New to Bikepacking? Try Adventure Cycling’s New Short, More Accessible Routes
If you’re interested in bikepacking but you live in a major metropolitan area without car access, you’re not alone. While bikepacking has exploded in popularity in the last few years, it does have an aura of inaccessibility for new riders, riders without all the “right” gear, or riders who can't easily get to the great outdoors to even start their adventure. Making bikepacking more accessible to all is Adventure Cycling’s mission, and because of that, the company recently introduced free digital routes for two- to five-day bikepacking trips from major city centers.
Adventure Cycling has long been the home for routes like the TransAmerica Trail and Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, but Short Routes will allow bikepack-curious riders to test the waters without major commitments. The digital routes can be downloaded and printed as cue sheets or loaded onto phones and GPS computers.
The routes range from 19 miles to 140 miles. Each route doesn’t just contain a map, though. The Adventure Cycling Short Routes each are packed with key “waypoints” along the route, with intel on accommodations, grocery stores, restaurants, water sources, scenic stops, bike shops, and public transit.
The routes were created with help from locals, which was a new way for Adventure Cycling to discover what areas were really like for riders. “Each route was community submitted, and we worked in partnership with BIPOC, LGBTQ, women, and intersex bicyclists to gain a new perspective on these areas,” says Katie Harris, Adventure Cycling’s Director of Community Impact. “We are grateful to them for sharing, so that others can experience the joy of bike travel.”
Routes include:
Los Angeles: Carpinteria to Refugio (37.28 miles)
Los Angeles: LA to Catalina Island (42.66 miles)
Los Angeles: Santa Monica Overnight (34.94 miles)
Seattle: Seattle to Fort Flagler (58.73 miles)
Seattle: Seattle to Kanasket-Palmer (77.89 miles)
Seattle: Seattle to Lopez Island (121.62 miles)
Minneapolis: Willow River Overnight (39.39 miles)
Austin: Central Texas Parks Loop (120.02 miles)
Atlanta: Panola Outing (19.47 miles)
Washington, DC: C&O and W&OD Loop (84.75 miles)
Philadelphia: Schuylkill and Wissahickon Trails (62.6 miles)
Boston: Cape Cod Weekend (140.66 miles)
“Since the release of the TransAmerica Trail in 1976, we’ve mapped more than 50,000 miles of bike routes across the U.S. and into Canada—but recognizing that they aren’t for everyone, we’ve produced these new Short Routes,” said Nathan Taylor, Cartographer for Adventure Cycling. “While many of our epic routes can take weeks to ride in full, Short Routes are two- to five-day itineraries from cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, Minneapolis, Austin, Atlanta and Philadelphia. There are loops that start and end at the same point, out-and-back options and routes that can be combined with public transit like ferries, trains and buses. They’re a fun, accessible way to get out and explore at the pace of a pedal stroke.”
To find out more about Adventure Cycling’s Short Routes, read their full descriptions, load them onto a device, or print them out, check here.
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