For more information on the Arizona Trail visit our AZT Resource page. »
When it comes to Resupplying on the Arizona Trail and setting up an Itinerarythere are no short cuts. The more information you have at your finger tips the better your chances are you’ll finish your AZT thru-bike. Trust me when I say don’t let the lack of proper planning keep you from finishing your goal. It’s my hope the information on this page and accompanying pages will help ensure your success.
Whether you’re riding the AZT300/800 or touring you need a plan when it comes to where to find water and food. My options for resupplying on the Arizona Trail came from the Farout app (Atlas Guides) and two very helpful individuals who knew the trail very well. If you don’t have the luxury of someone who knows the trail as I did, I feel your best sources are the Arizona Trail Association, Guthook, and Bikepacking.net’s forum. There is also a Facebook page for the AZT.
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Knowing where to find food is key when racing/touring the AZT. A day didn’t go by that I didn’t use my own simplified version of a town list. Unlike gear, too much information won’t weigh you down. Knowing where you can find food and the distance between sources is key to keeping your tank full so you don’t run out of energy.
If you’ve done any bikepack racing or touring you know that things can get physically tough out there. But they can also get mentally tough too. When we get tired even our minds slip and mistakes or bad decisions happen. Have your resupply information organized and written down so it’s easy to digest. You want to be able to understand it without having to think too much.
I never had any issues resupplying on the Arizona Trail (AZT) with the options available to me on the trail. If you do your homework you shouldn’t either. My only issue was having enough space to fit the food. Consequently, the furtherest I went without a resupply was 106 miles from Pine to Flagstaff. Even still I rolled into Flagstaff with left over food. I can only suggest you make sure your set up offers ample storage.
You can find more information on what services are available in the towns on both the Arizona Trail Association website and the Guthook App. But not to repeat myself both are great resources, but there are some pitfalls as mentioned above in the Pro Tip, in the water section.
Here is a simple Town List that shows all the POI’s that have resupply options and the possible water sources.
Where to ship your Grand Canyon gear.
[Your Name]
General Delivery
Grand Canyon, AZ 86023
Post Office hours are: M-F 8:30 – 4pm
The PO is located at: 100 Mather Business Ctr, Grand Canyon Village, AZ 86023 next to the Canyon Village Market and Chase Bank.
As a Triple Crown thru-hiker I have become used to quality planning tools for my trips. During my Bikepacking Triple Crown I realized bikepacking didn’t have the same quality planning tools available. The Project’s Planning Aids and Resources, like this Arizona Trail Planning Aids, are our answer to this.
After 100’s of hours of research, 1000’s of keystrokes, more emails and phone calls than I can recall the One of Seven Project’s Arizona Trail Planning Aids are done. They’re the ultimate planning resources for the AZT300/800. They contain everything you need to plan and execute your ride of the Arizona Trail. If you can’t find what you’re looking for in these then it’s probably in our Arizona Trail Resources.
New for 2023
$25.00 + tax, Purchase here.
New for 2023
$25.00 + tax, Purchase here.
DATA SHEET and TOWN LIST DIFFERENCES
The Data Sheet has the most info. It gives the distance, elevation +/-, average grade, max grade, pavement sections, references Passage #’s, bike shops, resupply options, water sources, and has key notes between two POI. Example: A and B, then B to C, and so on.
The Town List gives cumulative distances between POI. Example: A to B, A to C, A to D. The next section would be B to C, B to D, B to E, and so on. The Town List has distance, elevation +/-, resupply options, bike shops, water sources, and key notes.
The Town List helps with not having to do the math to figure out how far away things are if they’re not the next POI.
The Mileage Chart is now only available for purchase as part of the Big Bundle.
The Elevation Gain Chart is now only available for purchase as part of the Big Bundle.
The Mileage Chart is now only available for purchase as part of the Big Bundle.
AZT300 NOBO Elevation Gain Chart:
The Elevation Gain Chart is now only available for purchase as part of the Big Bundle.
AZT800 NOBO Elevation Gain Chart:
AZT NOBO SMALL BUNDLE
Includes the following:
AZT NOBO BIG BUNDLE:
Includes the following:
AZ1000
The AZ1000 route was a temporary route used in place of the AZT800 during multiple fire closures. As the AZT800 route is now official reopened for travel, the AZ1000 is no longer needed. I will leave the planning aids for it on The Project’s store for purchase for those looking to ride the route.
IMPORTANT –
The AZ1000 planning aids will not receive any updates going forward. As the route isn’t changing the only data that will possibly go out of date are resupply options and water sources. If you purchase these know the data might be wrong.
Water is your life line when in desert areas like the one the AZT travels through. With proper planning and using one’s head, finding enough water is possible on the AZT. The first and most important thing is to ensure you have the ability to carry enough for the longest dry stretch. You can’t drink what you can’t carry.
Do your homework and research where the water sources are. More importantly, know where there isn’t water so you can plan ahead and stock up before you get to these areas. Don’t forget the electrolytes too.
If you purchase our Data Sheet or Town List, most of the reliable water sources are listed. There are many more seasonal water sources and cattle tanks located between the sources listed on those two sheets. They can be found on the Arizona Trail Associations online water report, by using GAIA, and the Guthook App. They are amazing resources and shouldn’t be overlooked, but there are some pitfalls (see tip below).
My water capacity was five liters. IMO you should have at least six. But how much you carry and where you get your water is ultimately up to you. Next time I would have a larger fanny pack or slightly wide frame bag. Lastly, be sure to test your set up with full water, gear, and food before you go.
Keep in mind the towns listed on the ATA website represents the hiking route and the bike route on Guthook is different from the official route. So if you look at a list on either you have to make sure it’s on the actual route and also adjust the mileage.
Whether you’re racing or just touring the AZT you should have even a simple itinerary. The chances you’ll stick to it are slim but every trip needs some sort of referencing point. An itinerary is a good way to stay grounded and at times remind you of what your original goals were.
In my post, “Bikepacking, pre-trip considerations“, I go into detail on Itineraries. It also covers many other subjects from general planning, gear needed, to health and personal considerations, and electronics. Lastly, it even has things to consider in regards to what happens after you’re done.
You might also want to checkout the Arizona Trail Association’s page for mountain bikers. They have some good links. The most noteworthy is the the MTB Data Book, but one must a member to view and download. The Data Book is filled with information to assist in planning your itinerary and resupply list.
Having the proper gear is very important when racing or just touring the AZT . The desert and high plateaus demand a wide range of gear, as does the harshness of the trail. One needs gear for the hot sunny low lying desert, and if you’re doing the 800, you also need cold weather gear for after the Mollogon Rim. Mistakes happen too. Gear gets left at home or forgotten in the endless planning. Don’t let this happen to you. Have a gear list and like Santa, check it twice.
We built an automated gear list calculator. It not only tracks whether or not you have a piece of gear, but it also tallies the total weight. Plus it has columns for bag check items, so you know whether or not your bike box is going to be over weight, thus meaning higher fees at the airport.
The spreed sheets above are available on Google Docs, Please go to “File”, then select, “Make a Copy”. Then make all the changes you like! Happy planning and trails.
A big part of setting up an Itinerary is knowing what’s available and how difficult something is. The Passages pages on the ATA website are full of useful information. Going through them could be beneficial.
Read these next.
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