The Ride Across Arizona route relies on the support, advice and encouragement from a variety of companies that help us maintain this route and provide resources to help plan this adventure for others to enjoy. We encourage you to support the companies that choose to give back to the community by supporting this adventure!
Download the current Ride Across Arizona route HERE.
Pro skateboarder Ryan Lay’s account of his first bikepacking trip, the 2024 Ride Across Arizona.
* Denotes current course record
2021 Course Distance: 615 miles
2022 Course Distance: 620 miles
2023 Course Distance 610 miles
2024 Course Distance 616 miles
The 616 mile Ride Across Arizona route is a cross-state adventure ride developed and mapped by the folks at AZ Gravel Rides. The route is made up of non-technical dirt, gravel and forest service roads with less than 20% of the route being pavement. The course is designed to allow high clearance vehicles to follow for support. The western end (suggested direction is west to east) starts on the Colorado River at the California/Arizona border from the historic river settlement of Topock and finishes at the New Mexico border near the remote outpost of Blue Arizona. By the time you arrive at the finish you’ll have crossed deserts, windswept mesas and several mountain ranges. Unless you plan otherwise no one will be there to greet you at the finish, but there is a very cool handmade Welcome to New Mexico sign at the border. There is 60,000 feet of elevation gain! The low elevation is 473 feet at the start at Topock on the Colorado River while the highest elevation is 9579 feet near Big Lake 50 miles from the finish.
The Ride Across Arizona traverses through a cross-section of Arizona defined by spectacular scenery, a variety of landscapes, historic towns and remote wilderness. You’ll ride along the Colorado Plateau, the Mogollon Rim, San Francisco Peaks, White Mountains and Blue Primitive Area not to mention riding remote sections of the National Old Road Trail and Route 66. There are numerous campgrounds along the way and hotels can be found along the route at Bagdad, Seligman, Williams, Flagstaff and Show Low. The finish is in the beautiful Town of Alpine which has numerous places to stay.
This course is suited for both mountain bikes and gravel bikes. The route is very long and requires a lot of planning as it pertains to proper weather gear and resupply. The lower areas have a high concentration of mountain lions and at the higher elevations they are joined by black bears and at least 14 different wolfpacks near the Blue Primitive area. Be prepared!
A gpx file connecting the Ride Across Arizona route to the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route can be downloaded at Ride Across Arizona_GDMBR_Connector. The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) is a 3,083.8 mi (4,962.9 km), off-road bicycle touring route between Jasper, Alberta, Canada and Antelope Wells, New Mexico, USA. Completed in 1997, the GDMBR was developed by Adventure Cycling Association, who continue to maintain highly detailed route maps and a guidebook.
Strategic places along the route:
Mile 52: (stock tank water)
Mile 80.6: Water at cattle watering station
Mile 85: Camping, water, restrooms, off route to north
Mile 112: Bagdad – Bashas and Circle K
Mile 205: Seligman, KOA campground, Hotels (all services)
Mile 267.5: Town of Williams (all services)
Mile 274: Dogtown Campground
Mile 310: gas station near airport, slightly off route.
Mile 312: Circle K slightly off route to north
Mile 356: Happy Jack Ranger Station (spigot)
Mile 375.5: Ranger Station (spigot)
Mile 382: Cross Clear Creek in Barbershop Canyon
Mile 417: Wood Canyon Lake Marina out route to north
Mile 428: Forest Lakes General Store
Mile 486: Show Low
Mile 513.6: Vernon City Park
Mile 543: Big detour north to town of Greer
Mile 548: Winn Campground
Mile 560.5 Big Lake Campgrounds and Store
Mile 575.5: Raccoon Campground
Mile 578.3: Diamond Rock Campground
Mile 609.5: Blue River crossing
Route Updates:
Links to various map formats including Google Maps, USGS Cal Topo, USFS Cal Topo, National Geographic and National Map Topo. In the upper right corner use the down arrow to toggle between maps.
SUPPORTING PARTNERS
If you are interested in partnering with AZ Gravel Rides you can find more info here.
