Vapor Trail 125
Cult-classic 125-mile night MTB race starting at 10 PM on Salida's Monarch Crest. Full-moon backcountry suffer-fest through Colorado's highest terrain.
The vibe
Cult night ride under the stars
The Vapor Trail 125 starts at 10 PM and doesn’t end until somewhere around dawn, when exhausted riders roll back into Salida after 125 miles of Monarch Crest ridgeline, high-altitude singletrack, and remote Colorado backcountry. This is not a race for the unprepared — it’s a full night of mountain biking in the dark, above 12,000 feet, on terrain that demands respect. It’s also one of the most mythologized events in Colorado mountain biking, and for good reason.
Registration is notoriously limited and fills within minutes of opening. The course rolls through some of the most spectacular terrain in the state — Monarch Crest is legendary, the dark skies at altitude make the stars feel close enough to touch, and the suffering is shared across a small, self-selected group of riders who chose to do something genuinely hard on a September night.
Lights are your most critical gear decision. Bring a minimum of two strong lighting systems (helmet and bar), extra batteries, and backup lights — going dark on the Monarch Crest at 2 AM is not a situation you want to manage. Arrive in Salida the day before, pre-ride whatever sections you can while it’s light, and eat an enormous dinner before the 10 PM start. The post-race breakfast in Salida is earned.