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1. Pick a region and a goal
Decide what 'good' looks like: scenery, mileage, gravel-to-pavement ratio, technicality. Filter regions by what's actually reachable from home in a single drive or train ride.
2. Draft the line in Komoot or RideWithGPS
Use surface filters to favour unpaved roads. Snap to known long-distance routes (EuroVelo, GDMBR, local trails) where possible. Avoid red-coloured highways and unrideable hike-a-bike sections.
3. Read the elevation profile honestly
10 m/km of climbing on a loaded gravel bike is meaningful. 20 m/km is hard. Front-load climbing on day one when you're fresh, and keep the last day flatter to make a tired ride home rideable.
4. Mark resupply and water
Pin every shop, café, campground, and water source onto the map. Cross-check shop opening hours — rural Europe shuts on Sundays, rural USA shuts early. Carry one extra meal as buffer.
5. Build a weather-aware plan B
Check the forecast 72 hours out. Have an early bail-out point at roughly the halfway mark — a train station, town, or shorter loop back. Knowing the exit makes the rest of the route easier to commit to.
Where to find bikepacking routes
You don't have to draw every route from scratch. Published routes have usually been ridden and tested, and they are a good base to adapt to your own fitness and time.
Established long-distance routes and national cycle networks
Route libraries and shared GPX files from riders who have ridden them recently
Local bike shops, clubs and tourism offices
Bikepacking events — their courses are often published and can be ridden outside the event (check the organizer's rules)
Daily distance depends on terrain, climbing, surface and how much time you want off the bike — not just your fitness. Plan by hours rather than kilometres: work out how long you'd like to ride each day, then estimate how far that gets you on the surfaces and climbing of your route, remembering a loaded bike is slower.
Rough guide for planning — adjust after your first few days.
Route character
What slows you down
Planning tip
Smooth gravel and quiet lanes
Little — mostly wind and stops
Longer days are realistic; plan good resupply
Rolling gravel with regular climbs
Climbing on a loaded bike
Plan shorter days than your unloaded rides
Mountain or rough terrain
Steep grades, hike-a-bike, rocky descents
Plan by hours and expect big variation per day
Remote with few services
Carrying extra food and water
Build in buffer time and a spare day
Reading the elevation profile
Look at metres climbed per kilometre, not only total climbing — it tells you how hilly the route really is
Check how steep the steepest parts are; long sections that are very steep may mean pushing a loaded bike
Put the hardest day early when you're fresh, and keep the last day easier
Climbing on rough surfaces is slower than the same climb on tarmac
Planning water and resupply
Water and food decide how far you can go between stops, and therefore how much weight you carry. Mark every reliable source on your map before you leave.
Shops, cafés, petrol stations, campsites, cemeteries and public taps
Check opening hours and closing days — rural shops often close early, on Sundays or out of season
Treat natural water sources with a filter or tablets
Carry enough water for the longest gap plus a margin, and more in hot weather
Always carry one extra meal's worth of food as a buffer
Where to sleep
Plan where each night ends before you set off. Campsites, huts, guesthouses and bike-friendly hotels are the safest choices; wild camping rules differ between countries and regions, so check the local rules for every section of the route. Have a second option for each night in case you're slower or faster than planned.
GPX files and navigation
Export the route as a GPX file and load it onto your GPS and phone
Download offline maps for the whole area — phone signal is often missing in the places worth riding
Split very long routes into one file per day so devices stay responsive
Add points for water, food, sleep and bail-out options
Carry a backup: a second device, a power bank, or a paper map for remote areas
Safety and bail-out plan
Share your route and daily plan with someone at home and agree when to check in
Know the emergency number for the country you're riding in
Mark train stations, bus routes and towns where you could end the trip early
Check the forecast in the days before and on the morning of each day
Have a plan for heat, storms and cold nights — and be willing to change the route
Route planning checklist
Before you go
Done?
Route drawn and surfaces checked
☐
Daily stages planned by time, with a sleep option for each night
☐
Water and food stops marked, with opening hours checked
Which is better for bikepacking routes: Komoot or RideWithGPS?
Komoot is faster for discovery and has great surface-type data in Europe. RideWithGPS gives more control over the line and is stronger in North America. Many riders plan in one, export GPX, and navigate in the other.
How many kilometres per day on a bikepacking trip?
On mixed gravel with a loaded bike, plan 60-90 km per day with 800-1,500 m of climbing. Single-track or technical terrain drops that to 40-60 km. Always plan a shorter day one.
How do I plan water on a bikepacking route?
Mark every reliable water source on your map: villages, campgrounds, gas stations, known springs. Never go more than 60 km between sources in summer, and carry a filter when riding through remote areas.
Should I plan a loop or point-to-point route?
Loops are easier logistically — start and finish at your car or home. Point-to-point opens better scenery but needs a train, shuttle, or second car. For trip one, do a loop.
How do I find bikepacking routes?
Start with established long-distance routes, shared GPX files from riders who rode them recently, local clubs and tourism offices, and published bikepacking event courses. Adapt them to your own fitness and time.
How much water should I carry when bikepacking?
It depends on heat, effort and the gap between reliable water sources. Plan your sources first, then carry enough for the longest gap plus a margin, and more in hot weather.
Now find your next ride
Jump from theory to a real event — by type, country, or deep-dive guide.