The Best Ride

in every state
From climbs over majestic mountain passes
to blissful Sunday beach cruises,
truly great cycling routes can be found in all 50 states,
from maine to Hawaii.
Make plans to ride as many as you can.
by Evelyn Spence

colorados mt. evans,

one of the nations
few 14,000-foot peaks
with a paved road to
the top, makes for a
tell-your-grandkids
adventure.
For DETAILS, see PAGE 4.
photographed
by jamie kripke

The Best Rides in Every State

 Lopez
Start
Here Isl and,
Washington

E
verywhere on Lopez Island, you see bicycles: Leaning against cedar ictorian inns with bike storage, and because
V
trees, pink tulips planted in their baskets; in the back of vintage Lopezcompared with the hilly Orcas and busy
blue Chevy trucks; parked outside Holly Bs Bakery in the village, San Juan, which comprise the other main stops
where the wooden sign above the door reads mayor. When you get on the ferry routeis relatively flat.
to the corner of Lopez Road and Military Road, theres a weathered But what makes an ideal cycling route? For
yellow bike mounted way up on an equally weathered barn, and its some, it might be a flatthe flatter the better
such a made-for-Instagram photo op that hundreds of cleats have meander through Kansas farmland or along a
beaten a path into the grass, just to capture a perfect and nostalgic image. South Carolina beachfront. It might be a multi-
Which is exactly what I did partway around the 37-mile loop of Lopez, the mellow- hour grunt up an above-treeline Colorado pass.
est, the most agricultural, and most hippie of Washingtons achingly beautiful San It might be a jackhammer rip through a rock
Juan Islands. I was on a quest to find the best ride in the state, and after interrogat- garden in Arizona or Vermont. It might be a
ing friends and guides and outfitters, I drove two hours north from Seattle and took bike-path cruise to the best ice cream, or mar-
the 50-minute ferry ride west through some of the archipelagos 172 islands to a place garita, or burger, or wine, anywhere. Coffee
where side roads are named Long and Winding and Less Traveled. Some people call shop, check. Wide shoulders, check. For every
it Slowpez, for the way it winds you down. Some people call it the Friendly Isle, for lighthouse in Maine, theres an S-curve in Cali-
the way drivers finger-wave at everyone. And some people call it the Bicyclists Is- fornia just waiting to test the stickiness of the
land, for all these reasons, and for the bike-turnout signs on the main roads, and the rubber on your tires.

B The Best Rides in Every State 2

 49 More
life-list
rides
ALABAMA
The Fort Morgan Ride Start this rocking
ride at Lulus, home of fried crab claws,
then trace white-sand beaches and
scout for protected turtles along the
southern end of Mobile Bay. Catch the
$5 ferry to tiny Dauphin Island, then
head home for a total of 40 easy miles.
Hell, end it at Lulus too, because owner
Lucy Buffett brings in great live music
and sometimes her brother, Jimmy,
drops in, says Kirk Iverson of the East
Alabama Cycling Club.

ALASKA
Anchorage to Seward over
Turnagain Pass There are not many
places where you can pull off a point-to-
point 125-miler and still make it home
before sunset. But not many places
are like Alaska, where June sunlight
stretches to 20 hours, roads meander
given the scenery, past fjords, and caribou outnumber
lack of traffic,
people. Follow the Seward Highway past
and opportunities
to explore, youll the remnants of mining claims and keep
want to take your your eyes peeled for whales and eagles.
time pedaling the Then catch the 6 p.m. Alaska Railroad
island affection- complete with a bar car and a double-
ately nicknamed
decker glass-topped viewing carand
Slowpez.
chug past jewel-blue glaciers back to
photographed
square one before the 11 p.m. sunset.
by MOTOFISHIMAGES

ARIZONA
The idea of choosing the best ride in any city, much less any state, might seem ab- Black Canyon Mountain Bike Trail
surda great ride is a deeply personal thingbut here in Washington, Ill make a case This 8-inch-wide singletrack rolls for 62
for Lopez. Not five minutes after leaving the crescent beach of MacKaye Harbor, at miles through saguaro cacti, winding
the south end, I passed an otter running on the pavement and saw a bald eaglesoaring canyons, and dusty washes. And it all
overhead. I rolled past knock-kneed spring lambs and pottery studios on the way to parallels Interstate 17 (for easy car
Spencer Spit State Park, where hundreds of driftwood logs back up onto the beach and access) and the Bradshaw Mountains,
herons wade in a saltwater lagoon. In Lopez Village, ducking in from a rare shower (the which make for desert views and
San Juans get 250 days of sunshine a year, compared with Seattles 58), I pounded an thrilling exposure. Its quintessential
espresso at Caffe La Boheme. Next door, at Holly Bs, I gulped down the best cinna- Arizona, fat-tire style.
mon roll Ive ever eaten, then tucked another in my jersey pocket. There was a short
hill on the way up to white-clapboard Center Churchand a short hike out to Shark ARKANSAS
Reef Park, where I scrambled down rain-slick rocks in my cycling shoes to look at the The Womble Trail Mountain biking in
tide pools. By the time I reached Agate Beach back south, I was soaked. But the way the Arkansas? Yes, pleaseon a 31-mile
fog slid through the trees, the way the saltwater waves sizzled on the seashore pebbles, stretch of singletrack that follows the
capped off a ride that was quintessentially Northwest. Finishing was bittersweet, be- Ouachita (Oh-Ah-Sha-Tah) River and
cause I realized I may never find another ride in my home state thats quite as lyrical, undulates through hardwoods, racking
quite as quietly perfect. But heres the fun part: I can always keep searching. up 6,000 feet of climbing.

B The Best Rides in Every State 3

CALIFORNIA In 62 miles of riding in Maui, youll
The Mt. Tam Century The Golden State
is the kind of megaplayground that
pedal through 620 curves and over
gives us kid-in-a-candy-store fits. But 59 bridges. But beyond the data lies
Marin County is the one place to which
pure paradise, with roadside
waterfalls, verdant cliffs that
every California cyclist has to make a
pilgrimage. Hit the highlights on any of
the Marin Cyclistss annual century rides, plunge into turquoise waters,
which roll out each August from
San Rafael. Loops range from 30 to
and towering eucalyptus trees.
200 miles; our pick is the 94-mile
climbing route, with a lung-sucking
grunt up 2,500-foot Mt. Tamalpais, 160-mile length of the Conch Republic Route 360 has 620yes, 620curves. It
thrilling descents through redwoods to in a day. The payoff? Two-sided tropical- crosses 59 bridges, 46 of which are one
windswept grasslands, and beach-side ocean panoramas for hour after easy- lane wide. Beyond these cold calculations
rollers out to Point Reyes Stationwhere breezy hour. Take Card Sound Road, east lies pure paradise, with roadside
the Bovine Bakery has been handing out of Route 1, to get to Key Largo with less waterfalls, verdant cliffs that plunge
warm chocolate croissants for 20 years. traffic. Watch out for reptilian speed into turquoise waters, and towering
eucalyptus trees. Stop at Halfway to
Hana for the best banana bread on
COLOR ADO the island, then refuel at the finish line
Mt. Evans Olympic medalist and seven-time Tour de France rider Ron Kiefel has ridden with fresh ahi tacos and short ribs from
Mt. Evansthe highest paved road in the United States, at 14,265 feeta few times in his Braddahs BBQ. Just look for the food
life. Make that 20. Evans isnt the steepest or craziest mountain Ive ever done, he says of truck in the front yard.
the 6,575-foot, 18.4-mile ascent. But its a complete classic. There arent many places you
can climb for four hours straight. From Idaho Springs, the highway passes shallow Echo IDAHO
Lake and breaks out of treeline into a rocky, lunar landscape. Up there, a 6 percent grade Sun Valley to Stanley In 60 miles,
feels like 10. And the views? South, theres 14,110-foot Pikes Peak. North, theres 14,259-foot Highway 75 slices through the serrated
Longs Peak. West, theres the endless Rockies. And on a clear day, looking east past Denver, Sawtooth Mountains, creating what
you can actually see the curvature of the earth. Not many people can say theyve been up one local cyclist calls the one route for
here with a bike, Kiefel says. I look at it as a journey and an adventure.(See page 5.) Idaho. This stunner starts with a long,
steady 2,800-foot climb from Sun Valley
and finishes with an equally epic 2,500-
CONNEC TICUT bumpsyes, snakes and alligators foot descent that winds past several hot
Tour of the Litchfield Hills Connecticut sunning on the warm pavement and springs. One of them, Sunbeam, is only
is known as the Land of Steady Habits, remember that fish hooks tossed on the feet from the road.
but up in the northwest corner, riding out shoulders are bad news for skinny tires.
of the colonial-chic town of Litchfield, its Look for dolphins and turtles when you ILLINOIS
more like the land of steady hills. Tackle cross the 42 bridgeswhich may be the The Columbia Not-So-Secret Training
the 55-mile option for the Tour of the only times you shift out of your big ring. Loop Its a ride so pretty youll pee
Litchfield Hills, which passes 200-year- yourself, says Mike Weiss, the longtime
old white-steeple churches and wends GEORGIA owner of Big Shark Bicycle Company in
past Rockwellian villages where property Cruise the Apple Valley A club here St. Louis, of his favorite 63-miler just
lines are still marked by stone fences. named the Nitty Gritty Bike Band asserts across the river. Thanks to the mighty
that Athens is the states cycling hub Mississippi, local roads interlace across a
DELAWARE there are group rides every day of the seemingly endless valley of floodplains,
Fenwick Island to Rehoboth Beach week. One favorite is a 45-miler that levees, bluffs, and sheer cliffs hundreds
and Back Follow Bicycle Route 1 for 38 takes off from the city centerwhere you of feet high. To hit the best of them,
beginner-friendly, sand-dollar-flat miles can get doughnuts topped with bacon start in Columbia, Illinois, and roll over
past wide-open beaches, gentle dunes, and heads north on Apple Valley Road, hills that add up to about 3,500 feet of
boardwalks, and Delaware Seashore then returns on a spectacular one-laner elevation gain. Coast through quaint
State Parka 6-mile-long barrier island. through Payneville. Maeystown, where store signs read Open
by luck or accident. You wont need to
FLORIDA HAWAII leave much time for the superfast return
Miami to Key West If youre fit or deter The Road to Hana Lets run some trip along the riverbank, where tailwinds
mined (or both), you can pedal the numbers. In 62 miles, Mauis gorgeous can push you home at 30 miles an hour.

B The Best Rides in Every State 4

On Colorados mt.
evans, tempera-
tures can be 50
degrees cooler
than in denver,
only 60 miles away,
adding an element
of intrigue to an
already unforget-
table climb.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY
JAMIE KRIPKE

B The Best Rides in Every State 5

INDIANA
Western Bartholomew and Eastern
Brown County Ive ridden in nearly all
corners of Indiana and 23 other states,
and my favorite ride is from Columbus
heading west into the hills, says Connie
Szabo Schmucker, advocacy director
for Bicycle Garage Indy. You can ride
50 miles and see 10 cars total, and you
can start and finish at Dags, a great
ice-cream shop with unique flavors.
Try persimmon, heavenly hash, or a
concoction called coffee and brownies.
IOWA
RAGBRAI Warm-Up You cant talk about
cycling here without talking about the
Registers Annual Great Bicycle Ride
Across Iowa, the oldest and largest multi-
day bicycle tour in the world. Get a taste
on a 66-mile route that warms up on the
Great River Road along the Mississippi
and passes within a half-mile of where
Field of Dreams was filmed, notes Mark
Ploegstra of the Dubuque Bicycle Club.
From there, the route unspools through
farmland so green in summer it seems to
glow, and swoops to the finish from a bluff
overlooking the Little Maquoketa River.
KANSAS
Gypsum Hills Its 42 miles one way, but
its never boring: On Highway 160, you get
both high plains and theres-no-place-
like-home rolling prairienot to mention
mesas, yawning canyons, and deep red
soil that looks like it was shipped in from
the Southwest. If you can, ride in spring,
when the wildflowers explode.
KENTUCKY
Follow Daniel Boone The time-tested
recipe for the best ride in bluegrass
country? Start at Fort Boonesborough
State Park. Climb 8 percent through the
Kentucky River Palisades, home to the
worlds best bourbon distilleries. Resist.
Hit scenic rollers that dissolve into
wide-open farmland. At 20 miles, grab
a country-ham sandwich and a locally
made Ale-8-One soda at the store in
Spears. Catch the three-car ferry across
the river, where a gentle 13-mile climb
leads you to Richmond (best gyros:
Babylon Caf) and a bullet-straight
descent to Redhouse. Total: 50 miles.
B The Best Rides in Every State
The fingerlike peninsula of Old
Mission, in Michigan, juts 16 miles
out into Grand Traverse Bay and
narrows to just one mile wide.
The loop passes cherry orchards
and vineyards, and ends with ales at
the Jolly Pumpkin Brewery.
Serve immediately. This is my definition
of perfection on a bike, says Bluegrass
Cycling Club chair Bill Cole.
LOUISIANA
NOLA Social Ride A tribe of fun-loving
New Orleans cyclists meets every
Thursday at a rotating series of bars.
They dress according to a rotating series
of themes (Big Mustache Ugly Sweater,
superheroes, cartoon characters, The Big
Lebowski). They even have a motto: Less
Gears = More Cheers.
MAINE
Cadillac Challenge Loop Pedal these 98
winding miles through Acadia National
Park and youll pass rocky cliffs, secluded
coves, and lighthousesand climb up
1,530-foot Cadillac Mountain, the parks
high point and the first spot in the United
States to catch rays from the rising sun.
MARYLAND
Covered Bridges Get Stoned Frederick
County has three covered bridges, two of
which are more than 150 years old, and
you can cross all of them in a mellow,
50-mile circuit pieced together by the
Frederick Pedalers. I live on the route,
and I see people from all over cycle by,
says Tom Rinker, owner of the nearby
shop The Bicycle Escape. Its the most
celebrated ride in Maryland.
MASSACHUSE T TS
Mt. Greylock The states tallest
mountain is the ultimate cycling
experience here, says Gordon Harris,
head of Bike New England. The best
approach? Spin from Williamstown
to Lanesborough, climb 10 miles up
Rockwell Road, built by the Civilian
Conservation Corps in the late 1930s,
then hang on tight on the serpentine
7-mile descent down Notch Road.
MICHIGAN
Old Mission The fingerlike peninsula
of Old Mission, which juts into Grand
Traverse Bay north of Traverse City, is
16 miles long and narrows in places to
just one mile wide. The loop around this
sliver of land passes cherry orchards,
vineyards, and stately homes. For
maximum variety, climb up Center Road
for 360-degree views, then coast the
shoreline flats. Dont miss Bowers Harbor,
home of the Jolly Pumpkin Brewery and
its Belgian ales.
MINNESOTA
Cuyuna Lakes Moabesque red dirt
is how Josh Klauck, owner of Angry
Catfish Bicycle Shop and Coffee Bar in
Minneapolis, describes the 22 miles of
trail opened last summer on a former
iron-mine property. Ore excavation
created steep hills; 500-foot-deep pits
have turned into emerald lakes; and the
trails are some of the most exquisitely
flowing stretches of dirt in the Midwest.
MISSISSIPPI
Natchez Trace Parkway There are no
stoplights on the Traces 308-mile stretch
across Mississippi, which is fitting for a
route thats been used for centuries by
Choctaws, Chickasaws, Kaintucks, and
Andrew Jackson alike. Instead youll ride
past B&Bs, council houses, plantations,
tobacco farmseven Tupelo, the
birthplace of Elvis.
MISSOURI
The Katy Trail Everyone here raves about
the 238-mile crushed-limestone path
that spans almost the entire state,
6
 The higher you go on the climb to Mexico is all dream catchers and desert,

Glacier National Parks Logan Pass, remember that within 85 miles this loop
crosses two 9,000-foot passes, circles
the better it gets: shark-tooth 13,161-foot Wheeler Peak, passes near

peaks, bear sightings, scooped- the D.H. Lawrence Ranch and Shrine, and

out valleys, and (of course)

swoops downhill through spruce and
aspen forests.

glaciers. In late spring, you can ride NEW YORK

there before any cars are allowed.
following the route of Lewis and Clark. Try
the Katys pancake-flat 35-mile section
from Jefferson City to Columbia for
exceptional Missouri River views.
MONTANA
Going-to-the-Sun Road For raw, natural
beauty, nothing beats the 3,300-foot
climb through the heart of Glacier
National Park from the Apgar Visitor
Center up to Logan Pass. The higher you
go, the better it gets: shark-tooth peaks,
bear sightings, scooped-out valleys, and
(of course) glaciers. Contact the park to
find out about the narrow window, in late
spring, when the snow has been cleared
but the road isnt open to cars yetonce
summer rolls around, so do drivers,
sometimes as many as 3,500 per day.
NEBR ASKA
Wilber Loop Actually, lets call it Wilber
Squarebecause most roads around here
are straighter than a yardstick and sit at
right angles to each other. From the Joyride
bike shop in Lincoln, head 36 miles south
and west to Wilber, the Czech capital of
the United States. Buy pork sandwiches
and sweet kolache pastries at TJ Sokol,
then head back north and east.
NEVADA
Red Rock Canyon Over the course of 35
miles and 2,000 feet of steady climbing,
you can leave the Vegas Strip and ride
around the screaming-crimson cliffs and
fossilized sand dunes of Nevadas most
severe geological mash-up.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Northern Lighthouse Ride There are only
18 miles of shoreline in the state, so make
the most of them. Members of the Charles
River Wheelmen recommend starting
from Portsmouth, crossing into Maine
and hugging the water through historic
York and Ogunquit, and circling back via
country roads. Stop by The Friendly Toast,
which serves chocolate-chip pancake
sandwiches with peanut-butter filling.
NEW JERSEY
The Medio Fondo About the only thing
we lack here are the long cols of Europe,
says Bill Ruddick, executive director of
Gran Fondo NJ, which includes rides from
18 to 103 miles. His Medio Fondo route,
a 62-mile loop past country estates,
secluded forests, tiny towns, and rock-
strewn creeks, is staged in September
but serves as the perfect Garden State
sampler anytime.
NEW MEXICO
The Enchanted Circle This ride won us
over in name alone, but theres also the
fact that it starts and finishes in artsy,
laid-back Taos. But lest you think New
Cranberry Lake to Saranac Lake
The Adirondacks are some six million
acres big. Drop a pin and youll find a
beautiful ride. But were partial to the
170-mile Olympic Byway, especially the
47-mile section between Saranac and
Cranberry. Its in the heart of the High
Peaks region, passes lake after jump-in-
with-your-chamois-on lake, and has a
thriving, crunchy-cool vibe. Tagging on
another 10 miles gets you to Lake Placid,
where you can relive the Miracle on Ice.
NOR TH CAROLINA
Mt. Mitchell As the highest peak east of
the Mississippi, Mitchell is great practice for
billy-goat climbersand its the site of the
infamous, 102-mile Assault on Mt. Mitchell.
Cut to the chase and try the last quarter of the
route, which starts in Marion and rises 5,275
feet in about 27 miles, with steady pitches
between 8 and 10 percent. (See page 8.)
NOR TH DAKOTA
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Badlands National Park is an arresting
mix of bentonite clay buttes, red scoria
rock cliffs, prairie grasses, wildflowers,
and juniper. Right there in the middle
and yet just off I-94 in Medoralies this
hall-of-fame-worthy 35-mile loop. Tackle
the route in three leisurely hours if y
oure
sightseeing, or blow through it in less
than two if youre in the mood to crank.
Either way, mind the bison, mustangs,

We interviewed more than 500 shop owners, tour guides, members

of bike clubs, racers, and cyclists plugged into communities all
Our across the nation. We asked one simple question: Whats the
MadMethod
best ride in your state? The result of that researchthe 50 routes
presented hereis not a definitive list, but rather a starting point.
Try these, see how they stack up against your own favorites, then
add to our growing list of instant classics.

B The Best Rides in Every State 7

when theres a break in
the low-slung clouds
often bunched around mt.
mitchell, the views of the
blue ridge mountains go
on forever.
photographed
by patrick cavan brown

B The Best Rides in Every State 8

 Nashville bike-shop owners created
a century ride that ascends 7,500
feeteven though you never
climb more than 400 of them
at once. Expect limestone bluffs,
babbling brooks, and intensely
beautiful rolling hills.
wild turkeys, and the occasional rattle
snake sunning on the road.
OHIO
The Longest Covered Bridge in America
Here you can cross seven old-timey
bridges in one shot, including one thats
613 feet long. But thats not even the
best part of this memorable Midwestern
sojourn. How can you beat a ride that
swings by a restaurant that serves the
best coleslaw in the world? asks Tracey
Bradnan of Century Cycles in Cleveland.
The place is called Josephines, and the
secret ingredients are pecans, pineapple,
and dried cranberries.
OKLAHOMA
The Norman Conquest The elevation
profile of this 64-mile rideheld each
Julylooks like the EKG of a 10-year-old
watching The Shining. Which means that,
despite what youve heard, Oklahoma
isnt flat. Not this part, anyway.
OREGON
Crater Lake Hows this for drama: More
than 7,000 years ago, a volcano here
erupted with a force 40 times as powerful
as when Mt. St. Helens blew, leaving a
hole almost 2,000 feet deep. And, bless
the National Park Service, crews built a
road around itone that everyone agrees
Ride
Guide
B The Best Rides in Every State
SOUTH CAROLINA
Paris Mountain This 21-mile loop out
of Greenville ascends 2,054-foot Paris
Mountain, the star attraction of the USA
Cycling National Championships course
in May. Begin on the flat GHS Swamp
Rabbit Trail, circle around the mountains
backside, and cross over and drop back
into town. When the trees are in full leaf
on the flanks of Paris, its like riding
through a canyon, says Joe Gillon of the
Great Escape bike shopbut the views
is a stunner. Start at Diamond Lake, climb from the top are superb year-round.
up to the crater, ride around the rim, then
careen back to Diamond for a swim and SOUTH DAKOTA
a beer. The rim alone offers 3,900 feet of Black Hills At 108 miles, this ride is a
climbing, with constantly shifting views two-breakfaster. Start with a chocolate-
of the nations deepest, bluest water. If chip bagel with cinnamon frosting
I had one last day on earth, says bicycle washed down with java from Alpine
tourer Lynn Pilato, I would ride the rim at Coffee Company in Spearfish. Just before
Crater Lake. the rides 6,627-foot high point in Hanna,
PENNSYLVANIA
Ice Cream Lovers Ride When Judy Hurlbut, longtime member of the Lancaster Bike Club,
moved here 25 years ago, she thought shed died and gone to heaven. Her version of
paradise is Amish countryroadside stands selling homemade root beer, small churches,
and a vibe so peaceful that no ones ever had to secure their bike to a post. On this 40-
mile routewith just 52 feet of climbingyou can find killer ice cream at Bird-in-Hand
Bakery (12 miles in), Lapp Valley Farm (23 miles), and Oregon Dairy (36 miles), where
scoops are sized calf, heifer, or cow. (See page 10.)
RHODE ISLAND refuel with biscuits and gravy under the
Westerly to Watch Hill When it comes to awnings at the Cheyenne Crossing Caf.
cycling, our smallest state offers some At mile 75, pose in front of Mt. Rushmore,
larger-than-life momentslike on this then roll into the granite monoliths of
Narragansett Bay Wheelmen club ride. Custer State Park.
The leisurely 64-mile route follows rural
roads past the home of the nations first TENNESSEE
carousel (built in 1870), and tops out at Killing Me Softly Blame the owners
the Watch Hill Coast Guard Station with of Gran Fondo Cycles in Nashville for
big views of Block Island Sound. There are coming up with a 100-miler that gains
three beaches in Watch Hill, including one 7,500 feeteven though you never climb
that was home to an old Spanish fort. more than 400 of them at once. You get
limestone bluffs and babbling brooks, a
few mean dogs, and abandoned trailers.
People are always shocked by the beauty
Visit BICYCLING.com/bestrides and intensity in an area where there are
for complete GPS maps and no mountains, only rolling hills, says
route details for these rides. While
youre there, join the conversation
Vida Greer, the shops owner. Endless
rolling hills, I might add.
and tell us about the best ride
youve ever discovered in your TEXAS
neck of the woods. Willow City Loop People call
Fredericksburgand the friendly, sunny
9
 Pennsylvanias
amish country
features multiple
ice-cream stops,
langorous hills,
countless horse-
buggy passings,
and cornfields
longer and deeper
than a willa
cather novel.
photographed
by jason gould

B The Best Rides in Every State 10

 In Texas Hill Country, the 55-mile WEST VIRGINIA
route includes farmland rollers The Cheat Mountain Challenge If you

punched up by supersteep
cant make it in August for this annual
century, do yourself a favor and ride the

climbs, ice-cold Lone Star and 103-mile course on your own. The best

BBQ, cattle wandering across the
highway, and wildflower shows.
Hill Countrythe cycling capital of
Texas. And Cycle Texas, a local group of
riders, calls this 55-mile route the queen
cycling attraction in Gillespie County.
Why? Farmland rollers punched up by
a few supersteep climbs. Ice-cold Lone
Stars and BBQ at Harrys in Willow City.
Cattle wandering across the highway.
Ridiculous wildflower shows every April.
And endless options to shortenor
stretch outthe adventure.
UTAH
The Whole Enchilada If youre a
mountain biker, you must hit Moab
obviously. Just dont leave without
tackling this monster descent, which
starts at 11,200 feet in the La Sal
Mountains. The 27-mile thrill ride
plummets down flowy singletrack,
bumps along high-speed jeep roads,
and dangles on the edge of 1,000-foot
cliffs before finishing on the banks of the
Colorado River.
VERMONT
The LAMB Ride LAMB stands for Lincoln,
Appalachian, Middlebury, and Brandon.
Theyre what Vermonters call gaps General Store and Backyard Bikes
passes that crisscross the spine of the
Green Mountains. And they make for
what mere mortals call sufferfests.
Something for your cogs to chew on:
Locals claim that an uphill section near
Lincoln is the steepest stretch of paved
road in the United States, at 24 percent.
VIRGINIA
Skyline Drive Optimize the 105-mile
ride by pedaling it in early Octoberthe
autumn colors are psychedelic. And
do it from north to southstarting in
Front Royal, Virginia, gets the climb up
to 3,385-foot Hogback Overlook out of
the way early. The ups and downs are
relentless, but so are the views west to
the Shenandoah Valley.
WASHINGTON
Lopez Island; see page 2.
section is pure bliss: The 22-mile stretch
that includes Back Mountain Road twists
through the hardwoods of Monongahela
National Forest, serving up forever
descents that test your mettle in corners.
WISCONSIN
Kettle Moraine Locals say the LaGrange
where County Road H meets Highway
12 in southeast Wisconsinis a sacred
shrine of cycling. Maybe its the coffee
and cowboy cookies. Or maybe its the
landscapean idyllic mix of small ponds
(those namesake kettles), big lakes,
wide valleys, and hills all piled up by Ice
Age glaciers. Hit them all on a 31-mile set
of interlocking loops out of Palmyra.
WYOMING
Around the Block Start in Jackson, pedal
past Wilson, climb over Teton Pass into
Idaho, glide through Victor and Alpine,
then head back through the Snake River
Canyon. This beast of a route is 110 miles,
with 5,000 feet of vert, big skies, bigger
mountains, and major bragging rights. Be
sure to refuel at the gas station in Swan
Valley, which serves mint chocolate chip
ice cream.

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01QY/CY/2026401/AR/5-14

B The Best Rides in Every State 11