Camping enthusiasts seeking an alternative: A hassle-free guide to bicycle camping.

Discovering Inn-to-Inn Bikepacking Trails Across the United States

Inn-to-inn bikepacking trails offer an exciting and comfortable way to explore the beautiful landscapes of the United States. These routes connect small towns and communities, providing cyclists with a variety of amenities such as accommodations, bike shops, restaurants, and grocery stores for resupply.

One notable example is Lichen Bike Tours based in Hudson, NY, which specializes in guided inn-to-inn bikepacking tours through the Catskill Mountains and around Lake Champlain. Their trips typically last 2 to 5 days and focus on staying at hotels or inns each night, combining the adventure of gravel and road riding with comfortable accommodations and meals at local restaurants.

Other bikepacking routes in the U.S., such as the Montshire Maze across Vermont and New Hampshire and the Burnt Country 350 in Oregon’s Wallowa Mountains, offer a mix of camping options along the route but also run through or near towns where inns, motels, or bed and breakfasts are available. For example, along the Montshire Maze, riders can find small inns and motels in towns, and Vermont State Park campgrounds often require reservations that can be made specifically for cyclists. The Burnt Country 350 route includes options for dispersed camping as well as nearby campgrounds, but the route passes through towns like Union where riders can resupply and stay overnight.

For a more beginner-friendly, amenity-rich experience, some rails-to-trails routes—like the Flint Hills Trail in Kansas—offer small towns with bike shops, restaurants, and campgrounds along a well-maintained crushed limestone path, allowing for inn-to-inn travel across the rural landscape.

The Paul Bunyan State Trail in Minnesota is the longest paved rail trail in the state, stretching from Crow Wing State Park in Brainerd to Lake Bemidji State Park in Bemidji. Trail towns turn up every 8 to 10 miles, providing easy access to amenities like restaurants, ice cream shops, bike repair stations, and food markets. The trail highlights stunning scenery, including boreal forests, wildflower-filled meadows, and numerous freshwater lakes, rivers, and streams.

The New River Trail in Virginia begins in Pulaski and ends in Galax or Fries, with the Draper Mercantile in Draper offering breakfast, lunch, and bike rentals. The trail crosses 32 wooden trestle bridges and runs through two historic railroad tunnels. Outfitters like New River Outdoor Adventures in Fries and Galax offer shuttle services and bike rentals for the New River Trail.

The Great Allegheny Passage extends from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Cumberland, Maryland, and is a popular trail for cyclists, with around 200,000 thru-riders annually. The trail passes public parks and historic towns like Milford and Lebanon, and winds through Xenia, dubbed the "Bicycle Capital of the Midwest." The trail highlights a 2,500-foot-long pedestrian bridge that takes cyclists across the Little Miami River toward Loveland.

The Little Miami Scenic Trail in Ohio runs from the northeastern suburbs of Cincinnati to Springfield, meandering along the banks of the Little Miami River. The trail can be tackled as a three-day out-and-back ride that begins and ends at a parking area near Cincinnati, with two nights in Xenia. The trail is located within the Black Hills National Forest and crosses close to a hundred railroad bridges and goes through four rock tunnels.

The George S. Mickelson Trail is a 109-mile trail running from Edgemont to Deadwood in South Dakota. The trail requires a $4/day pass for an end-to-end ride. Trail towns along the Great Allegheny Passage offer amenities like restaurants, ice cream shops, bed-and-breakfasts, and bike shops. Hill City, a former mining town along the Mickelson Trail, is home to art galleries, wineries, museums, and boutiques. The trail also offers a steam engine train ride from Hill City to Keystone, known as the 1880 Train.

For those seeking a more adventurous experience, inn-to-inn bike touring is an option for multiday wheeled adventures. Outfitters like Wilderness Voyageurs and the Adventure Cycling Association organize tours on popular rail trails across the country. The New River Trail State Park's Inn at Foster Falls welcomes cyclists, and the New River Trail Cabins offer back porch views of Chestnut Creek and the rail trail.

In conclusion, inn-to-inn bikepacking trails offer a unique and enjoyable way to explore the United States. Whether you prefer a more beginner-friendly, amenity-rich experience or a more adventurous journey, there is a trail to suit every cyclist's preferences. For a fully mapped, inn-to-inn route with guaranteed daily lodging and amenities, guided companies or established rail-trails with nearby towns are best. However, many long routes blend camping and town stays, allowing bikepackers flexibility depending on their accommodation preferences.

The Montshire Maze bikepacking route in Vermont and New Hampshire offers a mix of camping options, but also passes through towns with inns, motels, or bed and breakfasts available for cyclists.
For a more beginner-friendly, amenity-rich experience, some rails-to-trails routes, like the Flint Hills Trail in Kansas, offer easy access to accommodations, restaurants, and bike shops along a well-maintained trail.
The Paul Bunyan State Trail in Minnesota, the longest paved rail trail in the state, passes through trail towns every 8 to 10 miles, providing access to amenities like restaurants, ice cream shops, bike repair stations, and food markets.
The New River Trail in Virginia offers breakfast, lunch, and bike rentals at the Draper Mercantile, making it easier for cyclists to resupply and enjoy the trail's 32 wooden trestle bridges and historic railroad tunnels.
For those seeking a more adventurous experience, inn-to-inn bike touring is an option for multiday wheeled adventures, with outfitters like Wilderness Voyageurs and the Adventure Cycling Association organizing tours on popular rail trails across the country.

Camping enthusiasts seeking an alternative: A hassle-free guide to bicycle camping.