Great for those looking to try out bicycle touring and experienced riders looking for a more relaxing tour model. Average daily mileage is 35 miles and below. The terrain is generally gentle with occasional rolling hills. Average elevation gain is less than 1500 feet per day. (Formerly Beginner/Beginner+ tours)

Average Mileage: <35/day
Average Elevation Gain Range: <1500ft/day

A great option to get out and explore. The average daily mileage for the tour is 35-45 miles per day. There is a little more climbing involved, generally characterized by rolling terrain. An occasional hilly section may be part of the route. Average daily elevation gain is between 1000-2000 feet, with any single day total not exceeding 3000 feet. (Formerly Beginner+ tours)

Average Mileage: 30-45/day
Average Elevation Gain Range: 1000-2000ft/day, high <3000 ft/day

These tours average between 35 and 60 miles per day, and have generally hilly terrain, with some days very hilly or mountainous (the hilly or mountainous days may have shorter mileages). Elevation gain averages between 1500 and 3000 feet per day, with any single day total not exceeding 4000 feet. (Formerly Intermediate/Intermediate+ tours)

Average Mileage: 35-60/day
Average Elevation Gain Range: 1500-3000 ft/day, high <4000 ft/day

A tour for someone looking to push themselves on their adventure. Average mileage between 45 and 60 miles per day, with a variety of terrain. Longer mileage days will typically have more rolling terrain, while shorter mileage days will have hilly or mountainous terrain. Average daily elevation gain between 2500 and 4500 feet per day, with some days possibly exceeding 4500 feet in elevation gain. (Formerly Intermediate+/Advanced Tours)

Average Mileage: 45-65/day
Average Elevation Gain Range: 2500-4500 ft/day, no high limit

This level is reserved for our most challenging tours which includes our Epic tours (>30 days in length) and tours with big mileages and mountainous terrain. Average daily mileage is typically between 50 and 75 miles per day. Average daily elevation gain is between 2000 and 5000 feet per day with some days possibly exceeding 5000 feet in elevation gain. (Formerly Advanced Tours)

Average Mileage: 50-75/day
Average Elevation Gain Range: 2000-5000ft/day, no high limit

Gentle terrain means mostly flat roads and trails and is considered a relaxed type of ride. These tours typically have around 1,000 feet of elevation gain per day or less, and the grade is typically 1-4%. (0-19 vertical feet/mile).

Tours with Rolling Hills are those that have a bit more climbing in them, but the grades are still fairly relaxed. We’ll typically see climbing of less than 1,800 feet per day and venture into the 2-5% average for grade. (19-38 vertical feet/mile).

Our Hilly tours have a consistent up and down nature to them. A typical day will have you climbing (and descending) between 1,500 and 2,500 feet. Grades on these tours can vary, but will typically be between 2% and 6%. (38-63 vertical feet/mile).

A Very Hilly tour is just that. Expect to climb and descend regularly each day. Daily climbing will average between 2,500 and 3,500 feet, and we’ll move into typical grades of 3% to 6%, with occasional climbs reaching over 8% (these are typically short-lived). (50-75 vertical feet/mile).

Mountainous terrain will get your legs burning! These tours average more than 3,500 feet of climbing each day, and have spectacular descents to make it all worthwhile. Some tours may also be listed as mountainous if they regularly have steep grades over 8%. (75+ vertical feet/mile).

Tours labeled with this rating have a variety of terrain throughout the tour. This label is typically listed for our epic tours, which cross so much distance that one terrain rating would be too generic. For these tours, we’ve listed in the itinerary the terrain for that given section.

Characterized by travel mostly on hard-packed dirt roads and trails, Easy Technical Difficulty tours can be ridden on a rigid-frame bike with a tire size of 35-42mm.

Characterized by travel mostly on hard-packed dirt roads and trails, Easy to Moderate Technical Difficulty tours can typically be ridden on a rigid-frame bike with a tire size of 35–42mm. You may find some loose gravel/dirt on stretches of the route on tours with this rating. This technical rating may also be applied to tours with mixed paved/dirt surfaces.

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.

Characterized by travel on dirt roads, trails, and two-track, Moderate to Difficult tours ride in more remote areas and challenging terrain. Climbs and descents on loose gravel are typically in the 2–6% grade range, and sections of singletrack are available. Hardtail mountain bikes with a good tire tread are recommended.

Characterized by travel on dirt roads, trails, two-track, and singletrack, Difficult tours ride in remote areas and challenging terrain. Climbs and descents on loose gravel can be greater than 6%, and sections of singletrack are typically part of the route. Hardtail mountain bikes with a good tire tread are recommended.