Adventure Cycling Association

Two epic mountain biking routes run north to south across the western United States - the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, which was released by Adventure Cycling Association in 1998, and the Western Wildlands Route created by Bikepacking Roots in 2017 and inspired by the Great Divide.

Now for the first time, the two organizations are formally partnering to release six routes between the GDMBR and WWR so cyclists can create loops between the point-to-point routes.

These east-west links will allow riders to create logistically simpler and more seasonally appropriate loops, or can be ridden as adventures in of themselves. Most of the riding is on non-technical dirt roads and 4x4 tracks, and the routes were mapped with knobby tires and mountain bikes in mind rather than skinny-tired gravel bikes. Water sources and resupply stops are regularly available and detailed in the route waypoints, guidebook, and mobile app.

The connectors cross exceptionally diverse desert, mountain, and plateau landscapes. They highlight public lands from the forests of Idaho and Montana, to the peaks of the Teton and Wasatch ranges, to the red rock canyons of Utah, and the high desert of Arizona.

Connectors include:

• The 156-mile Teton Connector links from Idaho to Wyoming through Snake River Plain via a mix of agricultural lands and shallow canyons, passes several hot springs, and climbs over the rugged Big Hole Mountains
• The 947-mile TransRockies connector from Salt Lake City to Denver is a stunning and diverse 2-3 week challenge with Colorado Plateau badlands and slickrock landscapes, desert mountains, redrock canyons, and the inspiring peaks of the Rocky Mountains
• The 282-mile Chihuahuan connector from Arizona to New Mexico crosses high desert landscapes and memorable scenery, including the Arizona cypress forests and hoodoo rock formations in Chiricahua National Monument

Resources for riders include Adventure Cycling’s Bicycle Route Navigator App and an extensive guidebook available on Bikepacking Roots’ website in both digital and print formats.

Bikepacking Roots and Adventure Cycling are both 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting and advancing bicycle travel through route development, community building and advocacy.