Tour de Steamboat Resident Event Notification
Event Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026
Participant Cap: 1,000 riders
Event Start: Riders begin departing at 7:00 a.m.
Event Completion: Most riders are expected to be off county roads by late afternoon
Start and Finish: Howelsen Hill, Steamboat Springs
Routes
Tour de Steamboat includes five road and gravel routes:
- 25-mile Family Fun Ride
- 46-mile Oak Creek Loop
- 50-mile Gravel Route
- 66-mile Yampa Loop
- 112-mile Lynx Pass Assault
All routes can be previewed here
Event Overview
Tour de Steamboat is a noncompetitive community cycling event that raises funds for nonprofit organizations serving the Yampa Valley. The 2026 beneficiaries are REPS and Partners for Youth.
This is not a race. Riders are expected to follow all traffic laws, obey stop signs, ride to the right and operate their bicycles safely without unnecessarily impeding vehicle traffic.
Participants will begin departing Howelsen Hill at 7:00 a.m. and will spread out across five routes of varying lengths. The use of multiple routes will help distribute riders throughout the county rather than concentrating all participants on one roadway.
Route Information
Start and Finish Area
The start, finish and central event operations area will be located at Howelsen Hill. Riders will depart and return using River Road.
Riders will follow normal traffic laws throughout the start and finish areas. Motorists traveling on River Road may encounter increased bicycle traffic during the morning departure period and as riders return throughout the day.
Road and Gravel Routes
Depending on their selected route, riders may travel through areas including:
- River Road
- Stagecoach
- Oak Creek
- Yampa
- Yellow Jacket Pass
- Lynx Pass
- Other Routt County roads connecting these areas
The longest gravel route travels through remote sections of southern Routt County. A limited number of riders will participate in this route, reducing the overall impact on those roadways.
Motor Vehicle Impacts
All roads will remain open to motor vehicle traffic. No road closures or detours are planned.
Motorists may experience brief delays when safely passing cyclists, particularly during the morning departure period and in areas where riders are traveling in larger numbers. Riders will be instructed to remain to the right, ride predictably and allow vehicles to pass when it is safe to do so.
Colorado State Patrol officers will be positioned in selected higher-traffic areas to support rider and motorist safety.
We ask both motorists and cyclists to use patience, caution and courtesy when sharing the road.
Event Day Signs
Professional event signs will be placed at key intersections and along the routes to provide direction for riders and advance notice to motorists.
Course Cleanup
Event staff and volunteers will remove directional signs, course markers and event-related trash following the ride. Cleanup will be completed as quickly as possible after the final riders pass through each area.
Aid Stations and Support
Aid stations will be positioned along the routes to provide riders with water, nutrition and basic support. Event volunteers and support vehicles will also be stationed throughout the course.
Contact Information
Tour de Steamboat has been part of the Routt County cycling community for more than 20 years. We work to minimize impacts on residents and other road users while providing a safe and enjoyable experience for participants.
We are grateful to Routt County residents for their patience and cooperation. Please contact the event director or Routt County Road & Bridge with any questions or concerns.
Garett Mariano, Co-Ride Director
garett@tourdesteamboat.com
Scott Weeks, Co-Ride Director
scottw@tourdesteamboat.com
Routt County Road & Bridge
970-870-5308