riding skills, there is an alternate route.
• You can skip Medano Pass, and ride towards the town of Gardener. Where you’ll turn right and head in the dirt over Pass Creek Pass to paved La Veta Pass.
• Then ride down La Veta Pass and around Mt. Blanca on the pavement and approach the Great Sand Dunes from the south vs the east as the Medano Pass section of the route does.
• From the Great Sand Dunes it all pavement to the Sand Dunes Hot Springs to end Day 1

More Info on the Sand Dunes here, and a way around them on this Link:

advtours.com/great-sand-dunes-info/

E Ticket Ride