Golden Gravel Trail | Oregon → Ohio

THE JOURNEY SO FAR

FIRST THERE WAS…

The Ohio to Erie Trail

A ride around Lake Erie

Each journey taught another lesson.
Each ride refined the bike, the equipment, and the rider.

ALL LEADING TO...

GOLDEN GRAVEL TRAIL

Created to celebrate the Adventure Cycling Association's 50th "Golden" anniversary, the Golden Gravel Trail is one of the newest long-distance gravel bikepacking routes in the United States.

Beginning on the Pacific coast of Oregon, the Golden Gravel Trail winds across eight western states before reaching the Mississippi River at Cape Girardeau, Missouri. From there, the journey continues across the Midwest to my home in Ohio—a ride of more than 3,800 miles.

Oregon to Ohio • 3,800+ Miles <

Current Conditions

Wildfire Closures

Active wildfires across Oregon and surrounding areas have closed or made unsafe large sections of the Golden Gravel Trail. The map shows recent fire activity along the planned corridor.

Skipping ahead—dropping in near Boise, for example, to avoid the burn zones—still leaves the route incomplete. A partial ride is still “not complete.”

In that case, the honest choice may be to wait rather than spend the money and time on a truncated version of the journey. The trail will still be there when the fires are out and the roads reopen.

Active wildfire map along the Golden Gravel Trail corridor

Satellite fire detection map (July 2026) showing active burns near the route.

Meanwhile

Eastbound Possibilities

While the western half of the Golden Gravel waits for clearer skies and open roads, the bike does not have to sit still.

From home in Ohio the route could continue east. Possibilities include the Rocky Steps in Philadelphia, a pass through the Capital, Virginia Beach, Kitty Hawk, and nights camping right on the ocean’s edge.

None of these are locked in. Check back to see where the route actually goes.