On two wheels
Gravel
Not races. Not sportives. Multi-day bikepacking routes through places where the pavement ends and the riding gets real.
Resupply towns that close at 5pm, passes you climb twice by accident, and the kind of tired that only happens after 80 miles before noon.
Before you go
Commitment
These aren't weekend rides. Plan for 5–30 days depending on the route. Resupply logistics matter as much as fitness.
Terrain
Doubletrack, singletrack, high passes, river crossings. Expect surfaces your gravel bike was not designed for.
Gear
Bikepacking bags, 45mm+ tires, tubeless setup, shelter, water filter. Every gram earns its place after day 3.
Season
Most routes have a window of 6–10 weeks. Snow closes passes well into June. Heat closes desert routes by July.
Worth considering
A few to start with
The Colorado Trail
535 miles from Denver to Durango across eight mountain ranges, six wilderness areas, and seven national forests. The definitive Colorado sufferfest.
Distance
535 mi / 861 km
Sport
Gravel & Trail
The Oregon Timber Trail
670 miles of gravel and singletrack through Oregon's Cascades, from the Idaho border to the California line. Dense forests, volcanic craters, and genuine wilderness.
Distance
670 mi / 1078 km
Sport
Gravel
The Arizona Trail
800 miles from the Mexican border to Utah through Arizona's full ecological diversity — Sonoran desert, Chiricahua sky islands, the Mogollon Rim, and the Grand Canyon.
Distance
800 mi / 1287 km
Sport
Gravel & Trail
The bike question
What setup actually works
A 29er hardtail or a proper gravel bike with 45mm+ tires covers most routes listed here. Tubeless is non-negotiable — you will flat, and you will flat far from anywhere. Drop bars are fine on the smoother routes, flat bars give you more control on the technical ones.
Bikepacking bags beat panniers in almost every situation. The weight is lower, the bike handles better, and you're less likely to lose a bag to a branch at speed. Every challenge page has a gear list built for that specific route.
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