Segment 8 Description
Segment 8 is a grand tour of 350 miles of what most folks don’t think of when they picture Arizona – grasslands, majestic peaks, endless pine forests, and broad views across seemingly endless mountain ranges. This segment also passes through classic Arizona destinations like Grand Canyon National Park, Flagstaff, and Sedona before ending among the iconic saguaros of the Sonoran Desert. After 10 miles of pavement along the Grand Canyon rim, gravel and relatively smooth 4x4 roads generally descend south and then gradually climb toward the San Francisco Peaks. A steep gravel climb and a bit of even steeper singletrack lead to mellower riding through aspen glades before descending to the city of Flagstaff. South of Flagstaff, abandoned railroad grades, 4x4 roads, and gravel roads through pine forests lead to a long descent through the red and yellow cliffs of the Mogollon Rim cliffs into very touristy towns of Sedona and Oak Creek Village. Beyond there, a 4,000’ climb returns riders to the pine forests. A section of incredibly rocky 4x4 track and then a pavement reprieve takes riders southeast back to the top of the Mogollon Rim cliffs and 40 miles of rim-edge riding on the rugged gravel Rim Road (this can be rather busy and dusty with traffic on weekends). The route then cuts directly south to the very rural community of Young, quiet rolling dirt road through the Sierra Ancha Mountains, and then dropping precipitously into the Sonoran Desert the Salt River (which is not actually salty). The final miles of the segment follow mostly paved roads into the copper mining town of Globe. Virtually all of this segment outside of communities is on public lands. Water sources are relatively infrequent for most of this segment, and many of the northern 200 miles of the segment can become impassible when wet.
IMPORTANT: An Arizona State Land Trust permit is required for this segment.
Segment length: 344 miles
Total climbing: 22,000 feet
Recommended number of days: 6-8
% Paved (approx.): 30%
% Dirt road (approx.): 50%
% 4x4 road/2-track (approx.): 20%
% Singletrack (approx.): <1%
% Rideable (approx.): 98%
Average physical difficulty* (1-10): 5
Average technical difficulty** (1-10): 5
Bikepacking challenges: Limited water, summer heat at low elevations approaching Globe, long sections impassible when wet between Grand Canyon (SoBo mile 0) and Clint’s Well (mile 200), late Spring snow cover at higher elevations
Longest stretch between resupply (miles/days): 98 miles / ~2 days
Longest stretch between water sources (miles/days): 52 miles / ~1 day
Alternate route options:
Segment 8 is a grand tour of 350 miles of what most folks don’t think of when they picture Arizona – grasslands, majestic peaks, endless pine forests, and broad views across seemingly endless mountain ranges. This segment also passes through classic Arizona destinations like Grand Canyon National Park, Flagstaff, and Sedona before ending among the iconic saguaros of the Sonoran Desert. After 10 miles of pavement along the Grand Canyon rim, gravel and relatively smooth 4x4 roads generally descend south and then gradually climb toward the San Francisco Peaks. A steep gravel climb and a bit of even steeper singletrack lead to mellower riding through aspen glades before descending to the city of Flagstaff. South of Flagstaff, abandoned railroad grades, 4x4 roads, and gravel roads through pine forests lead to a long descent through the red and yellow cliffs of the Mogollon Rim cliffs into very touristy towns of Sedona and Oak Creek Village. Beyond there, a 4,000’ climb returns riders to the pine forests. A section of incredibly rocky 4x4 track and then a pavement reprieve takes riders southeast back to the top of the Mogollon Rim cliffs and 40 miles of rim-edge riding on the rugged gravel Rim Road (this can be rather busy and dusty with traffic on weekends). The route then cuts directly south to the very rural community of Young, quiet rolling dirt road through the Sierra Ancha Mountains, and then dropping precipitously into the Sonoran Desert the Salt River (which is not actually salty). The final miles of the segment follow mostly paved roads into the copper mining town of Globe. Virtually all of this segment outside of communities is on public lands. Water sources are relatively infrequent for most of this segment, and many of the northern 200 miles of the segment can become impassible when wet.
IMPORTANT: An Arizona State Land Trust permit is required for this segment.
Segment length: 344 miles
Total climbing: 22,000 feet
Recommended number of days: 6-8
% Paved (approx.): 30%
% Dirt road (approx.): 50%
% 4x4 road/2-track (approx.): 20%
% Singletrack (approx.): <1%
% Rideable (approx.): 98%
Average physical difficulty* (1-10): 5
Average technical difficulty** (1-10): 5
Bikepacking challenges: Limited water, summer heat at low elevations approaching Globe, long sections impassible when wet between Grand Canyon (SoBo mile 0) and Clint’s Well (mile 200), late Spring snow cover at higher elevations
Longest stretch between resupply (miles/days): 98 miles / ~2 days
Longest stretch between water sources (miles/days): 52 miles / ~1 day
Alternate route options:
- Arizona Trail Link Alternate: See Segment 7 information and logistics section
