Continental Divide

All US-based Rawhyde training tours include private accommodations by default. Double occupancy is available upon request.

Imagine a route more than 2,500 miles long, running from the Mexican border to Canada and crossing New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. Elevations rise from roughly 4,000 feet to nearly 13,000 feet, following a single dominant geologic feature that shapes weather patterns, divides watersheds, defines ecosystems, and delivers some of the most expansive views on the continent. This is the legendary Continental Divide, often called the Great Divide. Please note that the specific route is subject to weather, snowpack, seasonal closures, wildfires, and National Forest or BLM restrictions, and may be adjusted to ensure rider safety and compliance with land management requirements.

Riding the Continental Divide is remote, immersive, and deeply inspiring, and on a Rawhyde training-tour it becomes an opportunity to apply real-world skills across constantly changing terrain. Over the course of ten days, riders travel through some of the most striking landscapes in the United States, spending nights under star-filled skies or resting in comfortable lodges along the way. Coaches provide targeted instruction before major terrain features, reviewing body positioning, line choice, traction management, and safe descending and climbing techniques. The terrain demands respect, the scenery rewards every mile, and the dynamic conditions make each day memorable.

Rawhyde’s connection to the Continental Divide goes back to the summer of 2009, when our first group spent twelve days exploring the route with a diverse mix of riders. That journey covered more than 2,500 miles of backcountry terrain across Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana, revealing the vastness and unspoiled beauty of the American backcountry. It is remarkable that you can ride such great distances while remaining in places that feel remote, pristine, and unchanged. The route began in Douglas, Arizona on the Mexican border and concluded in Roosville, Montana at the Canadian border.

Along the way, riders passed through the saguaro-filled deserts of Arizona, climbed to high alpine elevations in Colorado, crossed the western edge of the Great Plains on narrow dirt tracks with grazing cattle, and navigated tight backcountry routes deep in the Montana wilderness. With coaching support throughout, the experience became a living tapestry of training and exploration, blending the challenge of harsh desert terrain with the flow of lush alpine forests, wide open plains, and the expansive skies of Montana.

Years later, we still refer to this experience as America’s Ultimate Adventure. The reasons are clear. First is the diversity of terrain. Few places in the world offer such dramatic geographic changes in such short distances, from desert expanses to rugged mountain passes. Second is the isolation. Much of the route lies far from population centers, creating the feeling of riding somewhere far beyond the modern world. And third is the unpredictability. Summer brings access, but also afternoon storms and rapidly changing conditions that require adaptability and solid riding fundamentals. Every one of these elements reinforces the value of our training-tour approach.

It is difficult to capture this journey with words alone because it must be ridden to be understood. The Continental Divide is not just a route. It is an unforgettable passage through the heart of the American backcountry, where skill development, adventure, and raw natural beauty come together in a way that stays with you long after the ride is over.