Few landscapes rival the beauty of the American Southwest, and its desolate desert landscape has served as a background to countless movies. The Grand Arizona Traverse takes riders on a stunning backcountry adventure along uncrowded dirt track that occasionally crosses paths with unique small towns.
Planning Your Ride of the Grand Arizona Traverse Unlike many famed motorcycle trails, the Grand Arizona Traverse does not have a historical background to justify its route. Instead, motorcycle enthusiasts at the Expedition Portal community created it for the express purpose of seeing as much of rural Arizona as possible, while avoiding the more trafficked roads.
As this route is continually changing based on the whims of the community and the conditions of the various dirt tracks that make up the route, this is a very difficult trip to plan. Before setting off on the Grand Arizona Traverse, you’ll want to read all of the information available on the Expedition Portal forums. You’ll also want to print out topographical maps of the entire route and check with state agencies that can fill you in on trail conditions. Washouts can obliterate these tracks in a weekend, so you’ll need information that’s as up to date as possible.
The route begins at Ajo in southern Arizona and follows the famed El Camino del Diablo
Safety Much of this route takes place on desolate stretches of 4WD trails, where there is little water or shelter to be found. You need to be completely prepared to fix any issues that might occur with your bike, and you’ll want to keep an eye on your water supply and the next place to refill.
Fuel Though the route is pretty ill defined, it does make a point of passing through a number of Arizona’s small rural towns. With the exception of the initial 150-mile section on the Camino El Diablo, you should never be more than 100 miles from the nearest gas station. Prepare to be completely self-sufficient those first couple of days and carry enough fuel.
Accommodations and Food You’ll need to bring camping gear for the first couple nights on the Camino El Diablo, since there’s no lodging available along that section, but you should be able to stay in hotels for the rest of the trip. However, you’ll save quite a bit of money by bringing that gear along for the rest of the ride; there’s little competition for lodging in these small towns, and it can get pricey. Given the distances between them, you’ll also want to pack a lunch, as you might only find a hot meal at the end of each day.
Sights The most spectacular sight is undoubtedly at the conclusion of the route, the Grand Canyon. Its South Rim is a fitting end to the weeklong journey, and if you have some extra time, it’s definitely worth doing a day hike or tackling the renowned Bright Angel trail if you’re up for it.
Majestic natural wonders aside, the Grand Arizona Traverse makes it way through a section of the state that is largely forgotten. Most travelers through Arizona don’t veer far from the interstate, and little mining towns like Crown King go largely unvisited. This is a great chance to explore the history of the American West without all the tourists you’d see in better-its known locations.
Saloon in Crown King, Arizona – Photo credit: Jonathan Boeke / CC BY Kofa National Wildlife Refuge – Photo credit: Zymos / CC BY Harquahala Mountains – Photo credit: Chris English / CC BY Featured image is of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon – Photo credit: Mike Peel / CC BY
