Where Should You Ride This Fall? A Big Update to Our New Routes Map Can Help You Decide

It’s only been a couple of weeks since we launched our completely redesigned Bikepacking Routes map, and we’ve already rolled out several updates and improvements. Better yet, they all came directly from feedback shared by members of the Bikepacking Collective. We’ve been listening closely to how folks are using the new map, what could work better, and which features would make it an even more useful tool for finding and planning trips.

Several changes are small but meaningfully improve the overall experience. First, the map now automatically zooms to show filtered results alongside the panel rather than hiding them behind it. We also fixed the black flash and route-line redraw that occurred when toggling map layers, and the miles/kilometers toggle now stays visible on narrower screens. There’s also a new full-screen button for anyone who wants to clear away the other page content and fully immerse themselves in exploring the map.

Another highly requested feature was adding the ability to select a region or regions at the top of the filters list. Although it’s a map interface and it’s fairly intuitive where to zoom, this small addition helps you focus on a particular region and streamlines the process.

The biggest update, however, is a new Ideal Time to Ride filter. You can now narrow the entire route network to the best months to ride, making it much easier to answer questions like, “Where should I go bikepacking in November?” or “What routes are at their best in April?” Getting there wasn’t easy: we manually updated all 550 route guides in our network with the underlying data needed to power the feature. It’s a substantial addition that we think will make the map far more useful for planning trips throughout the year.

As with everything about our first-of-its-kind bikepacking routes network, we’re always seeking to improve this invaluable resource. Thanks to everyone who’s spent time exploring the new map and sharing thoughtful feedback, and many thanks to Ride with GPS for working with our dataset to create such an excellent interface. We have plenty more ideas in the works, and we’ll continue refining and expanding the map as we hear from the community and learn how people are using it. If you’d like to chip in to help support these efforts, please consider becoming a member of the Bikepacking Collective today.

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