Continental Divide - any advice?

I’m starting to get more serious about planning a continental divide trip, and was hoping I could mine some info or advice from the brain trust here.

Specifically, I’m curious to hear how long it has taken other folks to complete. I’ve heard anything from a week to a couple months, of course depending on tons of variables.

My loose plan is to ride from Missouri to antelope wells, then to banff, then back home through North Dakota, Minnesota, etc.

I was thinking of doing this starting early September, and giving myself 3 to 4 weeks.

For those who have done it, does that seem like a feasible timeline? Anything you’d do different in terms of when to go, or how long to spend on trail?

I like the idea of finishing in banff rather than the Mexican border, so I think I’m pretty set on south to north.

While I’d prefer to do the trip all in one go, I’ve considered doing New Mexico and Colorado this year, and doing Wyoming, Montana, and Canada next year. The main benefit being that it would be easier for me to get a smaller block of time off of work.

Any other general advice or things that made a big difference in your ride experience? I know this is a bit of an aimless post, but I’d just love to hear any thoughts or reflections or guidance from those who have gone before me. I’ve combed through advrider and YouTube for as may trip reports as I can find - now I’d love to hear what the folks in this community might offer. Many thanks!

in motocampingby poonhound69

100%

18d

pulquetomador

18d

The world record for doing the great divide on a bicycle is 2 weeks. My buddy did it on a bicycle in 6 weeks and he took his time.

My other buddy did it on a ural with his dog and also took about 5-6 weeks.

pulquetomador

18d

If you're planning on 3-4 weeks, starting in September and ending at the north end, you're going to risk either a lot of smoke from fire season or snow at high elevations as you get closer to October.

August and September is a really shitty time in general in the mountain west.

jehlomould

18d

Yeah snow was my thought. Especially heading north

AlgebraicIceKing

18d

More and more June and July are pretty fucked for fire, too. Can make for fun alternate routing though!

poonhound69

18d

That’s definitely a fear I have. I used to live in the northern Rockies, so I’m familiar with how awful fire season can be. I’d like to catch the trail when some of the Fall colors are breaking through, but I don’t want to wait too late into the season and risk running into snow. I was hoping mid September might be a good middle ground. Have you done the trip? Any recommendation for best time to go?

pulquetomador

18d

I know mostly cyclists who have done this trip. Very few people do this trip northbound. One of the reasons is unpredictability of the weather.

You can always count on New Mexico being hot as shit regardless, so plan for when you're most confident in the weather in the north end.

If you insist on northbound, consider starting in mid June. Honestly we have had a really mild winter. So leave next month haha.

No only fires you have to worry about. Late September early October you are risking snow storms at higher elevation.

Montnetics

18d

I’d be doing it around the summer solstice if you’re dead set on doing south to north. As it is, there are places you may see snow even in the middle of summer let alone in the fall.

adamjackson1984

R1200 GSA

18d

I’m doing it north to south in July on a GS. I was planning 2 weeks but I’m kind of a ride all day sunrise to sunset kind of person.

no_names_left_here

'22 MT-09; British Columbia

18d

If you're planning on going to banff expect poor air quality all summer. Middle of may and already northern alberta and BC are on fire and air quality is pretty shit.

Im going to be frank, the weather in canada is weird period. Last summer i did a trip from Victoria BC to Toronto ON, and the weather was not what i was expecting. In BC everything was on fire, in alberta it rained and was cold, cold enough i had to turn on my heated gear. Sasquatchewan and manitoba were fairly nice and in ontario, god damn lake superior really makes things cold and wet. Honestly doesn't mater if you go north or south of lake superior, its still unpredictable. Hell i spent two weeks in ontario and it was cold the whole time, in stark contrast of the ride home through the midwest where it was balls hot.

Buster452

Super Tenere, KTM 890 Adventure R

17d

The New Mexico section turns into greasy mud when it rains. June and July have a chance of monsoon rains. End of summer would be best.