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Buenos Aires (Rancho de la Osa Start)

5 Star (Premiere) Route / ~ Tucson, Arizona / Published: Dec 2022 / Directions
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By riding this route, you will have an impact on wildlife. Please limit group size to 4.

Riding gravel road leading away from Rancho de la Osa.
Leading out! / December 2022
One of the old adobe homes in Sasabe.
One of the old adobe homes in Sasabe.
Wide open flats of Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge.
The wide flats, ~ mile 5.
Bicyclists on dirt road in Altar Valley.
Cyclist riding towards Pajarita Mountains.
~ mile 9.
Oak tree in fall color along wash.
Cyclist riding through wet wash.
Expect some wash riding.
Gravel cyclist riding dry wash.
Rolling hills in Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge.
Gravel Girl up hill on dirt road.
Cyclist in distance on dirt road.
Riding though small canyon with oak tree.
Colorful tree in wash in fall time.
Riding dirt road in BANWR.
Baboquivari Peak in distance.
Baboquivari, ~ mile 27.
Gravel riding in Buenos Aires Refuge.
Buenos Aires Visitor Center
The Visitor Center, go!!
The grasslands in the refuge.
Ocotillo cactus and bike rider.
Prickly Pear cactus with gravel cyclist.
Steep, chunky uphill.
Wide red dirt road.
Sasabe store.
Drop some coin at the Sasabe Store.
Bike rider on road to Ranch de la Osa.
Back to the ranch.
Rancho de las Osa sign.
Pink headquarters building at Ranch de la Osa.
*
Route:
Lollipop | 44 mi
*
Gain:
2,500 ft
*
Surface:
~ 100% gravel
*
Technical Difficulty:
Demanding
*
Navigation:
Attention Required
*
Locale:
Remote
*
Tire Suggestion:
45 mm+
*
Options:
---

This route is a version of the classic Buenos Aires route but starts from Rancho de la Osa, a working dude ranch near the US-Mexico border just outside of the town of Sasabe. The ranch offers lodging and activities like horseback riding and target shooting; it has a full meal service and a great outdoor pool.

From the ranch, there are two Dirty Freehub rides you can do directly; this one and the Sasabe route. For the complete details of this route, please review the original route guide; this guide is an abbreviated version of the original with the start from the ranch.

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Map
Brown = gravel / dirt road
Blue = single track
Red = paved road
Purple = paved bike path
GPX Download
(Version 1.0)

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Ride Details

When We Like to Ride This

A really special time to ride Buenos Aires is just after the summer monsoons end when everything is super green. But … you need to find a day that is not too hot, as the route is very exposed route to the sun and wind. Overall, the route rides well fall through spring.

The Start

Lat / Long: 31.49524, -111.56340

Rancho de la Osa. Note – do not use this as a start unless you are staying at the ranch or have made previous arrangements.

Food & Water

  • ~ mile 32 / Visitor Center
Notes & Options
Comments

Have you ridden this route? Got a question? Join the discussion!

Love Where You Ride! Learn More

Buenos Aires - signRemote, rugged natural beauty. Emptiness. Big views. That’s the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge which has 200+ miles of dirt roads, which just screams, “awesome gravel route.” Mule deer and pronghorn roam the flat plains and rolling hills. Coyotes, foxes, bobcats, javelina, four types of skunks and two kinds of jackrabbits, and a diverse array of reptiles, including rattlesnakes, desert tortoises and occasional Gila monsters, can be found on the Refuge.

Be Informed!

Wildlife Impact

Wildlife Impact

Learn about the impact we have as gravel cyclists on wildlife. And yes, we have an impact, more than we think or see.

Read More »

Cows in the road

Cows!

This route crosses through open grazing lands where you may encounter cows and cattle. Learn how to handle this situation the right way. Whooping and hollering are not it!!

Read More »

Keep it Local! Learn More

Rancho de la Osa

Ranch de la Osa

A great way to get a deeper experience of the desert southwest is to stay at Rancho de la Osa for a few days and make it your base camp for riding. They have great accommodations, a swimming pool, and numerous activities like horseback riding.

Ridden and Reviewed by:

LindaE (aka Gravel Girl)

LindaE (aka Gravel Girl) / Team Dirty Freehub

She loves a good day of gravel, like most people like a good book. She’s always amused by the outdoors and the wild adventures. Gravel Girl is a Co-Founder of Dirty Freehub.

KevinE

KevinE / Team Dirty Freehub

He should have “Never Stop Exploring” tattooed on his chest! He loves adventures on bikes and is a Co-Founder of Dirty Freehub.

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