Region: Utah and Colorado
Season: Late spring to late fall
Miles: 364 | Elevation: 39,000′
Days Out: 4-6 | Tire Size: ≥ 2.4″
Difficulty: 8/10 Physical | 7/10 Technical
The Grand Loop – one of the oldest bikepacking routes out there and arguably the original bikepacking race route, linking some of the earliest established long-distance mountain bike routes in the country. The Grand Loop is almost entirely dirt, but there’s very little singletrack or gravel along the way.
Region: Nevada
Season: Summer to fall
Miles: 70 | Elevation: 10,500′
Days Out: 2 | Tire Size: ≥ 2.3″
Difficulty: 8/10 Physical | 7/10 Technical
The northern half of the Toiyabe Crest Trail (TCT) is open to bikes, and it’s a must-ride for anyone who loves remote singletrack traversals along the spine of a towering mountain range. This loop begins with a *steep* 4×4 road climb up Ophir Canyon to reach the TCT, followed by 35 miles of mostly singletrack on the TCT.
Region: New Mexico
Season: Spring to fall
Miles: 285 | Elevation: 20,000′
Days Out: 4-6 | Tire Size: ≥ 1.75″;
Difficulty: 5/10 Physical | 4/10 Technical
The New Mexico’s Western Highlands Loop! This 280-mile-long rough “gravel” bikepacking route meanders through the Black, Mogollon, San Francisco, and Gallo Mountains of western NM and the gorgeous Blue River Canyon in easternmost AZ. The loop takes riders on very, very quiet roads (~80% dirt, 20% paved) through almost entirely public lands, linking small communities, passing widely scattered ranches, and traversing a landscape where wolves still roam. Most of the loop is above 7,000 feet in elevation, making it a cool shoulder season ride or a relatively comfortable summer ride passing through beautiful ponderosa pine forests, high grasslands, and aspen glades.
Region: Arizona
Season: Winter
Miles: 125/190 | Elevation: 5,000/12,000′
Days Out: 3-5 | Tire Size: ≥ 2.4″
Difficulty: 5/10 Physical | 5/10 Technical
This delightful desert tour is on 100% dirt, 100% public lands, through stunning mountains, and with reliable water sources – it’s a fantastic 3- to 5-day winter bikepacking trip! The long version of the route includes 2-3 opportunities to scramble up desert peaks and hike into deep canyons along the way, and the shorter version bypasses those side adventures.
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.
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.
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.).
Region: Idaho, Montana, Utah, Arizona
Season: Summer to Early Fall
Miles: 2,700 | Elevation: 120,000′
Days Out: 40-65 | Tire Size: ≥ 2.2″
Difficulty: 5/10 Physical | 4.5/10 Technical
The Western Wildlands Route is a non-technical expedition, immersing riders in vast expanses of wild and public lands in the Intermountain West.
Region: Missouri to California
Season: Spring to Early Fall
Miles: 2,208 | Elevation: 80,000′
Days Out: 30-55 | Tire Size: ≥ 2″
Difficulty: 4/10 Physical | 4/10 Technical
The Pony Express Route follows the famed mail trail from smoother riding in the East to rugged and remote riding in the West, tracing Indigenous and settler history along the way.
Region: Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin
Season: Late Spring to Early Fall
Miles: 630 | Elevation: 25,000′
Days Out: 10-14+ | Tire Size: ≥ 1.75″
Difficulty: 4.5/10 Physical | 4/10 Technical
The Northwoods Route circumnavigates the west end of Lake Superior following gravel roads, smooth two-tracks, and rail trails, through thick forests, along countless lakes, and to Isle Royale National Park.
