Start Date:

Jul 06, 2019

End Date:

Jul 12, 2019

Start Location:

Whitefish, MT

End Location:

Whitefish, MT

Total Days:

7

Riding Days:

5

Rest Days:

2

Miles:

252

Average Daily Mileage:

50.4

Surface:

Dirt

Riders:

50

Airport:

Glacier Park Intl (FCA)

Tour Leader:

Bob Westgate

Meals:

Catered meals

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Meals - Catered meals

Our catering staff will provide all meals and rest stops will be located approximately every 25 miles. You'll start each day with a hot breakfast, followed by a mid-morning rest stop to fuel you on to lunch. Another rest stop awaits you mid-afternoon and you'll be rewarded each evening with a sumptuous dinner. Vegetarian and special dietary needs will be accommodated, though food selection may be limited in some locations.

Accommodations:

Camping, Motel Options

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Accommodations - Camping, Motel Options

Campsites range from private campgrounds to state parks to school athletic fields. Bathrooms are available at each evening's campsite. If access to indoor facilities is unavailable or insufficient, we may supplement the facilities with portable toilets and a shower truck. Fully supported tours are designed to be primarily camping trips, but motel options are often available at the participants' expense. For those who elect to stay indoors, a list of indoor accommodations is provided 60 days before your trip's departure and participants must make their own arrangements for indoor lodging. In most cases, motels will be located within a few miles of the official campsite and we will be happy to pick up and drop off luggage from the lodging facilities identified in the Tour Information Packet. You will need a good freestanding tent with a ground cloth, a sleeping bag rated appropriately for the season and elevation of your tour, and a sleeping pad.

Type:

Supported

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Type - Supported

Supported tours range from fully supported to van supported, and add an ease of travel that comes when vehicles transport your personal gear.

Technical Difficulty:

Moderate

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Technical Difficulty - Moderate

Characterized by travel mostly on dirt roads and trails, Moderate Technical Difficulty tours ride on roads and trails that contain sections of loose gravel, soft dirt, or ruts. Riders will find more comfort on mountain bikes with front suspension or plus-size/semi-fat (3in. wide) tires. These rides may feature sections with singletrack options.

Physical Difficulty:

Intermediate+

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Physical Difficulty - Intermediate+

In comparison to our Intermediate tours, an Intermediate+ tour often has slightly more climbing or a few longer days (50–70 miles per day). A few of our self-contained Intermediate+ tours are ranked as such not due to high mileage or heavy climbing, but because riding loaded for several consecutive days can be physically taxing.

Level of Support:

Fully Supported

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Level Of Support - Fully Supported

Adventure Cycling's fully supported tours — where all personal and group gear is transported by a vehicle each day — are larger groups (typically between 40 and 90 riders) who will camp together with occasional indoor overnights and enjoy catered meals. Indoor lodging options are often available at the participant's expense (see “Accommodations” for more information).

Cost:

$1,299.00

Unsuitable Bicycle Types:

Recumbent, Trike, E-Bike, E-Trike

Overview

Sample our heralded Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, fully supported and load free! We’ll travel from the lively resort town of Whitefish, located near Glacier National Park, to the southern end of the spectacular Swan Range, one of Montana’s less-visited geologic gems. Not far away lies Flathead Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake in the West. 

Riding mostly on U.S. Forest Service roads and a bit of singletrack, we’ll experience the high country of one of the world’s great wildland complexes. Along the way, we’ll encounter a variety of flora and fauna — the sharp-eyed might even spot wild huckleberries ripe for the picking or the occasional bear on a distant hillside. We’ll skirt the southern boundaries of the Bob Marshall and Scapegoat wilderness areas and crest the Continental Divide on a loop near Lincoln, our ultimate destination.

Day 1

Whitefish, 0 miles. We’ll meet up with the tour leaders and fellow group members for our first map meeting, our first dinner together, and our first night of camping under the big sky of Montana. If time permits before the tour begins — or after it’s over, when you’ll be in even better shape — you may want to tackle the glorious Going-to-the-Sun Road in nearby Glacier National Park, an iconic American ride. Also nearby is Whitefish Mountain Resort, a popular winter ski destination and home to some super-fun mountain bike trails.

Day 2

Whitefish to Bigfork, 44 miles. Today we’ll ease into things along a route that winds through the most civilized countryside we’ll visit during our weeklong ride. The network of rural valley byways links the resort town of Whitefish with the small artistic community of Bigfork, nestled at the mouth of the Swan River on the northeastern shores of massive Flathead Lake. Most of the ride is paved and relatively flat, but there are a few gravel sections. Our overnight camping will be hosted by Bigfork Elementary School.

Day 3

Bigfork to Condon, 62 miles. Today we leave the agrarian countryside behind and ascend what the Great Divide is known for: mountains! Riding from Bigfork to Condon, most of the day will be spent on Forest Service dirt roads, with plenty of climbing and descending. The first climb, at six miles, is the longest, but it is followed by an unforgettable downhill. Our path follows a series of rolling, primitive dirt roads squeezed between the base of the stunning Mission Mountains and State Highway 83. We’ll enjoy some fantastic views of the Swan Range to the east before reaching our overnight camping destination.

Day 4

Condon to Seeley Lake, 44 miles. Today’s adventure starts out with seven miles of pavement; after that it’s all dirt roads with a short section of singletrack thrown in for good measure. About halfway into the ride, there’s the option of stashing your bike in the woods and hiking a half mile to hidden Clearwater Lake, a sparkling gem that’s perfect for a bracing dip. From the day’s high point, get ready for a memorable downhill along Morrell Creek, followed by some rolling terrain into lively Seeley Lake where overnight camping is at the Seeley Lake Motor Lodge.

Day 5

Seeley Lake, 0 miles. Layover day. This small Montana town tucked into the banks of sparkling Seeley Lake is a perfect place for golfing, canoeing on the Clearwater River or Seeley Lake, hanging out on the beach, walking around town, riding the snow-free paths of the Seeley Creek Nordic Trails, or hiking the Morrell Falls National Historic Trail. Did we mention the outstanding ice cream scooped up at the ever-popular Stage Station? We’ll camp for a second night at the Seeley Lake Motor Lodge.

Day 6

Seeley Lake to Lincoln, 67 miles. Today’s ride takes us along rolling Forest Service roads and includes a lunch stop along the Blackfoot River near the tiny hamlet of Ovando. You’ll skirt Monture Creek, originally named Seaman Creek by William Clark of the Lewis & Clark expedition, after his Newfoundland dog, Seaman. After cresting scenic Huckleberry Pass, we’ll enjoy a great downhill and a nice cruise into the town of Lincoln, named for the President by gold seekers who rushed into the area during the 1860s. Overnight camping will be at the Lincoln School.

Day 7

Lincoln to the Continental Divide and back, 35 miles. Today’s ride will take us up to the Continental Divide via Poorman Creek at 6,376-foot Stemple Pass. After enjoying the incredible views and the accomplishment of the climb, we’ll complete a clockwise loop and descend back to Lincoln along the South Fork of Poorman Creek before rejoining the main Poorman Creek Road. Our Whitefish-bound shuttle will depart at 2:00 p.m. from Lincoln, arriving at our point of origin at approximately 6:00 p.m. Take our word for it: this 250-mile sampler of the world’s longest off-pavement cycling route will leave you craving more. And since you've bagged only 10 percent of it, there’s much more to be ridden!

"I have been a serious cyclist for over four decades and my recently completed Cycle the Divide trip has to rank as one of the all-time highlights. The ride was challenging but exhilarating. The scenery was spectacular. The weather was even cooperative. The staff was most helpful and supportive. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone so inclined. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity for this experience of a lifetime."

"This was really my dream trip."

"I loved the long, steep climbs in the mist and mud followed by awesome descents."

"I must tell you how much I loved my tour! It was the best ever bike trip!!! The tour leaders were just amazing in every way. I will do another tour with Adventure Cycling!!"