Mountain Biking

Travel Season

Many mountain biking trails are only accessible during the warmer, drier months of the year. Conditions vary by region - snowpack, spring runoff, wildlife closures, and fire closures all impact trail availability. Desert rides may be perfect in winter, while alpine routes shine in summer and early fall. Some places are even great in the rain. We can start with your preferred season and match it with the right destination, or begin with a dream trail system and determine the ideal riding window.

Reservations

Most trail systems don’t require any kind of advance reservations or permits, but there is a strategy to parking and picking which trails to ride when, especially in popular destinations like Park City, Moab, or Bentonville. For multi-day or bikepacking routes on federal lands, permits may be needed for campsites or dispersed camping. These often open on a set date and fill quickly. We’ll help you navigate the details and secure what’s needed for your itinerary.

We’ll book you lodging as needed for your entire adventure - whether that’s a convenient hotel close to the trailhead, a cabin rental with secure bike storage, or a bike-friendly boutique hotel downtown. Our default is comfortable 3-star hotels, but we’ll tailor to your style and budget.

By Air

Flying with a bike adds complexity, but we’ve done it many times. Whether you’re traveling with a packed bike box, renting a bike at your destination, or shipping it ahead, we’ll walk you through the best approach for your airline and route. We’ll also share up-to-date TSA policies and gear-packing strategies to avoid surprises. Renting a pickup truck or renting a more “overloading” vehicle like a built-out sprinter van can be great strategies.

Shuttles

Some destinations work best with a shuttle setup, especially for point-to-point rides or days with long descents and minimal climbing. Whether you need transport from the airport to your hotel, from one trail system to another, or a custom shuttle to support your route, we’ll coordinate with local vendors to get you where you need to go.

Pricing

Most biking-specific fees are minimal - things like parking permits or day-use fees. The bigger costs tend to be gear (which Wandersaurus does not provide), bike rentals or shipping, alongside standard travel expenses like flights, hotels, and rental cars. We do not book flights, but will handle the lodging and rental cars. Additionally, our specialized trip planning charge covers our effort planning the time on two wheels. Whether for a series of single-day rides or bikepacking routes, our fee is $100 for the first day of riding and $50 for each additional day.

Larger Groups

These trips work well for groups, from families and friends to college clubs or Scout crews. Group logistics (gear, pacing, route selection) need extra planning, but we’ve done it before and can help tailor the experience to your crew’s level and interests. Reach out and let’s talk.

Payment Policies

• Payments must be made by credit card. Specific restrictions may exist for certain lodging or activity vendors. 

• Wilderness planning fee + 20% of other expenses due at time of reservation

• Balance due 90 days before trip start date (If booking within 90 days of trip, full balance due at time of reservation)

• Planning fee is nonrefundable. Some additional portion of the deposit may be nonrefundable, as some excursions or activity fees (which will have been booked upon confirmation) are nonrefundable. Accommodations and transportation will generally be reserved as refundable.

• Fully refundable until 60 days before trip start, less wilderness planning fee and any nonrefundable excursions

• 50% refundable until 14 days before trip start, less wilderness planning fee

• If cancelling within 14 days of trip start, no refunds are given

Included In Your Package Price (unique biking components in italics)

• Bespoke itinerary - tailored as needed to suit your particular requirements

• Overnight accommodations and/or backcountry permits for all nights

• Rental car and/or other ground transportation as needed

• Maps of all driving routes

• Digital route files compatible with all major GPS devices (Garmin, Wahoo, Hammerhead, etc.) via RideWithGPS

• Trail descriptions, elevation profiles, and local beta for all recommended rides

• Fees for any guided rides incorporated in trip plan, as well as any rental bikes

• Expert advice and local information, including packing tips for riding gear, bike shipping, and weather considerations

• Updated information on any changing conditions delivered in the weeks before your trip

• Carbon offset credits for the mileage driven along the main route of the itinerary

• Full support during your trip from the Wandersaurus Travel team (9:00 am until 9:00 pm Eastern Time)

Not Included

• Travel to and from your starting/ending points

• Gasoline, parking, and/or any other ground transportation expenses unless specified

• Meals unless specified

• Additional guided tours or excursions beyond those specified

• Tips/gratuities for any guides

• Travel insurance. Note: we recommend purchasing travel insurance via a certified insurance agency

• Mountain bikes, repair kits, bikepacking bags, or other riding gear

• Paper maps or printed materials unless otherwise requested