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General Overview of the Wild West Route
The 2,700-mile Wild West Route is designed to offer bikepackers a non-technical, expeditionary-scale riding experience that immerses one in the vast expanses of wild and public lands in the Intermountain West. Nearly 70% of the route is on public lands – 18 National Forests, 6 National Parks and Monuments, and 4 areas with Bureau of Land Management National Conservation Lands designation. Riders will experience the incredibly remote mountains of western Montana and central Idaho, the desolate beauty of southern Idaho’s Snake River Plain, endless vistas from Utah’s high plateaus at 10,000 feet elevation, the canyon country of Navajo Nation and Grand Canyon region, and the towering Sky Islands and low Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona. The Wild West Route balances scenic, remote, and enjoyable dirt riding with regular resupply opportunities in small communities. The route is more than 80% off-pavement, following primarily follows dirt roads and 4x4 tracks. Mountain bikes are strongly recommended – the dirt and gravel roads in this part of the United States are rarely well-graded, smooth gravel. Expect steep, relentless climbs, rocky and loose surfaces, and intermittent stream crossings. The most wild sections offer 150+ miles of riding through rugged terrain and offer absolutely no services. For riders familiar with the iconic Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, the Wild West Route offers a more rugged, remote, and wild experience. |
The geography, weather, and terrain is incredibly diverse along the route. Most of the nine segments of the Wild West Route include climbs with between 3,000 and 4,000 feet of elevation gain, and a few climbs approach 5,000 feet. The miles in Montana and most of Idaho are very mountainous, feature deep canyons, abundant water, regularly-spaced resupply options in small communities, and are almost entirely on public lands. Southern Idaho and northern Utah traverse lower elevation landscapes with less demanding riding, less water, and notably more private land. The route climbs over a series of high plateaus in central and southern Utah, spending many miles near 10,000 feet elevation. Services and water become less frequent, and the route returns to being almost entirely on public lands. Many miles of the route in central and southern Utah also become impassible when wet.
Northern Arizona’s canyon country is magnificent, remote, and water remains scarce. The terrain across Navajo Nation, past Grand Canyon, and beyond is less demanding than Utah’s high plateaus, but shade is sparse in the grassland-dominated region. The becomes rougher and more challenging in Arizona’s forested Central Highlands. Southern Arizona’s Sonoran Desert is extremely hot during summer months between 2,000 and 4,000 feet elevation, but water, resupply options, and communities become more frequent, and a few tall mountain ranges provide refuge from the heat.
Northern Arizona’s canyon country is magnificent, remote, and water remains scarce. The terrain across Navajo Nation, past Grand Canyon, and beyond is less demanding than Utah’s high plateaus, but shade is sparse in the grassland-dominated region. The becomes rougher and more challenging in Arizona’s forested Central Highlands. Southern Arizona’s Sonoran Desert is extremely hot during summer months between 2,000 and 4,000 feet elevation, but water, resupply options, and communities become more frequent, and a few tall mountain ranges provide refuge from the heat.
