Montana’s Lewis & Clark Country Bike Tour
I loved this tour and would definitely consider doing it again in the future. Jeff did a great job of making adjustments to the plan in order to accommodate our pace and abilities. What a great trip!
Enjoy the views that earned Montana its “Big Sky” nickname. Pedal through sacred native ground as you tackle the Continental Divide at Badger, Big Hole and Chief Joseph Passes. Soak up plenty of fascinating Lewis & Clark history, including a visit to the headwaters of the Missouri River. Ride the gorgeous Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway through a region filled with ghost towns and abandoned mines. Recharge in beautifully scenic lodges as you experience genuine Montana country along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountain Range.
PEDAL HAPPY! – We’ve rated this tour Intermediate in difficulty, but there’s plenty of cycling for Advanced riders looking for even more miles as well.
Bicycle Adventures is an equal opportunity provider.
Itinerary
Day 1
Ride alongside the mighty Missouri River through Lewis and Clark Country.
Meals
– Lunch
– Dinner
Lodging
Great Northern, Helena
Ability Level
Intermediate
Distance
52 miles
Elevation
+2,547 ft / -2,091 ft
Meet in Helena, capital city of Montana, at the airport or the Great Northern Hotel. Climb into the van to shuttle just over an hour to the tiny town of Cascade. After a bike fitting, ride beside the rippling waters of the Missouri River on your way to Montana’s Lewis and Clark Country. Stay tonight at the Best Western Premier Great Northern Hotel, right in downtown Helena.
Day 2
Pedal from Boulder to Three Forks and the headwaters of the Missouri River.
Meals
– Breakfast
– Lunch
Lodging
Sacajawea Hotel
Ability Level
Intermediate
Distance
59 miles
Elevation
+1,308 ft / -2,141 ft
After a 30-minute shuttle to Boulder, it’s back on the bikes to pedal south through farmland, surrounded by that big Montana Sky all the way. If you like, stop for ice cream or fudge as you continue along the Missouri River to Three Forks, then visit the side-by-side confluences of the Jefferson and Madison Rivers, then the Gallatin and Missouri Rivers. Tonight: explore Three Forks (dinner is on your own, with great choices on site and in town). Stay at the beautiful Sacajawea Hotel.
Day 3
Ride from Whitehall to Twin Bridges. Explore the onetime railroad town of Dillon. Tackle Badger Pass if you're up for it.
Meals
– Breakfast
– Dinner
Lodging
Montana High Country Guest Lodge
Ability Level
Intermediate
Distance
AM: 27 miles
PM: 37 miles
64 miles total
Elevation
AM: +695 ft / -434 ft
PM: +2,606 ft / -1,144 ft
Starting in Whitehall, follow the Jefferson River today along a mostly flat route with Beaverhead Rock on the horizon. Ride 27 miles to Twin Bridges, then hop in the van to shuttle to the historic railroad town of Dillon, Montana. The town will tempt you with sightseeing, and you’ll have time to explore with lunch on your own today. Up for a challenge? Ride up Badger Pass and be rewarded with a rolling ribbon of a descent into Grasshopper Valley. The Pioneer Scenic Mountain Byway will call you home to the Montana High Country Guest Lodge, our lodging for the next three nights.
Day 4
Rest and recharge as you choose your own adventure today.
Meals
– Breakfast
– Lunch
– Dinner
Lodging
Montana High Country Guest Lodge
Ability Level
All Levels
Visit an amazing ghost town followed by a soak in the local hot springs, or hike to Sawtooth Lake. Want to take it really easy? Just relax at the lodge for the day while enjoying expansive views of scenic Grasshopper Valley!
Day 5
Cycle through the scenic Big Hole Valley to Wisdom, then to the Continental Divide at Chief Joseph Pass.
Meals
– Breakfast
– Lunch
– Dinner
Lodging
Montana High Country Guest Lodge
Ability Level
Intermediate
Distance
70 miles (or less)
Elevation
+3,283 ft / -2,807 ft (or less)
Climb Big Hole Pass then soar down into the Big Hole Valley where the horizon broadens. Pedal through the small towns of Jackson and Wisdom (elevation 6,245 feet). Pause for several photos with the Wisdom street signs. After lunch here, ride onward through gorgeous prairie lands lined with uncountable peaks. Then climb to Chief Joseph Pass (7,251′ elevation), the route taken by the Nez Perce tribe in their attempt to flee to Canada in 1877. Snap a photo or two at the Bitterroot ski resort of Lost Trail Powder Mountain on the Montana-Idaho border before shuttling back to the Montana High Country Guest Lodge for a third night.
Day 6
Ride the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway from Polaris to the Church of the Big Hole in Wise, Montana. Raise a toast to an amazing week!
Meals
– Breakfast
– Lunch
Ability Level
Intermediate
Distance
40 miles
Elevation
+1,909 ft / -2,910 ft
Bike the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway this last day – a gorgeous route traversing the length of the Pioneer Mountain Range. Granite peaks top 10,000 feet on one side, gentler forested hills and mountain meadows spread out below on the other. The road gently ascends a 7,800-foot divide between Wise River, flowing north, and Grasshopper Creek, flowing south. Ghost towns, abandoned silver mines, and blue-ribbon trout are the hallmarks of this area. After a final celebration next to the Big Hole River, hop in the van to shuttle back to Helena.
