White Mountains, AZ, USA

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Route Overview

Forrest Radarian

Northern Arizona Bikepacking and Adventure Riding

402 mi.

33,977 ft.

Full Route Guide: https://www.theforrestbiome.com/el-lobo-lupus

Route Datasheet and Sample Itinerary: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nvTf01BywpJkNQvvXSeLIDNxxl-AAqI6fJ19XaLuwMg/edit?usp=sharing

IMPORTANT PRE-RIDE INFORMATION
- Gates are closed annually for the Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area from January 1 - May 31. However, I have confirmed from the AZGFD that non-motorized cyclists (no e-bikes) are allowed to go around the gates and ride down the dirt road in May before the gates open (please don't tear up the road if it is muddy). However, the Visitor Center will NOT be open until mid-May so don't stop there before then.
- There are five Restricted Camping Zones along the route where dispersed camping is prohibited: Greer Lakes Recreation Area, Lee Valley Recreation Area, Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area, Black River Recreation Area, and Big Lake Recreation Area. The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest allows dispersed camping nearly everywhere else.
- Attitudes About Wolves: There are some real, open, hostile, and even aggressive sentiments against the Mexican Wolf in many places along this route. You'll routinely see signs posted by the Arizona Game and Fish Department offering $48,000 rewards for information leading to individuals illegally killing lobos (and these killings to do happen). You can expect to see posters, signs, banners, poems, and more reflecting some individuals' desires to exterminate or remove the wolves. There is also strong anti-US Forest Service and anti-government sentiment reflected in the decorum of some of the businesses of the towns you pass through. Make no mistake, livestock killings by wolves do happen and it impacts people's lives. Predator reintroduction is complex, difficult, and requires both science, politics, and relationship-building. Make sure to read the social situations you are in and judge how open you want to be about the wolves.
- Black bears are abundant throughout this entire route. Have a sure and proven method to safely secure and store your food each evening when you camp. This could be a bear hang, a bear canister, or a bear-resistant bag. All the campgrounds require food storage and have signs posted everywhere about being in "bear country."

Surface Color Guide
- Purple = Improved Dirt Surface (Frequently Maintained, Usually Smoother)
- Red = Rugged Dirt Surface (Infrequently Maintained, Typically Rougher/Rockier)
- Brown = Primitive Dirt Surface (Rarely/Never Maintained, Particularly Rocky/Rutted/Eroded)
- Black = Singletrack
- Yellow = Hiking Trail (must park bike and hike/walk)
- Blue = Vehicular Pavement

Grand Depart Version: A Fierce Green Ride - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50727865
Western Loop: LCR Headwaters Hoop - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/54297885
Eastern Loop: Escudilla Wild - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/57214345
Southern Loop: Blue to Black Loop - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55949936
Pinetop-Lakeside Loop: Greer Lakes Loop - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51071566

White Mountain, AZ Bikepacking: https://ridewithgps.com/collections/8704724

Send to Device Advanced Export View Standard Route (with cuesheet)

Route Details

# Detailed Route Guides

[El Lobo Lupus - Full Route Guide](https://www.theforrestbiome.com/el-lobo-lupus)

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# Route Overview

El Lobo Lupus takes bikepackers through the high elevation heart of the White Mountains, Blue Range, and Mogollon Rim of eastern Arizona where the Mexican Gray Wolf has been reintroduced.  The route name “Lupus” reflects the track’s looping path and its goal of providing riders the opportunity to see Mexican Wolves (*Canis lupus baileyi*), commonly called "El Lobo."  The Mexican Wolf is a highly endangered subspecies of the Gray Wolf.  It was nearly wiped out by predator-eradication programs, but the species was reintroduced to Arizona and New Mexico in 1998 and has slowly increased to a population of over 200.  Riders will travel through the territory of El Lobo - mountainous terrain known as the "Alps of Arizona."  This land encompasses not only tributary headwaters of the Gila and @poi[Little Colorado Rivers](79533799) but also some of the tallest peaks in Arizona at @poi[Escudilla](88277062) and @poi[Baldy](88164347).

Bikepackers will traverse through miles of subalpine meadows lined with conifers and aspens, travel through dense ponderosa pine forests, ride along trout-filled rivers and lakes, and get endless high-elevation views. Cyclists will ride up to 10,000 feet on @poi[Escudilla Mountain](88277786) and down to 5,800 feet along the @poi[Blue River](88277790) near the last federally-designated Primitive Area in the United States. Look forward to riding along the banks of the @poi[Black River](79531922), staring at the complex neon greens of @poi[Hannagan Meadow](88278845), seeing the ecological succession of montane forests after the @poi[Wallow Fire](88278846), riding the perimeter of high-altitude Terry Flat, passing by enormous lakes in big sky country, and catching glimpses of wildlife such as Mexican Wolves, Black Bears, Mountain Lions, Elk, Big Horn Sheep, and Deer.
# 
## Route Highlights
- Miles of high-elevation montane and subalpine zones in the "Alps of Arizona" that provide a rare southwestern summer bikepacking trip.
- Wildlife viewing opportunities for endangered Mexican Gray Wolves.
- Seeing some of Arizona's highest peaks at Escudilla and Baldy.  
- Visiting the White Mountains, Blue Range, and Mogollon Rim of eastern Arizona.
- Biking by the headwaters of the East and West Forks of the Little Colorado River.
- Visiting the small mountain towns of Greer and Alpine.
- Seeing many large lakes fed by streams, creeks, and rivers in Arizona's high country.
- Multiple opportunities for fishing.
- Visiting Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area.
- Biking up to 10,000 feet along Terry Flat to loop the top of Escudilla Mountain.
- Descending to remote Blue, AZ along the Blue Range Primitive Area (the last federally designated Primitive Area in the United States)
- Biking and camping shore-side along the East and West Forks Black River.
- Viewing photogenic Hannagan Meadow.
- Camping at Big Lake.
- Visiting fire lookout towers sprinkled across the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.
## 
## Recommended Tire Size: 2.2"-2.6"

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# Riding Seasons:
- **BEST TIME:** Late May - June
- **BEST TIME:** September - Mid-October
- **Doable:** July - August
- **Not Possible:** Late October - Mid-May
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# Surface Color Guide
- **Purple** = Improved Dirt Surface (Frequently Maintained, Usually Smoother)
- **Red** = Rugged Dirt Surface (Infrequently Maintained, Typically Rougher/Rockier)
- **Brown** = Primitive Dirt Surface (Rarely/Never Maintained, Particularly Rocky/Rutted/Eroded)
- **Black** = Singletrack
- **Yellow** = Hiking Trail (must park bike and hike/walk)
- **Blue** = Vehicular Pavement

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# Surface Conditions and Route Difficulty

- **Physical Difficulty = 6/10** *(Rugged terrain with frequent climbs, some of which may be steep and unrelenting)*
- **Technical Difficulty = 5/10** *(Continuous sections of track may be rocky, loose, and steep; (e.g., 4×4 roads or singletrack in rugged/rocky terrain) suitable for intermediate mountain bikers)*
- **Based on Bikepacking Roots' Rating Scales*
## 
The White Mountains of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest have a network of broad, relatively smooth forest roads that El Lobo Lupus primarily follows.  These roads are either hero dirt that is hard-packed and suitable for skinny tires or loosely graveled with little washboard.  Most of the sections requiring pavement stick to roads and highways with broad shoulders or sidewalks.  When shoulders are absent, paved roads tend to be in areas with fewer vehicles.  Wear bright colors, use flashing lights, and ride defensively as proactive measures for safety along paved roads.

There are a few sections of rocky 4WD roads.  They frequent the burn scars and lower elevations of the route, especially where ATVs are common.  Expect long lengths of washboard, decaying road, and erosion.  These will be bumpy but short-lived compared to the rest of the route.

If rain/snow are forecast, the lower elevation portions of the route may become peanut butter/death mud and impassable in places.  This is especially true around @poi[Show Low](79530783), @poi[Pinetop](79535185), @poi[Vernon](82839689), @poi[Springerville](79531906), and @poi[Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area](88267345).  Leave No Trace and avoid riding at these times until the route dries out.

The **technical difficulty** of the route is due to the presence of sections of singletrack along the @poi[Apache Railroad Trail](88163636) and several portions of the route that take rocky and steep 4x4 roads through burn scars up in the mountains.  Luckily, these sections are infrequent and eclipsed by the common, broad, and well-maintained dirt roads that make up the majority of the route.  These US Forest Service roads are typically in great shape and rarely rutted.  Hero dirt and hard-packed smooth substrate make up a majority of the backroads that El Lobo Lupus sticks to.

The **physical difficulty** is mostly due to the amount of climbing on this route and some of the grades of the climbs - such is the payment for enjoying high-meadowed peaks and river-filled valleys.  The White Mountains, Blue Range, and Mogollon Rim are high-elevation areas along a rugged mountainscape of crumpled land.  Climbing long ascents each day is assured and should be expected.  Some noteworthy climbs will take a good portion of the day to ascend and feature steep grades; these sharp inclines may warrant hike-a-bikes depending on your energy level.

## Noteworthy Climbs
1. @slice[Riding to the top of Escudilla Mountain](d,268233.4,292422.9) and along Terry Flat
2. @slice[The ascent out of Blue, AZ](d,377922,398556.5)
3. The rocky, steep @slice[climb up to Hannagan Meadow](d,446890.3,465589)
4. @slice[The climb from the Black River to Big Lake](d,522367.3,538275.5)
## 
## Noteworthy Primitive, Rocky Surfaces
1. @slice[The connector road between Point of the Mountain Overlook and Water Canyon Road](d,155053,156250) on the way down to Springerville (The last bit of it is an ATV pumptrack that you may need to walk for how rutted, steep, and rocky it is; luckily it is a very short section).
2. @slice[FR 403 that takes riders into Alpine](d,236410.5,252351) is a 4WD road with some bumpier sections and some washboard.
3. @slice[The climb up to Hannagan Meadow on FR 24](d,458685.4,463407) is especially rocky and eroded from its location in a burn scar.
4. Some of the roads leading @slice[back to Show Low and Pinetop](d,610803.4,619042.1) can be rutted out, especially where ATVs frequent.
5. The @slice[Apache Railroad Trail](d,552433,555960.8) is poorly maintained and little used singletrack, meaning it is often grassy and overgrown; its surface substrate is loose balls of cinder. Where it goes is beautiful, but if you want to skip it, I've included POIs on the RWGPS map indicating paved highway alternatives.
## 
## Noteworthy Vehicular Pavement
1. @poi[The climb out of Springerville to Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area](88267343): Although there is a guardrail and no shoulder, there is a passing lane allowing cars to safely get around you.  The road is busy with cars and trucks.  Climb early in the day to beat an increase in traffic.
2. @poi[Vernon](134425914): This is a low-use road frequented by locals. It travels through small communities and along quiet backroads.
3. @poi[HWY 373 into Greer](134425915): A high-use road off the highway for getting to Greer. Expect lots of traffic but a workable shoulder and good lines-of-sight.
4. @poi[HWY 273 along the base of Mount Baldy](134425916): A workable shoulder, good lines-of-sight, but lots of vehicles including trucks and RVs.  Absolutely gorgeous scenery.  
5. @poi[HWY 261 along Mexican Hay Lake](134425917): Low traffic and workable shoulders. Lots of places to pull off and take in the scenery along a quiet backroad highway.
6. @poi[HWY 191 along the base of Escudilla](134425919): Lots of traffic but a fantastic shoulder.
7. @poi[HWY 191 from Hannagan to Blue Vista](134425920): Small, but workable shoulder. Low traffic past Hannagan and great lines-of-sight.
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# Parking
## 
There are three parking options if you are looking to leave a vehicle for the duration of your ride.
## 
**PARKING OPTION 1: White Mountain Nature Center in Pinetop-Lakeside, AZ**: 
[White Mountain Nature Center](https://wmnature.org/) is a local nonprofit that has agreed to provide bikepackers overnight parking on their property.  WMNC seeks to connect people with the beauty of the White Mountains, educate visitors about the natural history of the area, and they have an awesome Raptor Show. A big thank you goes out to them for providing bikepackers this parking opportunity!

WMNC's summer hours are from 10:00 am - 4:30 pm. However, this is a volunteer-driven organization, and they may be unexpectedly closed, so bikepackers are encouraged to call ahead to confirm times/dates of their arrival. They may also open earlier to accommodate bikepackers who get permission beforehand.

To park on the premises, please follow the steps below:
1. Call WMNC before arriving to confirm parking (928) 358-3069.
2. Print and fill out the [Parking Liability Form](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sA2RTHz1RfieKCahae9TTIdAqdlY-QmY/view?usp=sharing). Bring it with you to their Nature Store. You'll need to list your name, car make, model, color, license plate, and pay the fee when you arrive.
3. Parking costs $100 per week; bikepackers may pay to park up to two weeks. This cost helps to cover both your parking and serve as a donation to their nonprofit.
4. Receive a permit to display in your vehicle's window.
5. Park where they indicate (typically the north lot behind the small fence).
# 
**PARKING OPTION 2: WME Village 8 Theater**: 
Call the [WME Village 8 Movie Theater](https://village8.wmetheatres.com/) at 928-358-7929 before your trip to get permission to leave your vehicle. They are open to short-term parking but may not allow longer-term parking depending on their schedule. They will most likely have you park in the southeast corner of the lot behind the theater or elsewhere at their discretion. Parking is free, just make sure you let you let them know your intended date of departure and return, license plate number, and car model/make.
# 
**PARKING OPTION 3: Dispersed Parking in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest**:
Riders quickly head into the National Forest upon leaving Pinetop and can find many dirt pullouts for free overnight parking on public land. There is a 14-day limit on parking/camping in one spot. This option has less oversight so you park at your own risk. I've noted an accessible spot near mile 4, but there are limitless options throughout the Apache-Sitgreaves.
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# Water and Food
## Water Reliability
Due to their elevation and geological composition, the White Mountains are rich with water sources.  There are numerous springs, ponds, lakes, rivers, creeks, and streams.  Many are reliable or definite.  This is still Arizona and the southwest though - it can get hot and exposed on a sunny day.  Plus, there is lots of climbing.  Make sure to carry a few liters at a time and plan ahead for how far it is to the next water source.  Most of the seasonal water sources noted on the RWGPS map will run in early summer after a wet winter, but may be completely dry after a dry winter or further into the hot summer; don't rely on these too much.

You may see lakes, reservoirs, or streams that I haven't tagged with a POI on the map.  That's often because these are more marsh-like with muddy/murky, plant-choked shores that would make obtaining water difficult.  I avoided tagging these sources in lieu of clearer, more accessible sources.

## Food
## 
Most food resupplies on this route are only a few days apart.  The largest resupply distance is during the last part between Alpine and Big Lake.  Resupply options can be found in @poi[Greer](79535180), @poi[Eager](79531905), @poi[Springerville](79531906), @poi[Alpine](79531913), @poi[Hannagan Meadow](79533784), @poi[Big Lake](79533796), @poi[Pinetop-Lakeside](79535185), and @poi[Show Low](79530783).

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# Fees and Permits

There are no fees or permits to ride this route through the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest.

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# Important Information

**Hunting Season:** Starts in September and goes through December. The White Mountains are a premier destination for big game hunting. Expect the forest in the autumn to be filled with hunters. You'll see more trucks, backcountry campers, ATVs, and individuals on foot. WEAR ORANGE and make yourself visible as you ride. Be smart and be seen during hunting season. Water sources and meadows may have more hunters scoping them out.

**Attitudes about Wolves:** There are some real, open, hostile, and even aggressive sentiments against the Mexican Wolf in many places along this route. You'll routinely see signs posted by the Arizona Game and Fish Department offering $48,000 rewards for information leading to individuals illegally killing lobos (and these killings do happen). You can expect to see posters, signs, banners, poems, and more reflecting some individuals' desires to exterminate or remove the wolves. There is also strong anti-US Forest Service and anti-government sentiment reflected in the decorum of some of the businesses of the towns you pass through. Make no mistake, livestock killings by wolves do happen and it impacts people's lives. Predator reintroduction is complex, difficult, and requires both science, politics, and relationship-building. Make sure to read the social situations you are in and judge how open you want to be about the wolves.

**Bears and Food Storage:** Black bears are abundant throughout this entire route. Have a sure and proven method to safely secure and store your food each evening when you camp. This could be a bear hang, a bear canister, or a bear-resistant sack. All the campgrounds require food storage and have signs posted everywhere about being in "bear country."

**ATVs:** ATVs can be quite common across the White Mountains of eastern Arizona, especially in summer and fall.  The possibility of groups of ATVs passing you is possible, and you should expect some dust when they do.

**Political Decorum:** Some of the small towns you pass through may have businesses and restaurants with decorum representing strong political expression.  Overall, I have found them to be welcoming to cyclists.

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# Camping

There are numerous awesome and free dispersed camping opportunities throughout this route.  The Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest allows dispersed camping nearly everywhere.  The only exceptions are the five Restricted Camping Zones found in the @poi[Greer Lakes Recreation Area](147456898), @poi[Lee Valley Recreation Area](147456832), @poi[Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area](147456848), @poi[Black River Recreation Area](147456868), and @poi[Big Lake Recreation Area](148146243).  There will be prominent signs delineating these boundaries; signs will indicate that camping is only allowed in designated sites.  Don't dispersed camp in these zones.

Beyond that, there are copious free camping opportunities.  I've put POIs on the map for noted USFS campgrounds that El Lobo Lupus passes.  Some of these have a fee to stay in and others do not.  There are a few lodging opportunities along the route at USFS cabins and motels in @poi[Springerville](131576426), @poi[Alpine](88276774), @poi[Greer](79535179), and @poi[Hannagan Meadow](79533784).  Call ahead to make reservations because these fill up quick during the summer season.

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# Route Datasheet and Sample Itinerary

This is a route datasheet that includes important resupplies and water sources. The sample itinerary is for a suggested 13 day ride; it should serve as a rough guide for your own planning purposes. Feel free to use it, adapt it, or don't use it at all and make your own plans. Plan your trip on this route based on your own strengths, comfortabilities, experiences, wants, and needs.

[**Datasheet Link**](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nvTf01BywpJkNQvvXSeLIDNxxl-AAqI6fJ19XaLuwMg/edit?usp=sharing)

El Lobo Lupus

Route Overview

Route Details

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