In Februrary 2025, I bikepacked the Madrean Rugged Ramble: a 260 mile route out of Tuscon Arizona. The route spends roughly half it’s time on the Arizona Trail and passes through the communities of Sonita, Patagonia and the ghost town of Lochiel. The other half of the route is on scenic dirt roads near the Mexican border.
This route was rated by [Bikepacking.com](http://Bikepacking.com) as the best week long route of 2025. Having completed the route, I can confidently say it is one of the best winter time Bikepacking routes in the US.
The Arizona trail is the most physically demanding portion of this route. It begins around mile 20 and does not end until mile 135. Be prepared for slow going. In the Canelo Hills, it took be 6 hours to go 13 miles.
The other challenge is with water management, but it’s very doable with some proper preparation. Be prepared to go 40 miles and 10+ hours without a water resupply on day 2. The route is really only doable in the winter time given the heat in summer. If you chose to do this in summertime, you would have to pull a trailer full of water.
The route is best ridden on a hardtail mountain bike. I’ve seen people complete it on fully rigid, but that would sacrifice a lot of the enjoyment for me.
Overall, I give the Madrean Rugged Ramble a 9/10 for winter time Bikepacking.
2 Comments
Link to video: [https://youtu.be/GYYbDRpQO10?si=e_zkEjwQDto-_Cs1](https://youtu.be/GYYbDRpQO10?si=e_zkEjwQDto-_Cs1)
Link to route: [https://bikepacking.com/routes/madrean-rugged-ramble/](https://bikepacking.com/routes/madrean-rugged-ramble/)
In Februrary 2025, I bikepacked the Madrean Rugged Ramble: a 260 mile route out of Tuscon Arizona. The route spends roughly half it’s time on the Arizona Trail and passes through the communities of Sonita, Patagonia and the ghost town of Lochiel. The other half of the route is on scenic dirt roads near the Mexican border.
This route was rated by [Bikepacking.com](http://Bikepacking.com) as the best week long route of 2025. Having completed the route, I can confidently say it is one of the best winter time Bikepacking routes in the US.
The Arizona trail is the most physically demanding portion of this route. It begins around mile 20 and does not end until mile 135. Be prepared for slow going. In the Canelo Hills, it took be 6 hours to go 13 miles.
The other challenge is with water management, but it’s very doable with some proper preparation. Be prepared to go 40 miles and 10+ hours without a water resupply on day 2. The route is really only doable in the winter time given the heat in summer. If you chose to do this in summertime, you would have to pull a trailer full of water.
The route is best ridden on a hardtail mountain bike. I’ve seen people complete it on fully rigid, but that would sacrifice a lot of the enjoyment for me.
Overall, I give the Madrean Rugged Ramble a 9/10 for winter time Bikepacking.
Looks awesome and great photos !!