Three Perfect Days · Steamboat Springs

Flat, paved, and nobody gets dropped.

Not every biking trip needs a bike rack on the roof. This is the version for a mixed group - grandparents, kids, one person who has not ridden since college - where the riding is paved or gentle, the rentals are four minutes away, and nobody is negotiating a rock garden. The Yampa Core Trail runs 7.5 paved, almost entirely flat miles through town, the gondola is a ten-minute walk from the door, and Escape Chalet sleeps 10 across 4 ensuite bedrooms with the bikes in the heated garage overnight.

Day One

Spin out, and pick up the bikes.

Morning

Core Trail, end to end

Paved, flat, and it follows the river most of the way. Good for loosening up and seeing the town.

7.5 milesPaved
ActivityHike the Yampa Core TrailšŸ¾ Easy Ā· pavedSee it in the guide →
Afternoon

Pick up the rentals

Ski Haus keeps its bike shop at 1450 Pine Grove Road, four minutes from the chalet, with the largest and most varied rental fleet in town - cruisers, e-bikes, kids' bikes, helmets and locks included. Christy Sports rents the same range right in Gondola Square if you would rather collect them on the way to the mountain. Orange Peel Bicycle Service at 1901 Curve Plaza is the bench to call if a bike travelled badly.

Ski Haus Ā· Tueā€“Sat 10ā€“6Christy Sports Ā· Gondola SquareOrange Peel Ā· 970-879-2957
Evening

Beer and a patio

Wood-fired pizza and good beer, in a room that will take a group in bike kit without blinking.

Eat & DrinkMountain Tap BreweryBrewery Ā· wood-fired Ā· Yampa St Ā· 9 min drive Ā· šŸ¾ Dog-friendly patioSee it in the guide →
Day Two

The mountain.

All day

Take the gondola up anyway

A ten-minute walk from the chalet, or the free Green Line bus from the stop 50 feet from the door. The bike park runs 9:30 to 4, daily from early June to the end of August and then Friday to Sunday into early October - but you do not have to ride down it. The gondola is worth the ride on its own, and there are hiking and multi-use trails at the top for anyone who would rather walk back to the view.

9:30amā€“4pmDaily Junā€“AugFriā€“Sun Sepā€“Oct
ActivitySkiing & Snowboarding at Steamboat ResortSki & RideSee it in the guide →
Apres

Big plates, slope views

Burgers, ribs, and pizza in a rustic room with a busy bar, five minutes away.

Eat & DrinkSlope SideAmerican Ā· burgers & pizza Ā· Ski Time Square Ā· 5 min drive Ā· šŸ¾ Dog-friendly patioSee it in the guide →
Evening

Grill on the deck

There is a pizza stone and a salt block with the grill tools, and the picnic table takes the overflow.

Day Three

Mad Creek, then out.

Morning

One last ride

Mad Creek is a hike-and-bike trail ten minutes from downtown, and a good last spin before a drive home.

ActivityGo Mad at Mad CreekšŸ¾ Hike & bikeSee it in the guide →
Midday

Pack up properly

Bikes back in the heated garage, kit on the boot dryers, and one last soak. The hot tub seats ten, which is the whole group.

Heated garageBoot dryers

Easy rides worth the short drive.

  • Rotary Trail. 3.3 miles with only 327 feet of climbing, and nicely shaded - the softest introduction to dirt in the valley.
  • Panorama and Fiddlehead. Six miles from town and rated easy, with views over the Yampa Valley, the Flat Tops and the Continental Divide. This is where the group's least confident rider has a good day.
  • Bear River Bike Park. Beginner and intermediate dirt features, built to be family-friendly. Good for an hour while somebody else naps.
  • The Core Trail connects most of this. 7.5 paved miles along the river, joinable and leavable anywhere, and it is how you get downtown without moving a car.
  • Steamboat is a Gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community, which mostly shows up as drivers who expect you to be there.

Your base for all of it.

Escape Chalet sits in the mountain district at the base of Mount Werner, a flat ten-minute walk from the gondola, with the free Green Line bus stopping 50 feet from the door.

  • Four ensuite bedrooms, sleeps 10, so nobody shares a bathroom after a long day out
  • A 10-person hot tub, open year round and held at 102F
  • Chef's kitchen with a 36-inch Wolf range, and a dining table that seats 8 with 3 more at the bar
  • Heated garage for two cars, with an EV charger and boot dryers
  • Up to two dogs, free when you book direct, with the Pup Package included
Book direct

Room for everybody, at every pace.

Four ensuite bedrooms, sleeps 10, ten minutes' walk from the gondola. Two dogs stay free when you book direct, and the Pup Package is included.

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