Bicycling is becoming an increasingly popular way to experience our national parks as many are restricting access to private vehicles. This complete adventure guide to the national parks of Arizona and New Mexico features more than 80 road and mountain bike rides through the parks' most spectacular natural areas. The outstanding variety of natural environments and terrain found in the Southwest, coupled with its rich cultural and historic heritage, make the national parks of Arizona and New Mexico a cyclist's paradise. With this book as your guide you can ride to a secluded overlook of the Grand Canyon from the North Rim; glide through the Sonoran Desert in the company of massive saguaro cactus; or pedal among the ancient ruins of the Anasazi at Chaco Canyon. The routes and trails in this book are suitable for both road and mountain bikers from novice to expert. They traverse the beautiful and enchanting landscapes of the desert Southwest, while taking you to some of the region's most fascinating historical and archeological treasures. Each ride description includes a detailed map, tour directions, information about the trail or road surface, the length and difficulty of the ride, and sights you'll see along the way. A trip-planning appendix for each park tells you where to stay or camp, do your laundry, eat, buy supplies, and repair or rent a bike.

In recent years the Rocky Mountain West has become one of the nation's most popular destinations for road and mountain bikers. The national parks in the area, long known for their dramatic scenery and wildness, offer bicyclists unparalleled opportunities to enjoy their sport in the rugged beauty of Colorado's mountains and the sculpted sandstone of Utah's canyons. Reading like a lineup of the most prized biking destinations, this guide features rides in Arches, Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Rocky Mountain National Parks. In addition, Alley introduces her readers to lesser known destinations such as Dinosaur National Monument, the Great Sand Dunes, Natural Bridges National Monument, and Timpanogos Cave--all places with outstanding rides and stories that tell about our past. Whether guiding bikers along old frontier trails, up mountains on rugged dirt tracks, or along the miles of slickrock in the Canyonlands, Alley offers something for all riders. Tours range in length from a short spin to over 100 miles. Each ride description includes a detailed map, tour directions, information about the trail or road surface, sites you'll see along the way, and the length and difficulty of the ride. In addition, a trip-planning appendix for each park tells you where to stay or camp, do your laundry, eat, buy supplies, and repair or rent a bike.