Elephant Rock Cycling Festival

The Subaru Elephant Rock Cycling Festival: 30 Years of the Best of Colorado Cycling All in One Place

5 great rides, an MTB race, a giant expo, the latest bikes and gear, tasty food, live music, tons of fun – something for everyone!

The signs of spring are everywhere: blossoming flowers, budding branches, blue skies, birdsong, and, yes, the sounds of well-oiled bicycle chains slipping through their gears. Spring’s welcome warmer and longer days are here to get you ready for the official kickoff to the summer cycling season: The annual Subaru Elephant Rock Cycling Festival back in Castle Rock for its 31st year, June 2 and 3, 2018.

Offering something for everyone and their favorite bike, the annual Subaru Elephant Rock Cycling Festival brings together: an all-day off-road riding event; a collection of scenic road and gravel course options for riders of all ages and abilities; unparalleled on-course support; a giant expo featuring the latest in bikes, cycling gear and apparel; great food; live music; and, a genuine party-like atmosphere. After all, it’s not called a festival for nothing.

Kicking off the weekend are two great events. Saturday June 2 launches the ERock Sunrise-Sunset Mountain Bike Race, a 12-hour mountain bike endurance race for individuals and teams (from 2-5 riders) on the mellow trails of Philip S Miller Park. The pedaling jumps into high gear Saturday morning, but you can kick it off at the Friday Night Extravaganza, with food trucks, live music and the GiddyUp! Film Tour. Sunrise Sunset entrants even have the convenient option of camping right there at the Douglas County Fairgrounds so they are well rested and ready to roll for that 7 am start. Award-winning barbecue and live music from Pick & Howl are the fitting reward for contestants when the riding’s all said and done.

Sunrise Sunset riders who complete the Elephant Rock Century Ride (100 miles) the next day (June 3) receive the new and highly coveted Iron Tusk award for their toughness and perseverance. A portion of each Sunrise Sunset entry fee goes to support the good work of the Colorado High School Cycling League, the growing high school mountain bike league which is intent on “building strong minds, bodies and character one pedal stroke at a time” in schools across Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico.

Also opening on June 2nd is the Primal Colorado Bike Expo, featuring over 80 exhibitors and presenting learn-to-ride clinics, BMX stunt bike demonstrations, live music, antique bikes (you won’t believe how far we’ve come), a bike parade and scrumptious food from an array of popular food trucks. The Expo will feature local and national cycling companies: bikes, gear, accessories and apparel, including a few you should not miss: Eyesight and their high-tech Raptor Shades; Revolucion Rides and a chance to enter a drawing for a spot on one of their upcoming bike tours; Primal and their superlative cycling apparel; and, so many more. Of course, there are numerous chances to win some great swag, and entrance to the Expo, which continues on Sunday, June 3, is 100% free!

The Subaru Elephant Rock Cycling Festival really kicks it into high gear on Sunday, June 3, with the ever-popular Elephant Rock rides. With scenic, and occasionally tough, courses for cyclists of all ages and levels– 100-mile, 62-mile, 40-mile, 27-mile gravel course and the 8-mile family ride, brought to you by the good folks at Colorado 811– the Elephant Rock has given cyclists the perfect kickoff to summer for 30 years. They do it right. Courses are well marked and well supported, and the aid stations have the goods from our friends at Skratch Labs and Clif Bar that cyclists want and need to fuel their ride.

Truthfully, it’s the kids who really get the goods at this year’s Festival. The special Kids Zone features everything your little rider might want: A bouncy house; a special strider bike course; a new painting station where young ones can paint their own unique ERock T; and, a full-on craft and coloring zone.

When your ride is done, the type 2 fun begins at the always-popular Party at the Rock. Rest your tired legs and enjoy the Festival’s new and improved food program, featuring tasty treats from the best of the local food scene: Biju’s Little Curry Shop, Flying Horse Catering, Park Burger and Birdcall. Relax, enjoy delicious food, catch the live music from a trio of great local bands (Decaf Muchachos, WireWood Station, and The Outliers) and cruise the Primal Colorado Bike Expo.

Registration for the Sunrise Sunset MTB race and all of the Elephant Rock courses is still open, but don’t delay: visit https://www.elephantrockride.com/ to sign up. Mark your calendars for the Subaru Elephant Rock Cycling Festival on June 2 and 3, and come out to Castle Rock. You’ll be glad you did.