We’re heading high this month for a chill overnighter up Rollins Pass—a historic railroad route that climbs above treeline for massive views, a touch of alpine air, and a mellow night out. This is a great ride if you’ve done a few trips already and are ready to add some elevation and exposure to your bikepacking palette.

We'll meet Saturday at noon in Nederland at the Ned General Store and ride up the chunky Rollins Pass Road (also known as the Moffat Road) for about 20-25 miles depending on the final camp spot. Expect a steady but gradual climb with plenty of opportunities to pause, snack, and take in the scenery. The top rewards us with big views and (hopefully) a quiet camp above 10,000 feet.

Sunday, we’ll roll back the way we came. Total mileage is in the 50 range roundtrip, with decent climbing and classic Front Range chunk—but nothing too technical. This route is suitable for hardtails, rigid mountain bikes, or well-set-up gravel rigs with wide tires and low gearing.

As always, this ride is free, social, and self-supported. Bring what you need to be comfortable overnight, but don’t stress—plenty of us are still dialing in our setups. We aim to create an inclusive, low-pressure environment where folks can connect, share knowledge, and just enjoy the ride.

If you’ve been meaning to get out on a trip, this is a great one to jump into.

Who it’s for:
Intermediate riders comfortable with 4–5k feet of climbing and some rocky road conditions. No-drop pace, with plenty of regrouping.

Weather note:
We’ll be up high, so afternoon storms and chilly nights are very possible. Bring layers, shelter, and respect for the alpine environment.

What to ride:
As noted above, this route is a mix of mellow singletrack (gravel bike probably fine), road, dirt road and eventually the chunky higher regions of Rollins Pass. It's best on a hardtail or even full suspension mountain bike, but rigid ATB's and Gravel bikes with wider tires or some patience will work. 

The Route:
This is a straight forward out-and-back, with some West Magnolia trail/two-track to avoid climbing peak to peak out of Nederland. I'm thinking we find camp on the way up the pass, drop our gear and ride unloaded to the top of the pass. I included a ride back down to Boulder if anyone is interested in doing that in the morning, or you can simply return to Nederland.

*The route shows 73 miles, this is including the ride back to Boulder. The abridged Nederland finish is about 50 miles