“`html
Adventure Cycling Association Unveils the Golden Gravel Trail: A 3,700-Mile West-to-East Bikepacking Route
The Adventure Cycling Association (ACA) is poised to redefine long-distance cycling in the United States with the launch of the Golden Gravel Trail in March 2026. This meticulously planned 3,700-mile route, designed specifically for gravel riders and bikepackers, represents the organization’s first major dirt corridor stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the Mississippi River in decades, and commemorates the ACA’s 50th anniversary.
For half a century, the Missoula-based nonprofit has been a leading force in mapping cycling routes across the U.S., but the Golden Gravel Trail signals a strategic shift to meet the growing demand for off-pavement adventures. “While most of our current network is paved, the rising popularity of bikepacking made it clear it was time to add another epic gravel route,” explained ACA cartographer and route-builder Amy Wally.”People crave the wild, remote, scenic beauty that america has to offer, and as a route designer, I’m thrilled to create low-traffic, safe ways for them to experience it.”
The Golden Gravel Trail promises a diverse riding experience, traversing eight states and a “smorgasbord of surfaces.” Riders can anticipate towering tree-lined forest service roads in Oregon, challenging desert washboard in Utah, demanding high-altitude passes in Colorado, and fast-rolling hardpack in the Midwest.Approximately 70 percent of the route is unpaved, with the remainder on lightly trafficked paved backroads.
The project originated in early 2024 during ACA’s 50th-anniversary brainstorming sessions, with the initial goal of creating a route exceeding 1,000 miles in length. the winning concept, inspired by a 2017 Adventure Cyclist story about bikepacking the TransAmerica Trail (TAT), was championed by Jenn Hamelman, then-Routes Director for the ACA. While the original TAT, designed primarily for motorcycles, offered a solid foundation, the ACA team recognized the need for a bicycle-centric approach. To avoid the heavily paved eastern sections, they opted to conclude the route in Missouri, near the Mississippi River.
The route advancement was a complex puzzle, constantly balancing access to services with the best gravel roads.” The team prioritized minimizing traffic, maximizing gravel roads, incorporating bike infrastructure where feasible, and ensuring reasonable distances between resupply points and water sources.
Before opening the route to the public, the ACA employed a rigorous scouting process. Route researchers initially drove the entire 3,700-mile corridor, a faster and more cost-effective method than cycling it. This initial assessment was followed by a final test ride conducted by Sarah Swallow, an ACA ambassador and the original inspiration for the route, who bikepacked the trail from Oregon to Colorado in the late summer of 2025.Swallow’s feedback highlighted the route’s accessibility and predictability, noting that the ACA had successfully replaced challenging ATV trails with quality gravel roads and improved access to towns for more frequent resupply. She specifically praised a stretch in Oregon, from the South Fork of the John day River through the Ochoco Mountains and Malheur National Forest, as “wild and remote, with massive ponderosa pine and Douglas fir trees, and lots of water and shade.”
The Golden gravel Trail represents a significant evolution for Adventure Cycling, bridging the gap between the ruggedness of the GDMBR and shorter bikepacking trips. The route is designed to be rideable, with predictable resupply intervals, safer traffic conditions, and varied scenery.It will be released in March 2026 as a free, digital-only route on Ride with GPS, complete with turn-by-turn navigation, notes, and service information, and will be updated in real-time to reflect changing conditions.
Riders can expect a challenging but rewarding journey. The route boasts an elevation gain of approximately 234,000-234,500+ feet, with a high point of around 12,034 feet at Cumberland Pass in Colorado. Resupply opportunities are generally spaced 50-100 miles apart, with some longer stretches in remote areas.The terrain is ideally suited for loaded gravel bikes or light bikepacking setups.
The ACA encourages those with information on new trail projects to submit details and photos to [email protected]. With the Golden Gravel Trail, the Adventure Cycling Association continues it’s 50-year legacy of providing cyclists with reliable, safe, and scenic routes across the United States – now with a whole lot more
