When We Like to Ride This

Fall to spring when the skies are clear and the temps are moderate. We would avoid this route in summer as it is very exposed to the sun. Wind could also make this route brutal. And … if it has recently rained, give it several days to let the roads dry, they are of a clay base and can turn into super sticky mud.

Terrain & Riding

For a great overview of the riding in the Patagonia area, give a read to the writeup done by Caffeine and Watts: Patagonia, A Gravel Utopia.

This is a 5 Star Route all the way, but we have not had the time to ride it, document it, and photograph it in this direction. Thus, the Development Route designation for the moment. (If you would like to help us out with pictures and a detailed route description, send as an email. Email address is at the bottom of the page.)

The Start

Patagonia Town Park. Street side parking on McKeown Avenue. Flush toilets. Water.

Food & Water

• ~ Mile 35.5: Water and food can be found at the Parker Canyon Lake and Marina general store (seasonal). At the intersection of Highway 83 (paved) and Montezuma Canyon road (gravel) continue straight towards the lake instead of going left. This will add ~ 1 mile.

Route Notes

1. Riding in the desert southwest is often very different from riding in Colorado or Oregon, with terrain that is noticeably more rugged and challenging. For tips and advice, check out our Resource Page: Riding in the Desert Southwest.

   Specific to this route, most of the gravel roads in the San Rafael Valley are hard-packed and fast. However, over the last 5 to 7 years the roads (as most in southern Arizona) have become more rugged due to increased vehicular usage. Thus, our tire recommendations have changed to 50 mm+.

2. We recommend riding this in the opposite direction of that mapped here. Ride it counter-clockwise, this way you will be descending through the sand bit near Lochiel, not trying to climb through the sand pit.

3. There are a number of turns along the route, if you miss a turn you may end up going a long way before finding pavement.

4. The area is actively patrolled by Border Patrol. As a general practice, when we encounter Border Patrol for the first time each day, we stop to ask “if there’s anything we should be aware of” and share our planned route with them.

5. The route goes very near the Hermosa Project mine (~ mile 72). Yes, the project is controversial, but we encourage you as riders to be courteous and give way to mining trucks (i.e. stop and put a foot down). There are other and better forums for debating the merits of mining than on a gravel road.

Route Options

Ride Direction
This route rides well in both directions. In fact, as a first ride in the Patagonia area, we recommend the counter-clockwise direction.

Shorter Options
If you’re looking for a shorter ride, check out the Patagonia 30 and Patagonia 50 rides. The 30 does not include the San Rafael valley section while the 50 does, but not to the same extent as this route, the 80, does.

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