Northwoods Route
Before the first snows of winter blanketed the Upper Midwest in the fall of 2019, we scouted more than 800 miles of potential options for the Northwoods Route. When completed, this route will be roughly 700 miles in length, primarily following gravel roads and relatively smooth two-tracks through thick forests along countless lakes of all sizes. Singletrack networks along the way will add options for riders looking for more technical riding opportunities.
The diversity of land use, scenery, and riding across northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan is magnificent. The small communities and both new and established trail systems along the way all have very unique flavors. And combined conservation and recreation visions in some areas along the way are heading in a new direction that addresses the spectrum of stakeholder needs and desires.
Are you interested in helping with this project? We rolled out our Route Scouts program a couple years ago during the final stages of the Wild West Route development, and now you can sign up to get in the loop for Route Scout opportunities in 2020 on the Northwoods Route!
The diversity of land use, scenery, and riding across northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan is magnificent. The small communities and both new and established trail systems along the way all have very unique flavors. And combined conservation and recreation visions in some areas along the way are heading in a new direction that addresses the spectrum of stakeholder needs and desires.
Are you interested in helping with this project? We rolled out our Route Scouts program a couple years ago during the final stages of the Wild West Route development, and now you can sign up to get in the loop for Route Scout opportunities in 2020 on the Northwoods Route!
Bears Ears Loop & Wild West Route Alternate
The Bears Ears Loop passes through hundreds of miles of wild and incredibly quiet canyon country amid the heart of the Colorado Plateau within what had been designated as Bears Ears National Monument before the size of the monument was reduced by nearly 90% (the legality of that reduction is currently being challenged in court). This loop showcases the stunning, quiet, and remote landscapes of the Bears Ears region while connecting to the main spine of the Wild West Route on the Wasatch Plateau to the north and on the Aquarius Plateau to the south, creating a 700-mile circuit of dirt roads and rough 4x4 tracks. Water is sparse, but we have carefully inventoried the possible sources along the way. The route also visits or skirts the the San Rafael Swell, Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, the towns of Green River, Moab, Monticello, and Boulder, and the Abajo and Henry Mountains.
The Bears Ears Loop, navigational resources, and the logistical and educational guide will be released in late winter, 2020.
The Bears Ears Loop, navigational resources, and the logistical and educational guide will be released in late winter, 2020.
The Intermountain Connectors
By popular demand from our members, we've been working on developing a series of east-west links between the Wild West Route and Adventure Cycling Association's Great Divide MTB Route to allow for riders to create logistically simpler (or more seasonally-fitting) loops. There will be several short links in Idaho and Montana, a longer connection in southernmost Idaho, and one or two moderate-length links in southern Arizona. An additional link across Utah and Colorado, dubbed Great Basin to Great Plains, will connect Salt Lake City and Denver across exceptionally diverse desert, mountain, and plateau landscapes.
The Intermountain Connectors, navigational resources, the logistical and educational guide, and mobile app content will be released in late 2020.
The Intermountain Connectors, navigational resources, the logistical and educational guide, and mobile app content will be released in late 2020.
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!
