All in National Parks

Cycling Grand Canyon to Globe, AZ: The Many Faces of Arizona

Cycling Grand Canyon to Globe, AZ: The Many Faces of Arizona

PedalingGuy
Western Wildlands Route, Bikepacking, Bike Travel, Bike Touring, Grand Canyon NP, Wildlife, Camping, Cycling, National Parks, National Forests, Mogollon Rim Road, Arizona Trail, Route

There’s much more to Arizona than saguaro studded deserts and the Grand Canyon. Segment 8 of the Western Wildlands Bikepacking Route (WWR) took us through cool pine forests, remote volcanic fields, and along the 200-mile cliffs of the Mogollon Rim. As we cycled across these lesser-known landscapes, we found ourselves endlessly surprised and charmed by the beauty and diversity of the state. It’s no wonder that this segment of the WWR is the one most likely to leave cyclists exclaiming, “I didn’t know Arizona was like this!”

Cycling Kanab, Utah to Grand Canyon, Arizona: Canyons and Condors

Cycling Kanab, Utah to Grand Canyon, Arizona: Canyons and Condors

Pedals and Puffins
Western Wildlands Route, Grand Canyon NP, Navajo Nation, Bikepacking, Bike Touring, Bike Travel, Camping, Cycling, National Forests, National Parks, Tent, Wildlife, California Condor

Many places which have very little water are the same places that have the deepest, most awesome canyons carved by rivers. On Section 7 of the Western Wildlands Bikepacking Route (WWR), we were challenged by cycling across arid lands with no access to water for several days. As a reward, we cycled to the Grand Canyon - a mile deep and up to 18 miles wide. But that was only one of several stunning canyons, most of which are less visited by tourists. They’re also the domain of one of North America’s rarest and largest birds - the California Condor.

Cycling Loa to Kanab, Utah: Descending the Grand Staircase

Cycling Loa to Kanab, Utah: Descending the Grand Staircase

Pedals and Puffins
Cycling, Bikepacking, Western Wildlands Route, Camping, National Forests, National Parks, Wildlife, Bryce Canyon National Park, Bike Travel, Bike Touring

No, this blog isn’t about Scarlet O’Hara descending the staircase at Tara in her ball gown. Over the course of 7 days, we cycled from the heights of North America’s highest timbered plateau, down a series of pink, white and vermillion cliffs. It’s a geologic Grand Staircase spanning more than 600 million years of Earth’s history. And it’s a magnificent backdrop for cycling the Western Wildlands Bikepacking Route.

Prologue to the Western Wildlands: Cycling the Katy Trail, Mickelson Trail, and Glacier National Park

Prologue to the Western Wildlands: Cycling the Katy Trail, Mickelson Trail, and Glacier National Park

Pedals and Puffins
Katy Trail, Mickelson Trail, Going to the Sun Road, Glacier National Park, Cycling, Rail Trails, Equipment, Wildlife, Transportation, Planning, National Parks, Bike Touring, Bike Travel

We’re off to Montana, to cycle the Western Wildlands Route (WWR). But first we have to get there. Along the way we stopped to sample some of America’s most iconic cycling paths: the Katy Trail (Missouri), the Mickelson Trail (South Dakota), and the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park. Like the prologue of a multi-stage cycling event, these stops both whetted our appetite for the WWR, and helped us prepare for the miles in the saddle to come.