Much of the Colorado Trail is open to mountain bikes.
Ever since I can remember I’ve always been fascinated with trails (go figure). I got into backpacking as a teenager and I quickly became obsessed with the 2,175 mile long Appalachian Trail. For a kid that’s too young to drive, the idea of a hiking trail stretching from Georgia to Maine is practically mind-blowing. Unfortunately bikes aren’t allowed on the AT (or the Pacific Crest Trail on the west coast) which makes it the slow lane for cross country expeditions.
Fortunately the idea of cross-state and cross-country (as in nation) mountain bike trails is gaining momentum. Just last month the annual Great Divide mountain bike race wrapped up and the winner rode his bike all 2,745 from Canada to the Mexican border in a scorching 17 days, 16 hours. Of course not all of us have the stamina (or the time off work) to ride across the US on our mountain bikes so more accessible cross-state routes are being established.
This year the 750-mile Arizona Trail Race covered the entire state of Arizona from Utah to Mexico for the first time. And here in Georgia, Dave Muse and his crew successfully completed the Trans North Georgia from South Carolina to Alabama in May and will be hosting an unofficial race along the route later this summer. For those who think this might be an easy ride, the mountain bike route is 350 miles long with 56,000 feet of climbing so bring an extra set of legs! There’s also the Colorado Trail that stretches from Denver to Durango and although some sections are closed to bikes, it’s possible to find alternate bike-friendly routes around closed areas.
Outside the US the concept of long distance mountain bike trails is taking off as well. Israel plans to spend $30 million to build 3,100 miles of bike trails in the Negev and around the Sea of Galilee. The first section of the Sea of Galilee trail opened this summer and will eventually circle the entire sea, giving tourists an interesting way to experience the history of the region.
This summer I’ll be taking my first overnight mountain biking trip via the San Juan hut system from Durango, CO to Moab, UT and I’m super stoked. In fact I’m already eying other long distance mountain bike rides like the Tahoe Rim Trail around Lake Tahoe and the BC Bike Race from Vancouver to Whistler.
Epic mountain bike routes seem to be good for regional tourism and for that reason we’ll probably continue to see more cross-state routes being designated. Even technology like the SPOT Satellite Messenger is playing a role in making long distance mountain bike trails safer and more accessible. Does your state have an official (or unofficial) cross-state mountain bike route yet? If not, get out there with a GPS and start exploring!
