The best cycling routes around Four Corners

The Four Corners region offers an incredibly diverse topography, ranging from high-altitude areas with snow-capped mountains and canyon lands to expansive desert floors with sandstone buttes and mesas. You'll encounter pinyon-juniper woodlands, challenging climbs, and more leisurely rides through valleys, providing a varied experience for touring cyclists.

This guide features over 90 touring cycling routes around the Four Corners region. These routes cater to various skill levels, from easy paths to more challenging rides.

Yes, there are plenty of easy touring cycling routes. For example, Park Valley Road Bridge – Carroll Avenue Bridge loop from Wheaton is an easy 12.9-mile path with gentle inclines, perfect for a leisurely ride. Overall, 53 of the routes in this guide are rated as easy.

Among the most popular routes is Rock Creek Park – Klingle Road Wooden Bridge loop from Silver Spring, a moderate 21.9-mile trail with a steady elevation gain. Another favorite is Rock Creek Park – Beach Drive, Rock Creek Park loop from Medical Center, which is 21.3 miles long and leads through varied terrain.

The routes in this guide for the Four Corners region are highly rated by the komoot community, with an average score of 4.6 stars from over 500 reviews. More than 2,700 touring cyclists have used komoot to explore the varied terrain, often praising the diverse landscapes and well-maintained paths.

Yes, many routes in this guide are designed as loops, offering a convenient way to start and end your ride at the same point. Examples include Rock Creek Park – Klingle Road Wooden Bridge loop from Silver Spring and Park Valley Road Bridge – Carroll Avenue Bridge loop from Wheaton.

The Four Corners region is rich in natural beauty. While cycling, you might encounter various natural monuments and bodies of water. For instance, you could explore areas near Rock Creek Park, or discover serene spots like Lake Artemesia and Buddy Attick Lake Park.

The Four Corners region is steeped in history, particularly with its Ancestral Puebloan sites and diverse cultural heritage. While the routes in this guide focus on natural landscapes, the broader region is home to numerous national parks and monuments like Mesa Verde, Chaco Culture, and Monument Valley, offering deep dives into ancient civilizations and tribal lands. These can be excellent destinations to combine with your cycling trip.

The best time to cycle in the Four Corners region often depends on the specific elevation and terrain you plan to explore. Spring and fall generally offer pleasant temperatures for most areas. Higher elevation routes might be more accessible in summer, while lower desert routes are best avoided during the peak heat of summer. Always check local weather conditions before heading out.

Yes, the Four Corners region is an excellent destination for bikepacking, especially on dirt roads through areas like Bears Ears National Monument, which features wild hoodoos and canyon lands. There are also high-altitude bikepacking tours available in the San Juan National Forest, and guided tours through Ancestral Puebloan ruins in places like Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Park.

Absolutely. Many areas within the Four Corners region are known for being less crowded, offering a sense of solitude and a more intimate connection with nature and history. This allows for peaceful rides away from bustling tourist spots, especially on some of the more remote trails.

The Four Corners region is famous for its unique geological formations. While specific routes in this guide may not explicitly mention them, the broader area is renowned for stunning sandstone arches in Arches National Park, iconic sandstone buttes in Monument Valley, and the dramatic canyon lands of Canyonlands National Park. Cycling through these areas provides visually spectacular backdrops.