Grand Canyon Connector
Two iconic national parks, one mile-deep canyon, and a whole lot of red rock in between.
- Distance
- 570 miles
- Surface
- 100% paved
- 1 week–3 weeks
- Route Type
- Point to Point
Ride the Grand Canyon Connector
This route runs south from Cedar City, Utah, to Tempe, Arizona, near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, linking the Western Express and the Southern Tier.
What to Expect
This route trades long, flat miles for a dramatic run through red-rock canyon country, climbing from low desert into ponderosa pine and aspen forest before dropping back into the Sonoran Desert near Phoenix. It’s a demanding ride, with long climbs, summer heat past 100 degrees in the low desert, and a remote middle stretch between Jacob Lake and Grand Canyon Village where services are few. Expect crowds and heavy traffic around the national parks in summer.
Zion’s towering sandstone walls, the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, and the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are the headliners, with an optional spur to the cooler, quieter North Rim. Across the Navajo Nation, trading posts sell groceries, water, and authentic Navajo crafts and pottery.
This route is a steady series of climbs and descents, from 5,843 feet in Cedar City to 1,198 feet in Tempe, with several climbs topping out above 7,000 feet. Beyond Zion, sagebrush high desert rises to the forested Kaibab Plateau, then drops past the Echo Cliffs and the Painted Desert before climbing to the South Rim. The optional North Rim Spur reaches the route’s highest point, over 8,500 feet. The full route includes detailed riding conditions and field notes for every climb and descent.
The stretch between Jacob Lake and Grand Canyon Village is the most remote section of the route, with services limited to a handful of trading posts and cell service spotty for long stretches. Alcohol isn’t sold anywhere within the Navajo Nation, so plan accordingly if that matters to your trip. Even here, the road is rarely empty, since steady tourist traffic heads to the South Rim. Elsewhere, larger towns are well spaced and offer full services, though bike shops are found infrequently.
Ride this route from spring through fall, roughly April or May through October, with early fall offering the best mix of mild weather and lighter tourist traffic. Summers can push past 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the lower elevations, so plan to rest during the heat of the day. In the higher elevations, snow is possible well into spring and as early as fall.
Route Sections
Cedar City, UT, to Tempe, AZ, 570 miles
From Cedar City, the route parallels I-15 on frontage roads before climbing into Zion National Park, where cyclists can ride sections closed to private vehicles during peak season. Past Zion, the route moves south across high desert and into the Kaibab National Forest toward Jacob Lake, the jumping-off point for the North Rim Spur.
From there, the main route continues through Navajo Nation land to the south rim of the Grand Canyon, then descends through Williams, Chino Valley, and Wickenburg before finishing through the Phoenix metro area into Tempe.
Alternates:
- North Rim Spur, 43.4 miles. A scenic out-and-back through forest and high meadows to the North Rim, which sits roughly 1,300 feet higher than the South Rim and runs noticeably cooler. State Route 67 to the North Rim closes seasonally, generally December through mid-May, so this spur is only rideable outside that window.
Bicycles are not permitted through the longer of the two tunnels on the Zion–Mount Carmel Highway. Riders need to arrange a ride through the tunnel in another vehicle, ideally a pickup truck that can carry a bike in the bed.
Grand Canyon Connector Photos
Plan Your Ride
This route’s remote middle stretch and two major national park crossings mean campsite reservations and water planning both deserve attention well before departure.
Trip Planning & Logistics
This route connects directly to the Western Express in Cedar City and the Southern Tier near Wickenburg, so it works well as a link between the two for riders stitching together a longer Southwest tour. Plan around peak park traffic, generally July through Labor Day, and consider an early fall departure for milder weather and lighter crowds.
As a paper-and-digital route, this one is available through Adventure Cycling’s shop, which includes routing, detailed service information, riding conditions, and field notes for trip planning. The route ends in Tempe near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, making it a convenient point to fly out from.
Bicycles are not permitted through the longer of the two tunnels on the Zion–Mount Carmel Highway, requiring a ride through the tunnel in another vehicle.
This route runs almost entirely on paved state and U.S. highways, so a standard touring bike suits it well. Front and rear lights and bright, visible clothing are worth packing for a few rumble-stripped highway stretches where the shoulder has crumbled down to little or no ridable space, including sections of State Route 64 and State Route 89.
Carry extra water and sun protection for the low desert stretches, and pack layers for the cooler temperatures on the North Rim Spur, which sits well above 8,000 feet.
Camping inside Zion and Grand Canyon National Parks runs seasonally, generally May through October, and reservations or an early arrival help secure a site during peak season. Some campgrounds charge solo cyclists the same as a full tent or RV site, often $10 to $40 per night, though hiker/biker rates are sometimes available.
Outside the parks, camping is allowed on national forest land as long as riders pack out everything they bring in.
Both Zion and Grand Canyon National Parks generally open camping from May through October depending on conditions, and reservations or an early arrival help secure a site.
Larger towns along most of the route offer reliable resupply, but between Jacob Lake and Grand Canyon Village, trading posts are the only option, so stock up before entering that stretch. Water is the bigger concern. Sources are scarce in the desert sections, so carry more than you think you’ll need, drink often in the heat, and top off at every opportunity. Don’t count on natural water sources, and treat any you do use. Check your digital route in Ride with GPS for service phone numbers, and call ahead for anything outside peak season.
Watch for crumbled shoulders and rumble strips on State Route 64 and State Route 89, both of which carry heavy recreational traffic. Dust storms are possible in the lower desert regions, and scorpions and rattlesnakes are both real considerations when camping, so check your tent floor and shoes before use.
Bicycles are not permitted through the longer of the two tunnels on the Zion–Mount Carmel Highway. Riders need to arrange a ride through the tunnel in another vehicle, ideally a pickup truck that can carry a bike in the bed.
Always check Adventure Cycling Route Updates and Corrections before you go.
Routes change. Bridges wash out, businesses close, and construction pops up overnight. We strive to keep routes updated as those things happen. When we learn about a change, we reroute around sections that have become dangerous, update service information as businesses open, close, or move, and reroute around temporary road and bridge closures or construction. Digital routes are updated as soon as we’ve reviewed a reported issue.
You’re often the first to spot these changes out on the road. Help us keep this route accurate for the next rider by reporting anything you notice with our Route Feedback Form.
This Route Is Part of Something Bigger
It’s one piece of the Adventure Cycling Route Network, began in 1976 and built on a simple mission: to empower people to travel by bike. Our team maps and maintains it; our members and donors make it possible.
-
Explore the Adventure Cycling Route Network
Our premium routes are well researched by our cartographers and well traveled by thousands of cyclists.
Adventure Cycling Route Network -
Support Route Development
Our members are the reason we can offer three route networks tailored for specific experiences and riders.
Become a Member -
Stay Connected
Find your stoke with our newsletter all about routes, gear, stories, and cycling news in your inbox twice a month.
Sign up for Bike Bits
Frequently Asked Questions
It’s our flagship, staff-built route network. The one that started it all 50 years ago with the TransAmerica Trail, the route that launched bicycle touring and bikepacking in America. Every route in it is designed and researched by our own team of cyclists and cartographers: months of research and on-the-ground testing go into each one, so what you get is more than a line on a map. Each Adventure Cycling route has detailed logistics, terrain and elevation info, points of interest, camping and lodging, safety alerts, and history, all in one place. It’s the most in-depth of our three networks, available as digital routes and most as paper maps too. It’s the route network we update most regularly as conditions change.
They’re related, but not the same thing. The Adventure Cycling Route Network is made up of routes we’ve researched, ridden, and mapped ourselves, chosen specifically for a great touring or bikepacking experience. The U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) is a state-by-state national system that we serve as technical experts for, made official through each state’s department of transportation. The two overlap in a lot of places, but an ACRN route carries our own on-the-ground vetting; a USBRS route carries official state recognition.
It depends! If you want a route we’ve personally scouted end to end, with services, camping, and terrain notes built in, start with the Route Network. The ACA Route Network has routes of many different lengths and can be a much easier starting place for someone new to bicycle travel. If you’re an experienced cyclist piecing together an officially designated corridor, or riding somewhere the two systems converge, the interactive USBRS map is a good resource to use.
The Adventure Cycling Route Network is a premium network because of everything that goes into it. Unlike the U.S. Bicycle Route System (built by state DOTs) or Short Routes (submittedby cyclists in their own communities), every Adventure Cycling route is researched, ridden, and vetted end-to-end by our own team. Unlike other routes, Adventure Cycling routes come with extensive information on riding conditions, terrain notes, camping and lodging info, logistics, safety alerts, and points of interest. We also keep it current as roads and services change. The price supports that ongoing research and maintenance work, done by a nonprofit whose whole mission is making sure the route in your hands is one you can trust.
Turn-by-turn directions with a bike icon aren’t the same as a route built for specifically touring or bikepacking. Every mile in the Adventure Cycling Route Network has been researched and ridden by our staff and researchers, chosen to avoid dangerous traffic, and mapped with what a touring cyclist actually needs — food, water, camping, hotels, bike shops — spaced out along the way. The Adventure Cycling Route Network was built for cyclists by cyclists, is regularly updated, and comes with the resources and information needed to plan your ride.
No. The network includes routes for a wide range of experience and difficulty levels, from a first multi-day trip to a cross-country expedition. What every route has in common is that it was chosen with a touring cyclist’s needs in mind, whatever kind of trip you’re planning.
Not at all. Alongside iconic long-distance routes like the TransAmerica Trail, the network includes shorter regional routes, so it works for a weeklong vacation or a two-month journey.
For many years, we focused on paved routes, but today the network includes plenty of unpaved gravel riding for bikepacking. In fact, Adventure Cycling mapped the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route in 1998, arguably the most impactful bikepacking route in the world. The Adventure Cycling Route Network also includes the Golden Gravel Trail, Idaho Hot Springs Mountain Bike Route, Arkansas High Country Route, and more. Some routes are a 50/50 mix of pavement and gravel. Some routes follow paved and unpaved bike paths and rail trails. The Adventure Cycling Route Network has terrain for every cyclist.
We revisit our printed maps every three to five years, and push corrections to our digital route data as we learn about changes on the ground. If you have an Adventure Cycling Route in Ride with GPS that we’ve updated, you’ll get a notification when you open the route to update to the newest version of the route. Updating will ensure you have the latest data, information, and points of interest vital to being on route. For cyclists who have Adventure Cycling paper maps, we keep a list of route- and section-specific updates current on our Map Updates and Corrections page.
Change comes from two directions: our own staff research and reports from the cyclists actually out there riding them. If a bridge washes out, a shoulder disappears, a campground closes for repairs, or a town loses its only grocery store, that’s the kind of thing that triggers an update. You can help us keep our routes accurate; fill out our Route Feedback Form.
Most of our Adventure Cycling Routes come as waterproof print maps and digital Ride with GPS navigational data. Our print maps are the #1 longstanding popular resource for traveling cyclists. They are waterproof, highly detailed and always work. For long trips, many cyclists use a combination of print maps and digital routes.
If you’re already comfortable and familiar with a GPS navigational aid such as Ride with GPS or a Garmin, our digital data packages are an excellent choice. We do not recommend GPX data for beginners since there are a few extra steps to installing and troubleshooting.
Once you purchase a digital route, you’ll get an email with a link to unlock it in the free Ride with GPS app — no separate subscription required for basic navigation. From there you get turn-by-turn voice directions, curated points of interest like campgrounds and bike shops, and field notes on the history, geography, and climate along your route, all available 100% offline. If you’drather use a dedicated GPS device, you can export the route as a GPX file to load onto a Garmin, Wahoo, or similar device.
To export GPX files of your Adventure Cycling digital route, use your laptop or desktop to open the email you received after purchasing your digital route. Click on the link that allows you to access your Digital Route. Finally, click on EXPORT ALL at the bottom of the screen. This is the only way to export files that include the route line, points of interest, and services. Files will be exported as one ZIP file.
Adventure Cycling uses abbreviations across its paper and digital routes to indicate particular services, land or road types, route names, direction of travel, and route type. Please see our key to abbreviations.
If you have questions on how to purchase a digital route or about the route content, please contact Adventure Cycling: cartography@adventurecycling.org or 406-721-1776.
If you have questions on how to use your Digital Route in Ride with GPS, please check the Ride with GPS support page or email them at info@ridewithgps.com.
If you’re new to Ride with GPS, please check out the following resources:
Our print map panels aren’t always oriented northwards for space and layout reasons. Refer to the north arrows to help orient yourself if you’re not sure.
No. The Routes and Mapping Department does not do custom routes for individuals. Check out the routes we’ve already mapped, and use the interactive map to piece our route networks together, forming a route that gets you from a point A to point B of your choice.
It started with a single route. In 1976, we mapped the TransAmerica Trail, and more than 4,000 cyclists crossed the country together for Bikecentennial — the nation’s bicentennial cycling celebration our founders organized. That one route became the seed of a network we’ve spent the decades since expanding. Today it’s more than 58,000 miles of mapped routes across the U.S. and Canada, from classic epics like the TransAmerica Trail, Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, and Pacific Coast, to shorter regional routes.