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.

Lat / Long: 31.538929, -110.755526

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. There is road construction on Harshaw Road / FS 49, at ~ mile 9 of this route. Expect the construction to last until May 1. Bikes and local traffic are allowed. However, you may encounter delays. Please be respectful of road workers. If you want to avoid the road construction, consider this alternative route we have put together.

   A big shout out to Heidi and Zander of the Patagonia Lumber Co for bringing this to our attention!

2. Most of the gravel roads in the San Rafael Valley are hard-packed and fast.

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. On a weekend, you will most likely see several vehicles and Border Patrol. There is intermittent cell phone coverage the route.

5. 40 mm tires are more than adequate for this ride. The route is exposed – be wary of sun and wind. We also do not recommend riding when it is wet – it can be muddy and sticky!

6. 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.

7. The area is actively patrolled by Border Patrol. As a general rule, when we come across Border Patrol for the first time in the day, we stop and ask if “there’s anything we should be aware of” and we also give them our route.

Route Options

If you’re looking for a shorter ride, check out Patagonia 30. It has most of the great elements of this ride with the exception of the San Rafael valley section.

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