Missouri Gravel and BikePacking Bicycle Maps and Routes

Statewide gravel maps & resources

• Gravelmap.com:
  • Gravelmap.com Missouri map
  • Gravelmap.com list of Missouri routes by region
    
     
• Bikepacking.com's Midwest section doesn't yet list any Missouri routes - but maybe soon?
   
• MoDOT's compilation of county maps for every Missouri county
  • Some counties' maps distinguish between paved and gravel roads (check the map key)
  • In every county, Interstates, US Highways, State Numbered Highways, and State Lettered Highways are all paved.
  • Most city streets are paved.
  • That leaves county roads as possibly paved or gravel.
    • For some counties you can assume that every county road is gravel (even if not shown as such in the key)
    • Some counties may distinguish paved and gravel roads in the map key
• MoDOT online statewide traffic count map
  • This is a new online tool that shows a statewide road map with traffic counts for every state highway and a few county roads
  • It also shows the county road system--apparently based on the same information used to produce the individual county maps listed above
  • It does not differentiate between paved and gravel roads.
    • All state and U.S. routes are paved (state and U.S. numbered and lettered routes). So when you see a state or U.S. route on the map, you know is is paved.
    • County routes may be paved or gravel, and the map does not differentiate between the two.
    • It is still an essential tool for route planning, whether paved or gravel routes.
       
• Bikepacking.com's Complete Route Planning Guide has a plethora of ideas and online resources for planning your off-road or gravel trip
   
• GORC's list of resources to build your own gravel route
   
• Missouri Gravel Grinder Blog  - events and routes
   
• Google maps satellite view and street view is often very useful in determining whether a given road is paved or gravel
  • Gravel roads are often not covered by Street View, but you can often check Street View at an intersection of the road with an adjoining paved road

Specific routes and trails

• The Butterfield Stage Experience
  The Butterfield Stage Experience is a new mostly gravel bicycle touring route consisting of county gravel roads and multi-use trails using and paralleling the historic Butterfield Stage Route in Missouri. An amazing gravel/bikepacking experience that visits many of the historic Butterfield Stage sites in Missouri, this will be the low-traffic, gravel/trail alternative to the planned USBR 51 paved road route through this same general area.
  
  Most of of the route is gravel county roads or soft-surface trails, but a few paved roads are used as needed for connectivity.
  
  The route is currently 250 miles Jefferson City-Springfield but planning is underway to continue an additional 250 miles to Ft Smith, Arkansas and then 2000 additional miles to California.
  • A new web page is dedicated solely to the Butterfield Stage Experience routes, maps, trip planning, history, and more.
     
  • A new Butterfield Experience cross-state gravel route Facebook page where you can connect with others, ask questions, and post your cool Butterfield Stage photos, videos, and stories
     
  • Butterfield Stage Experience PRIMARY ROUTE bicycle maps by segment (RideWithGPS). Notes:
    • Be sure to click the tabs at the top of the map page for many important details about the route and maps.
       
    • There is an additional very useful Butterfield Stage Experience OPTIONS AND CONNECTIONS map page that shows how to make connections from the primary Butterfield Experience route to many nearby communities and key routes like the Rock Island and Katy Trails.
      • Be sure to click the tabs at the top of the OPTIONS AND CONNECTIONS map page also!
         
    • On the RideWithGPS map pages, you can
      • Save each individual segment to your own RideWithGPS account, edit or change routes as you wish (ie, to reverse it),
         
      • Download the routes in various formats (FIT, GPX, TCX, etc) for use with various devices
         
      • Download the routes to the (free) RideWithGPS app in your smart phone
         
      • Print maps and cue sheets, and various other useful things. 
        
        Note: You may need to sign up for a (free) RideWithGPS account to do certain of the above actions.
  • More details about the new cross-state Butterfield Stage Experience route--for the curious:
    • First announcement of proposed new Butterfield Stage cross-state gravel route and US Bicycle Route 51 road/bicycle touring route.
       
    • Map of Butterfield Stage historic route and historic markers and monuments in through Missouri. Note that this is an interesting history map, but not a bicycle map! The Butterfield Stage Experience route hits man of these historic sites, however--while also being a great, low-traffic low-stress bicycle route.
       
    • See MoBikeFed News articles related to the development of USBR 51 and the Butterfield Stage Experience cross-state gravel route.
      
• The Pony Express Bikepacking Route
  Jan Bennett has scouted and ridden a 2100-mile bikepacking route closely following the original Pony Express route from St Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California.
  • Pony Express BikePacking Route on Bikepacking Roots - to be released Spring 2022
     
  • Bennett's detailed ride report for the route
     
  • Article about riding the route
     
• Ozark Trail Mountain Bike/Bikepacking Route Network
  This is a bikepacking/singletrack/gravel route that encompasses most of the mountain bikeable portions of Ozark Trail singletrack and connects those sections via gravel roads (mostly) or low-traffic roads (when needed) to make continous bikepacking routes and loops throughout the entire Ozark region of Missouri.
  • Route maps and GPS tracks
     
  • As of June 2019, this is a DRAFT route submitted for discussion and feedback. Many if not all portions may be suitable for immediate use by the adventurous, however! Please read information and discussion on Route Maps page carefully.
     
  • Routes are on RideWithGPS.com - read this article for information about transferring and using the routes to any device.
  •  

• Bike MOPAC: Missouri Pacific Railroad Historic Bicycle Tour - St Louis-Jefferson City-Tipton MO (gravel & low-traffic roads)
  • Route maps and GPS tracks
     
  • As of June 2019 this is a NEW route and cross-state corridor concept submitted for your use and feedback. Please read information and instructions on the Route Maps page carefully and let use know suggestions, updates, or problems encountered.
     
  • Routes are on RideWithGPS.com and thanks to MoBikeFed's RideWithGPS Tourism account anyone can use the routes on the RideWithGPS app with full privileges, including save for offline use and turn-by turn verbal directions. In addition: Read this article for information about transferring and using the routes to any device.

Lewis & Clark Missouri River Adventure Bicycle Route (gravel & low-traffic roads)

• Missouri River Adventure Bicycle Route maps and GPS tracks
   

• The Lewis and Clark Missouri River Adventure is made for people who really love the Missouri River - and want to explore every nook and cranny of it.

  The Missouri River Adventure Routes complement other river routes, like the Katy Trail and the Adventure Cycling Assocation's Lewis and Clark Route.  Those other routes give you more of a quick river overview.

  The Missouri River Adventure Routes, by contrast, are designed to dive *deep*.

  These routes go out of their way to stay close to the river, visit river bottoms, visit Conservation Areas and Wildlife Refuges adjacent to the river, visit river towns, and all the rest. You will have many opportunities for side trips and hikes in conservation areas, natural areas, and wildlife areas--and to see views of the river you can see no other way.  A major objective is to visit EVERY Lewis and Clark camp site and other major historical site.  Because the river channel is so different today compared with 1804, most significant Lewis and Clark locations are, literally, on dry land now.  That means that you can bicycle right up to many of them - most!
  
  The Missouri River country is Missouri's Rocky Mountains; Missouri's Canyonlands; Missouri's Grand Canyon; Missouri's Denali. The Missouri River region is, obviously, not quite the same as any of those. But it is something all of its own - 555 linear miles and many, many thousands of square miles of remote, mysterious, wilderness and near-wilderness area running through the heart of a highly populated, modern, industrialized state.

  
  So this is your opportunity to get to know Missouri's vast interior landscape a little better - and at that same time, get a big, hearty slice of real Americana and real American history
   

• Note: These routes is under development. Some routes are very mature and ready to ride right out of the box; other segments are more in draft stage. Notes for each individual segment give you a sense of how developed each segment is.
   
• All the routes are on RideWithGPS.com and thanks to MoBikeFed's RideWithGPS Tourism account anyone can use the routes on the RideWithGPS app with full privileges, including save for offline use and turn-by turn verbal directions. In addition: Read this article for information about transferring and using the routes to any device.

Related routes:

Info about the Katy Trail, Quad States Trail, and other off-road/trail routes across Missouri is on our Missouri Bicycle Trails page.