Guide to bike touring in the USA.
Cross-country, inland or coastal, there’s a route for that.
Get to know the USA on two wheels for the ultimate sense of freedom and spontaneity.
Experience a destination at your own pace - unhurried and in the moment. From paved roads to off road, varying distances from a few hundred miles to over 4,000 miles - no two trips are likely to be the same as you travel free of a set schedule.
What is bicycle touring?
Bicycle touring is travelling through a city, town or state for days, weeks or months using only a bike - camping or staying in local accommodation along the way.
Carrying all of your gear in bike panniers, touring bikes are well suited to life on the road - set up to carry heavy loads, durable and comfortable.
Is there route maps I can follow?
100’s of different routes are available across the USA, with the Adventure Cycling Association leading the way.
Choose from 29 mapped bicycle routes, covering 50,000 miles.
Recommended route maps and bicycle trails.
Adventure Cycling Association
>> 50,000 miles of mapped cycling routes <<
The Adventure Cycling Association wants you to get on your bike! Inspiring and empowering people to experience North America by bicycle, the largest cycling membership organisation is a great place to start researching your bike touring trip.
TransAmerica Trail
>> 4,215 miles <<
Ride the most famous bike touring route in the USA. Coast to Coast, cycle on paved roads and highways through 10 States - from Virginia to Oregon.
The beauty of the trail is the opportunity to experience rural USA avoiding large, heavily trafficked cities. The largest city you will cycle through is Eugene, Oregon (total population under 200,000).
Highlights include cycling through Yellowstone and Grand Tetons National Park and lots more.
Triple Crown of Bikepacking
>> Over 4,000 miles combined <<
If mountain biking is more your speed, check out the major off road routes in Arizona and Colorado - as well the longest off road route in the world at over 4,000 miles > collectively known as the Triple Crown of Bikepacking.
Arizona Trail - bike detours in wilderness areas
Colorado Trail - bike detours in wilderness areas
Great Divide Mountain Bike Route
The most bike friendly US States.
Want to know which States are recognised* for their bike friendless? Ta da.
*Awarded by the League of American Bicyclists.
1. Washington
2. Oregon
3. Minnesota
4. California
5. Massachusetts
6. Delaware
7. Colorado
8. Utah
9. Virginia
10. Florida
3 reasons to go bicycle touring.
Freedom.
Explore the USA at your own, unhurried pace - stopping as often or as little as you like to take in your surroundings.
Slow travel.
Travelling on a bike allows you to get up close and personal with your surroundings and the local community.
Connect.
Travel off the beaten track and connect with friendly locals in towns and cities across the USA.