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The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) is the most recognized and important off-pavement cycling route in the United States, if not the world. The route crisscrosses the Continental Divide from north to south starting in Banff, Alberta, Canada and finishing at the US/Mexico border in Antelope Wells, New Mexico.
May 31, 2023 · The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) is Adventure Cycling’s premier off-pavement cycling route, crisscrossing the Continental Divide in southern Canada and the U.S. This route is defined by the word “remote.” Its remoteness equates with spectacular terrain and scenery.
- My Ride Overview
- GDMBR Must-Know
- Timing and Logistics
- Terrain and Difficulty
- Bikes and Bags
- Camping and Lodging
- Food
- Bears and Food Storage
- Water
- Budget
Since so much depends on individual experience and riding style, here’s a quick overview of my own GDMBR bikepacking trip. Dates: June 22 – August 26, 2021 (65 days, including 9 non-riding days for rest, visiting, and exploration) Direction: northbound! (the unusual way) Mood: leisurely but efficient. I’ve pushed myself hard on enough prior trips a...
If you’re already familiar with the route, you might want to skip to the next section. Otherwise, here are some essentials to help you get oriented. Length: ~2700 miles End points: Banff, Alberta (Canada) in the north and Antelope Wells, New Mexico (US) in the south. A new extension goes from Banff north to Jasper, but many people still consider Ba...
How Much Time
How long does it take to bike the GDMBR? It depends! If you’re a world-class racer, 2 weeks. If you’re a leisurely tourer, it could be 3 months. Most people take somewhere between 1.5 and 2.5 monthsto ride the whole route. The difference comes down to your gear weight, riding style, fitness, and personal preference. Some folks are looking to push themselves physically and mentally, while others want to see the sights and relax at camp. Whatever you choose, make sure your riding companions – i...
North or South
Most GDMBR riders go from north to south, mainly due to tradition. I rode south to north, like a salmon swimming upstream. There are pros and cons to each and your choice will shape your experience, but both are perfectly good options. Here are some factors to consider: Timing: An early start is better for northbounders and a late start suits southbounders. See When to Ride below for details. Wind: It’s said that wind more often blows north to south along the route, so northbound riders will...
Best Time to Ride the GDMBR
The GDMBR is a summer route, but the exact best time to start and finish is a complicated question. Many people simply work with the time they have. In 2021 I met southbound riders who started as early as June 10 (the Grand Depart for the Tour Divide race) and as late as mid-August. Everyone deals with a different mix of weather issues, which seem to be increasingly unpredictable these days. No time window will be trouble-free, but here are some trends to consider. Snowpack: In the mountains...
How hard is the Great Divide, and what kind of surfaces and terrain should you expect? It’s varied! 2700 miles is a lot of miles. Here are some general trends. Gravel and dirt roadsmake up the majority of the route. These are non-technical and vary from blissfully smooth to rocky and washboarded. Singletrack trailmakes up a small portion of the rou...
Bikes for the GDMBR
Everyone wants to know the best bike for the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, but there’s no single answer. I saw so many different bike setups on the Divide! From four-pannier touring bikes to fast-and-light gravel racing setups, you really can ride this route on almost anything. That said, some choices are better than others depending on your goals. Rigid bikes: I rode my Salsa Fargo rigid drop-bar mountain bike and thought it was perfect. It’s a popular choice for this route, and relative...
A Note on Tires
The best tires for the GDMBR will depend on your bike, goals, and riding style. Popular choices include Vittoria Mezcal, Continental CrossKing, WTB Ranger, and Maxxis Ikon. The sweet spot for width seems to be around 2.2 – 2.3″, while some riders go as wide as 3″ and some as narrow as 45 or even 40mm. My choice: 29×2.3 Continental CrossKing ProTection. Highly recommended! After 2700 miles they still had plenty of tread, and I had zero issues with tears or punctures that wouldn’t seal. I’ve ri...
Bike Bags
These days, most people ride the GDMBR on a kind of “long-haul bikepacking” setup: soft bikepacking bags potentially augmented with extra capacity of fork cages and potentially a rear rack. I was surprised to see lots of riders making creative use of a rear rack, strapping on dry bags or mini-panniers instead of the traditional pannier touring setup. This provides more capacity than a seat bag but still keeps the bike relatively streamlined. A minority of riders rocked a traditional four pann...
Anyone riding the Great Divide should be prepared to camp. It’s a big part of the fun! The GDMBR is lined with thousands of lovely places to spend a night under the stars. There are also plenty of places to enjoy the luxury of a roof over your head every few days. Here are my observations about camping and lodging on the GDMBR.
Food resupply options are fairly frequent on most of the GDMBR, at least by US bikepacking standards. At a touring pace you’ll usually need to carry 1-2 days of food between stores and restaurants, and occasionally 3-4 days. In some places food is plentiful; in a few parts of Montana and Canada you can have three hot meals a day if you want! The so...
When camping, it’s essential to store your food properly to protect both yourself and wildlife. Bears are the biggest concern, particularly grizzly bears in parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Canada. But black bears exist throughout Colorado and northern New Mexico, and rodents can do a surprising amount of damage almost anywhere! When bears are expose...
Everyone wants to know how much water capacity is needed for the GDMBR, but the answer depends heavily on which section you’re talking about. Through much of Canada and Montana, you barely have to think about water. I usually filled up 2 liters at a time and then took a snack or lunch break to filter when it ran out. A lot of Colorado also has plen...
How much does it cost to ride the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route? This depends heavily on your chosen style. Rather than give a definite budget, I’ll give a range for the biggest spending categories. Transportation to start and from end: Getting to and from remote endpoints, especially Antelope Wells, can be a big expense. Budget a few hundred do...
plan your tour. Great Divide Route Map. Total Distance: 2,715 miles/ 4,363 kilometers. Total Ascent: 161,917 feet/ 4,363 meters. stay on track. Navigate the GDMBR. Maps. Not essential, but the extra route details and background information will make your GDMBR tour more rewarding. get maps. GPS Tracks. Essential.
The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) is a 3,083.8 mi (4,962.9 km), off-road bicycle touring route between Jasper, Alberta, Canada and Antelope Wells, New Mexico, USA. Completed in 1997, the GDMBR was developed by Adventure Cycling Association , who continue to maintain highly detailed route maps and a guidebook.
It travels through Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, and the United States of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico ( map ). By route's end a thru-rider will climb nearly 200,000 feet of vertical (equivalent to summiting Mount Everest from sea-level 7 times). For more Route info see Rider Resources.
Riders. About. Route. The Adventure Cyclist Association developed in 1998 world's longest off-pavement cycling route and named it “Great Divide Mountain Bike Route”. The original route starts in Banff, Canada and finishes in Antelope Wells at the Mexican Border.
