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2026 Golden Gravel Trail is a new 3,700-mile gravel route from the Oregon Coast to the Mississippi River

The Golden Gravel Trail is a brand-new, 3,700-mile gravel bikepacking route across the United States, stretching from the Oregon Coast to the Mississippi River. It will officially open in early 2026 as part of the Adventure Cycling Association’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

The Golden Gravel Trail is poised to become the premier coast-to-river gravel route in America, offering a mix of adventure, challenge, and cultural exploration. For cyclists like you, Mark, who thrive on detailed planning and endurance events, this trail represents a new frontier—combining technical gravel riding with the grandeur of a true cross-country odyssey.

The Adventure Cycling Association just mapped a 3,700-mile gravel route from the Oregon Coast to the Mississippi River that balances wild, remote riding with predictable resupply towns. A fully researched and vetted bike-friendly dirt route crafted specifically for gravel riders and bikepackers — its first major west-to-east dirt corridor in decades.

The 3,700-mile Golden Gravel Trail unfurls across eight states, from the Pacific Ocean to the Mississippi River, and serves up a smorgasbord of surfaces. Think: towering tree-lined forest service roads in Oregon, desert washboard in Utah, chunky, slow, high-altitude passes in Colorado, and fast-rolling hardpack in the Midwest. Roughly 70 percent is unpaved; the rest is on lightly trafficked paved backroads.

According to ACA cartographer and route-builder Amy Wally, the Golden Gravel Trail heeds a call that riders have increasingly been making, “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,” Wally said. “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 marks a significant evolution for Adventure Cycling. Until now, ACA’s major off-pavement offerings were limited to the GDMBR, the Idaho Hot Springs Loop, and the Arkansas High Country Route. Creating a west-to-east gravel corridor both honors ACA’s legacy and embraces the preferences of modern riders: long, challenging dirt routes that balance adventure with accessibility.

The Golden Gravel Trail will be released in March 2026 as a free digital-only route on Ride with GPS with turn-by-turn navigation, notes, and service info. It’s built to be updated in real time — a practical move for a dirt route that crosses eight states and thousands of acres of public lands.

Golden Gravel Trail Overview

- Length: ~3,700 miles (5,950 km)
- Surface: ~70% unpaved gravel and dirt roads
- Route: Oregon Coast → Idaho → Wyoming → Utah → Colorado → Kansas → Missouri → Mississippi River
- Purpose: Designed to redefine long-distance bikepacking in the U.S., balancing remote wilderness with reliable resupply towns.

Golden Gravel Trail - What riders can expect?

- Distance: The route spans roughly 3,700 miles (some sources say 3,688 mi) and traverses eight U.S. states from the Pacific Coast (Oregon) to the Mississippi River (Missouri)

- Terrain: mostly off-pavement — roughly 70% gravel/dirt/mixed surface — cutting across rolling Ozark hills, Great Plains, deserts, alpine passes, and other diverse landscapes

- Elevation: the route includes substantial climbing — elevation gain is in the ballpark of 234,000–234,500+ feet, with the highest point hitting around 12,034ft at Cumberland Pass, Colorado

- Resupply: Predictable resupply windows of 50–100 miles, with a few longer gaps in remote zones

- Bike choice: Climbs and rolling terrain suited to loaded gravel bikes or light bikepacking setups

Golden Gravel Trail Key Highlights

- Epic Landscapes: Riders traverse Ozark hills, Great Plains, deserts, alpine passes, and finish at the dramatic Pacific coastline.
- Adventure Cycling Association (ACA): The ACA mapped and developed the trail as its flagship 50th anniversary route.
- First Rider: Professional adventure cyclist Sarah Swallow is pioneering and scouting the trail in 2025, validating the route before its public launch.
- Community Impact: The trail is expected to become a cornerstone of U.S. gravel riding, similar in stature to the Trans-America Trail (TAT).

Golden Gravel Trail Challenges & Considerations

- Remote Sections: Large stretches of wilderness mean riders must plan carefully for food, water, and shelter.
- Mixed Terrain: Expect everything from smooth gravel to rugged dirt tracks, requiring versatile bike setups.
- Weather Variability: Crossing eight states means riders will encounter diverse climates—from coastal rain to desert heat to alpine cold.
- Logistics: While ACA designed the route with resupply points, riders should prepare for long gaps between towns.

It will officially open in early 2026 as part of the Adventure Cycling Association’s 50th anniversary celebrations