Portfolio Archives: CRoP Routes

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument High Plateaus Loop

 

Region: Utah

Season: Late spring to late fall

Miles: 170  |  Elevation: 13,000′

Days Out: 3-5  |  Tire Size: ≥ 2.4″

Difficulty: 6/10 Physical   |  5/10 Technical

 

This 170-mile loop follows the most seldom-traveled and arguably most scenic backcountry roads through Grand Staircase – Escalante National Monument through beautiful and remote Colorado Plateau country. Best ridden in late spring or autumn, this loop offers 3+ days of 4×4 riding and solitude.

Alpine #7

 

Region: Montana

Season: Mid-Summer – Early Fall

Miles: 76  |  Elevation: 14,000′

Days Out: 2-3  |  Tire Size: ≥ 2.3″

Difficulty: 8/10 Physical   |  8/10 Technical

 

Offering some of the most stunning ridge crest riding in the northern Rockies, the Alpine #7 experience is a particularly rewarding (and technical) one. This trail is most often ridden as a series of day rides, but it can also be enjoyed as a bikepack over a few days, as a longer loop combined with part of the Great Divide MTB Route, or an absolutely massive one-day effort.

A Chihuahuan Desert Loop

 

Region: Arizona/New Mexico

Season: Fall/Winter/Spring

Miles: 256  |  Elevation: 11,000′

Days Out: 3-5  |  Tire Size: ≥ 1.75″

Difficulty: 4/10 Physical   |  3/10 Technical

 

A Chihuahuan Desert bikepacking experience among the Sky Islands, desert grasslands, and diverse valleys of the Arizona/New Mexico borderlands. The route follows gravel roads, quiet pavement, and a few mellow sections of 4×4 tracks. It’s a fast-riding route that can be done on a gravel or mountain bike (just know that Arizona gravel tends to be a bit rougher and bigger than gravel in many other parts of the U.S.).