We've developed the best cross-country, loop, inland, and coastal cycling routes available, with turn-by-turn directions, detailed
navigational instructions, and elevation profiles. The maps are also waterproof and
sized to fit into a handlebar-bag window or jersey pocket.
Adventure Cycling maps include:
Service symbols indicating the locations of campgrounds, hostels, motels, gas stations, groceries, restaurants, post offices, libraries, and bike shops
Narratives with turn-by-turn instructions for traveling in either direction
Distances given in miles and kilometers
Contour lines providing a general idea of elevation gains and losses
Elevation profiles, with major ascents and descents indicated
on many of our maps
Details about the natural history and cultural heritage along the route
A weather chart providing average monthly rainfall and mean temperatures at various points along the route
Large-scale detail maps of urban or congested areas
Summaries of riding conditions that include road surfaces, traffic volumes, and areas of caution
Our Online Addenda, where updates are always available and current
GPS waypoints can be downloaded for free
These routes are available in 300 to 400-mile map sections, so you can plan anything from a weekend trip
to a multi-month adventure.
Our routes feature the backroads of America where you can experience the communities and rural landscapes that make our country unique. Our generous members and supporters are helping to create and maintain our legacy and
gift to the nation -- the Adventure Cycling Route Network.
THE NORTH ARROW EXPLAINED
Our north arrow is not necessarily up as is common on most maps. It also changes orientation from panel to panel. This
allows as many miles of the route as possible to be depicted on each map panel.
There is a practical reason why we
don't always put north at the top of the maps. In the following illustration, we have two index maps for section 4 of the Atlantic Coast
Route. The one on the left (figure 1) shows the map panels as they exist. In the other (figure 2), panels are drawn so that all are oriented to the north (and
still fit into a handlebar bag window). The 373 miles between Richmond, Virginia and Wilmington, North Carolina, that we cover now in 12 map panels would
require 19 map panels. In addition, the 248-mile Outer Banks Alternate, which we squeeze into four, double-map panels, would now require 10
map panels. On north/south routes, it is evident that we would have to double the number of map panels we currently need to do a route. This
would, in turn, double production costs and make the maps cost more.
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