Developing enjoyable, fulfilling, and rewarding bikepacking routes takes more than an evening of drawing lines on maps and then riding the resulting creation. High-quality bikepacking routes require intentional planning and research, extensive reconnaissance, and passion for the process. This is one of the primary goals of Bikepacking Roots, and as such, we strive for the following:
- Carefully-developed dirt oriented routes and experiences. Our routes feature the most enjoyable and rewarding riding experiences in a region, they’re entirely legal, and they’re intentionally created by some of the most experienced bikepackers in the community. We don’t just settle on the first path through an area that we’re reconnoitering - we explore thoroughly and choose the best of the different options. And our routes are all tailored to specific riding experiences - ranging from entirely dirt road to mostly singletrack
- Clearly communicated expectations. Our route resources clearly describe what riders will encounter on each section of a route in terms of riding experience, landscape, and average conditions. We strive to ensure that, to the best of our abilities, riders will know what they’re getting into before striking out on an adventure.
- Free detailed trip-planning resources. We provide, at no cost, detailed trip-planning resources for each of our routes - GPX tracks and waypoints, water and resupply information, section-by-section route descriptions, mile-by-mile navigational ques, and recommendations for what paper maps to carry when heading into a particular area. We also are sharing our route resources via Bikepacking.com and MTB Project.
- Ease of access and a growing route network. Our route development strategy places an emphasis on routes that are easy to access via public transportation and common travel destinations. We also are developing routes that link together with one another and other existing long-distance routes to create even more bikepacking adventure possibilities.
- Educational information - landscape ecology, conservation, and history. Bikepacking for many riders is about more than just pedaling - it’s about experiencing and connecting to new places and landscapes. To help bikepackers develop a deeper connection and appreciation for these places, we provide information, stories, and history of the landscapes through which most of our routes travel.
If you have ridden one of our routes and have feedback or found areas where route updates are necessary, we'd love to hear from you. Please send any comments to routes@bikpackingroots.org.
