Orogenesis
7,300 kilometers. Poking holes in two international borders. Washington. Oregon. California. Linking to the existing Oregon Timber Trail and the Baja Divide. Over 30% singletrack, less than 10% pavement. Thus far, Orogenesis is an ambitious pipe dream, but dozens of volunteers have been hard at work scouting countless options along the way, seeking out the best singletrack options to connect everything together and identifying those faint dashed lines on maps that are best to avoid in reality. To learn more about this project and get involved, click here.
Grand Canal to Grand Canyon
Grand Canal to Grand Canyon
Departing from Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, this route almost immediately crosses the Grand Canal, one of the major aqueducts that carries Colorado River water to thirsty Sonoran Desert cities and farms. After 350 miles traversing desert mountains, climbing onto the Colorado Plateau and into pine forests, and then crossing high grasslands, the route reaches the South Rim of Grand Canyon. The route loops back southward through the mountains of Arizona's Central Highlands, connecting the small towns of Williams and Prescott before dropping back into the desert. Riding is mostly on quiet gravel roads, rough dirt roads, and 4x4 tracks with short sections of singletrack along the way.
Departing from Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona, this route almost immediately crosses the Grand Canal, one of the major aqueducts that carries Colorado River water to thirsty Sonoran Desert cities and farms. After 350 miles traversing desert mountains, climbing onto the Colorado Plateau and into pine forests, and then crossing high grasslands, the route reaches the South Rim of Grand Canyon. The route loops back southward through the mountains of Arizona's Central Highlands, connecting the small towns of Williams and Prescott before dropping back into the desert. Riding is mostly on quiet gravel roads, rough dirt roads, and 4x4 tracks with short sections of singletrack along the way.
Pony Express Bikepacking Route
The Pony Express Bikepacking Route, currently in the final stages of development, begins in St. Joseph, Missouri and covers more than 2,200 miles as it makes its way to Sacramento, California, crossing Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and California along the way. 85% of the route is on dirt and gravel with a few car-free bike trails to get riders through major cities. But some sections, particularly in the mountains of Nevada, are rough, rocky, and are decidedly not dirt or gravel roads. History is alive and well along much of the route, with the remains of original Pony Express stations still visible in many places, and commemorative markers along the way denoting important landmarks, graves, and important information.
Development of this route has been the vision and work of Jan Bennett. She has put many months into reconnaissance, reaching out to private land owners and communities along the way over the past few years. Bikepacking Roots is helping with a scouting program to support the final stages of the route project. If you're interested in being involved, click here to learn more!
Development of this route has been the vision and work of Jan Bennett. She has put many months into reconnaissance, reaching out to private land owners and communities along the way over the past few years. Bikepacking Roots is helping with a scouting program to support the final stages of the route project. If you're interested in being involved, click here to learn more!
