Shuttle Services for Lake City

970-944-2526

Shuttle fee is $40 per car load per hour from the time we leave our store until we arrive back at our store. Keep in mind we will not fill a vehicle to over-capacity. We have big vehicles though, so more than likely you and your group will fill one vehicle.

Shuttle fees do not include shuttle gratuity (which is discretionary), but it averages about 15 percent.

Shuttles start at a designated place and time agreed upon when you reserve the shuttle. We try to take walk-ins when possible, but cannot guarantee a ride without a reservation.

We will ALWAYS be at a designated destination when we say we will! We are starting our 13th year of operations, and we have never been late for a shuttle. We are also incident free.

If we arrive at a destination and you are not there, we wait 20 minutes before we return to the store. Upon return, we alert the authorities as to your missing status. That's because our area is so remote, so wild that accidents can and do happen. We are your link to the outside world when you are hiking and have reserved a shuttle with us, thus we take all late and missing situations seriously.

All prices subject to change without notice.

Part or all of this operation is conducted on public lands under special permit from the US Bureau of Land Management & US Forest Service. Outfitter #1920 and Permit # CO16003-06004.

Common Trailheads

If you prefer to hike on your own, but need a ride to and/or from the trail head, The Sportsman offers shuttle services for you and your gear to any local trail head. We shuttle hikers to most trailheads in our area. And if you want us to drop off your car at another trailhead, just let us know. Shuttle service information follows, but if you have questions, just call us at 970-944-2526.

You should call ahead of time to make arrangements and discuss the price of your shuttle, because we are not staffed for drop-in service. We take down your information and a credit card number to hold the reservation. We do not charge you until after the shuttle or if you do not show up.

Walk-ins are accepted, but reservations are suggested, especially during our summer season ... June, July and August. Call us at 970-944-2526 or email us at info@lakecitysportsman.com.

Cancel at least 14 days in advance and your credit card is not charged for any shuttle services. If you cancel after the 14-day advance, we charge your credit card $40.

We are permitted through the United States Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service to perform shuttles in our area. Our drivers are professionally licensed, bonded, and insured.

The Sportsman Outdoors & Fly Shop offers several trailhead to trailhead hiker shuttle options. We can:

● Meet you at our store and leave you at your trailhead
    (most commonly used)
● Meet you at your destination trailhead where you will leave your car, and
    then drive you to the start of your hike.
● Pick you up at a trailhead at a specified time and drop you off back at your
car or at our store.
● Pick you up from your hotel, drop you off at a trailhead, and pick you up and
    take you back to your hotel when finished.
● Transport your car to your destination trailhead.
● Use SPOT capabilities to track your progress and pickup
● Store supplies while you are on the trail.

Because we are guides in the San Juan Mountains, we do not just play taxi when we shuttle you. We give all of our shuttle customers up-to-the-minute information about the area, including weather, animal alerts, and trail conditions. We offer advice on what to bring and what not to bring. We can also show you how to adjust your pack for a perfect fit, unlock the mystery of those puzzling trekking poles, offer strategies on covering miles pain free, and answer any questions you might have to help make your trip perfect.

We perform shuttles to just about every trailhead in the area, some quite frequently. The list below is not exhaustive, but it might give you an idea of how long it takes to complete a shuttle for the different trailheads in our area. Remember completion means from the time we leave our store until we arrive back at our store. A shuttle can take longer because of adverse weather conditions, road conditions, or traffic, so these times are not set in stone.

Trailhead or Location Roundtrip Time (in minutes)
Cuba Gulch, 180 min
American Basin, 150 min
Spring Creek Pass, 90 min
Nellie Creek, 210 min
Grizzley Gulch, 120 min