Arizona Chiricahua Gravel
Discover the undiscovered
Discover the undiscovered.
A new mixed terrain itinerary is coming in 2025: This Arizona/New Mexico trip features both gravel and pavement riding around the spectacular Chiricahua Mountains, the largest of the Sky Island mountain ranges. After searching far and wide for a unique gravel destination, we discovered this magical place with an incredibly diverse ecosystem and fascinating geology. If you love gravel, this trip is for you!
We will be based at a private resort in Rodeo, New Mexico, but ride mostly in Arizona. The itinerary is gravel-focused, but it includes a few quiet paved roads—notably an epic paved climb surrounded by the spectacular rocky spires of Chiricahua National Monument.
The routes extend to the Mexico border and top out at almost 8,000 feet. We will enjoy a pristine setting off the bike at the Painted Pony Resort. In typical Cycling House fashion, we will have chef-prepared meals and unparalleled ride support.
Highlights
- Four days of supported, guided rides along the area’s best paved and gravel cycling routes
- The all-inclusive trip covers accommodations, ride support, meals, and bike mechanics
- Healthy, delicious, home-cooked meals
- A relaxed environment in laid-back, comfortable accommodations
- Multi-sport elements (optional): trail runs, outdoor lap swimming, yoga, core work, and nature walks
- Skills discussions to learn—or reinforce—group riding, nutrition, bike handling, cornering, and descending
Food
Using locally sourced ingredients, we create clean and delicious meals to fuel your week of riding. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are all included. Each meal is inventive and diverse—often inspired by our chefs’ global travels—and focuses on lean proteins, leafy greens, and root vegetables. We focus on food specifically for endurance athletes and accommodate all dietary preferences and restrictions.
Accommodations
The Painted Pony Resort in Rodeo, New Mexico, offers the opportunity to relax and recover in a spacious, private setting. Enjoy yoga on the patio, share stories during a hot tub soak, or finish a ride by jumping in the 20×40-foot swimming pool. This comfortable environment lends itself perfectly to nightly skills discussions over appetizers. Need a quick bike fix? Our garage’s workbench and collection of tools rival most bike shops. Our home has 10 bedrooms and six-and-a-half bathrooms.
We can also accommodate campers, as this location has full hookups. Inquire about special pricing for campers.
ITINERARY
Welcome to the Chiricahua Mountains
We encourage guests to arrive on Tuesday. We have a hotel reserved in Tucson (+$150) for those looking to arrive early. If you arrive early, our staff will build your bike or fit you on your rental bike.
Arriving in Tucson (TUS) on Wednesday is excellent, too. We ask that you arrive by 11 a.m. at the latest.
Once everyone has arrived, we will depart by van for the Chiricahua Mountains. Our chefs will provide us with a picnic lunch, and we will stop along the way to enjoy it before the arrival day spin.
Since it’s a longer shuttle (two hours), we decided to break it up and ensure everyone gets their first view of this magical place from their bike seats. The arrival ride will be point-to-point, finishing at the Painted Pony Resort, our accommodations for the next four nights.
Today’s Ride:
The arrival spin will be around 30-35 miles with a combination of gravel and paved roads, with 1,900 feet of elevation gain, 2.5-3.5 hours
Paradise Loop
Today, we ride directly from the Painted Pony Resort toward Portal, Arizona. Our route takes us into the foothills and ultimately to Paradise, Arizona, a small ghost town.
After Paradise, we climb toward Silver Peak and get our first close-up views of these impressive mountains. We hit the summit around mile 30, and then guests can decide whether to extend the ride with two fun out-and-backs or head directly to our picnic lunch. We have a short hike planned post-lunch, and it’s well worth the view!
Anyone looking to do a longer hike will have the opportunity, and we will have a van that heads home directly after lunch. Do you prefer to pedal? No worries, it’s just over 10 miles home.
Today’s Ride:
35-40 miles, with 2,800-3,500 feet of elevation gain
The Silver Onion Queen Stage
The Chiricahua Mountains are unique and unforgettable for many reasons, but the main draw for us was a beautiful ribbon of gravel that traverses the entire mountain range. In the morning, we will take a short van shuttle to Portal, cutting out some pavement to get everyone into the good stuff.
From there, you will gradually climb for 13 miles, gaining 3,000 feet. The average grade is 5%, and the maximum is 10%. It’s a challenging climb, but the views are worth every drip of sweat—we top out at just shy of 8,000 feet! The following 12 miles lose nearly 3,000 feet and bring us to the Chiricahua National Monument. From here, guests can choose to climb up the monument. The pavement is a nice reprieve, and the views are spectacular.
Now, the big news is that this ride is an out-and-back. Don’t worry; we have plenty of options, and if you want a van ride home after the National Monument, we can do that. If you are looking for a big day in the saddle, you will get it as we turn around and complete this out-and-back ride.
Today will be a day to celebrate, regardless of your chosen route.
Today’s ride:
Leslie Canyon
We will start the morning with a 25-minute shuttle toward the Mexico border. Our ride will take us to the southern edge of the Chiricahua Mountains. We will gradually climb for the first 13 miles before topping out near Limestone Mountain. At the summit, you will enjoy views of the surrounding mountains to the North and Mexico to the South.
Over the next 40 miles, we have a net loss of 2,500 feet and we will ride through Leslie Canyon National Wildlife Refuge. The final 10 miles are pavement, and we head directly south towards the Mexico border. The ride finishes in Douglas, Arizona, on the border, and we will celebrate with tacos at El Chef.
We have a 45-minute shuttle home, and we plan to celebrate an amazing few days of riding!
Today’s Ride:
50 miles, with 2,500 feet of elevation gain, 4-5+ hours
Adios
We will have two shuttles to Tucson. One will be at 6-7 a.m. and the second will be around 8-9 a.m.
Please contact us if you have departure or arrival questions. It’s a 2.5-hour shuttle to Tucson.
Today’s Plan:
Tucson airport shuttles
DATES & PRICES
- 2025
- Mar 19 - 23 $2,945 / Person Many Spots Available
- Mar 26 - 30 $2,945 / Person Many Spots Available
- Apr 2 - 6 $2,945 / Person Limited Spots Available
- Apr 22 - 26 $2,945 / Person Fully Booked - Join Waitlist
DETAILS
What's Included
- 4 nights/5 days accommodations at Painted Pony Resort
- Airport transfers to/from Tucson International Airport (TUS)
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Bike build and breakdown
- Professional cycling guides
- Vehicle sag support
- Ride nutrition products
- Tools available to use in the garage
- High-quality ride photos
What's Not Included
- Airfare
- Bike rentals
- Gratuity for guides
- Mid-ride café stops
- Personal shopping
- +$ for single-room supplement
Optional Activities
- Trail runs or hikes
- Core/stretching sessions
- Basic bike maintenance clinic
- Hiking
Questions?
BIKE OPTIONS
Rent A Bike
Traveling through the airport with a bike—and paying for it to fly—is not everyone’s idea of a fun way to start a vacation. Fortunately, we offer high-quality, full carbon bikes on all of our trips across the United States and Europe. Want to just show up and ride? Just bring your shoes, pedals, helmet, and saddle (if you want), and rent one of ours.
Bring Your Own
Your bike is yours—we get it. Bringing your own bike has obvious advantages in terms of individual comfort. Before your trip, we suggest getting a tune-up at your local bike shop so it’s ready to roll for your week of riding. Once you arrive, we’ll be sure to have our mechanics build it and help with any necessary tweaks. Check out some helpful resources here:
Skip The Bike
If you or your travel partner want to enjoy the trip and explore a new destination without a bike, drop us a line and we’ll discuss options. Some trips are better suited for non-rider participants than others.
