On the contrary, it’s just as enchanting, if not even more. But there is one thing you need to consider – your survival. So, let’s talk about that.
Pick your peaks
Fall bikepacking is not as easy as your usual summer adventure. You can’t just pack your bike and bags and go exploring. You need to be a bit more picky with your trails. Most importantly, try to avoid high mountain peaks. Those are quite dangerous during the autumn, and although if the weather forecast allows it, you may charge any top, you need to have an alternative. Don’t plan your route through the high-mountain ridges without the option to skip an open area. As calm as the weather might be in the morning, it can easily turn into a snowstorm in a matter of hours.
Moreover, it’s wise to go through routes you’ve already ridden. With a relatively short day ahead, you don’t have too much time to get lost like you do in summer. Mind you, when the sun goes down, and it comes down earlier than you expect, the temperatures drop significantly. Fall is not summer – especially late fall.
So, pick your peaks carefully, plan your route, and don’t be tempted to explore new routes on this trip.
Embrace the chill
While layering up when bikepacking is essential in summer as well, when it comes to fall adventures, it’s more like a matter of survival. The days can be as hot as a summer ride, but before noon and especially during the nights, the temperature plummets.
So, be a cabbage and have a lot of layers. Make sure to always have dry clothes for the night. Thermal tops and wool-based clothing are a must. The great thing about wool is that it still warms you up, even when wet. So, even if you sweat (and you most certainly will), you won’t lose body heat when you stop.
All in all, you need to have clothes for all seasons. Scorching heat – sure, snow – of course, rain, fog, meteor shower. OK, maybe not that last one, but fall is unexpected, and you must be ready to address all the challenges.
Are you gonna eat all of that?
The crisp air seems to turn your appetite up to eleven, making snacking both essential and satisfying. Indeed, when the weather outside is frightful and the fire is so delightful, you burn all the more calories. So, you need to keep up with your calorie expenditure. Make sure to grab a bite often and get a bit on top of what you’d regularly pack. You never know when you might get stuck waiting for a rain or storm to pass.
Don’t be shy—stuff those bags with calorie-dense goodies like trail mix, cheese, salami, chocolate bars, and peanut butter.
Thanks to cooler weather, you’re free to pack things that would go all kinds of wrong in summer. Cheese sticks? Yes. Hard-boiled eggs? Bring ’em on. Chocolate? Don’t mind if I do. And while it may feel like you’re lugging around a mobile snack bar, the energy boost will keep you happily pedaling. Plus, who doesn’t love a good mid-trail picnic while watching leaves float down around you?
Beware of the colorful landscape
Speaking of the falling leaves, they eventually land. Shocking revelation, I know. But these delightful colors can bring much pain, especially if you’re not that familiar with the terrain. On the one hand, you never know what the leaves hide underneath. It might be a sharp rock, an unexpected root, or even a large hole. It’s like an escape room, but with a bit more adrenaline and a lot fewer stupid trivia questions no one really cares to remember.
When you add moisture to the mix, however, well, that’s when the poop really hits the fan. Wet leaves are nature’s banana peel, and if you watched Tom and Jerry as kids, you know that stepping on one is always fun… for those watching. For Tom – not so much.
So, if you want to be like the greedy little mouse that only laughs at the poor kitty’s misfortunes, you might want to keep track of the trail’s texture, or lack thereof. Wet leaves over rocks? That’s your slip-n-slide. Leaves covering roots? A one-way ticket to surprise jolts. Avoid hard braking on leaf-covered trails, and try to keep your weight balanced. And, hey, if you do end up doing an accidental slide into the nearest bush, aim for the ones that have the least amount of thorns.
The weather is a toddler
Now, when you go bikepacking in the autumn, there is absolutely no chance of going light. I mean, you need to be ready for everything. The weather is as consistent as your cat’s mood, and you can enjoy the sun during one moment and push through some deep snow the other. This unpredictable toddler has one thing on her mind: throwing you off your game. So, plan accordingly, pack wisely, and make peace with some discomfort. There’s no such thing as “over-prepared” in fall bikepacking. Rain gear is a must, but also remember things like waterproof shoe covers, a tarp, and extra dry socks.
Finally, set your mind on the fact that it will be a challenge. It might all be fun and games, but honestly, it’s highly unlikely you won’t end up as muddy as a swamp monster after a particularly relaxing massage with healing mud.
Mind the sunshine
Still, the weather is not the only thing you need to be cautious of. There’s also the daylight. You have noticed how the day started withdrawing earlier from the scene, right? Well, this will continue at a faster pace over the next few weeks. Depending on where you live, it can be dark as early as 4:30, so be prepared with some lights and extra batteries.
And since riding on slippery terrain in the woods at night, right before setting camp, is not ideal, you’d want to plan your route accordingly. Make sure to plan your days to end at around 2 p.m. Now, you might be wondering what you are going to do for the next 8 hours until you go to sleep. Well, you will prepare for the night. Of course, if you sleep in a hut, you may ride until half an hour after sunset. But if you are going to sleep outside, you need to prepare for the upcoming night. So, even if you manage to arrive at the predetermined destination according to plan, you have enough work before night falls.
Preparing your camp sight on headlights or flashlights is torture, especially when you are tired… and you will be. You will have to prepare your tent, gather wood, start a fire, prepare your meal, have a bite, preferably wash your clothes and put them near the fire to dry them out, and, most importantly – rest.
So, while you may think 2 p.m. is early, don’t be fooled. First, give yourself at least an hour of buffer time when it comes to planning your camping sights. Punctures, technical problems, getting lost, all of these can cause delays. So, give yourself enough buffer so that you will be able to gather wood and start a fire before the night falls.
Now, you may think that it’s not a huge deal, after all, you can sleep anywhere. Well, not during autumn bikepacking trips, you don’t.
Be a picky camper
Finally, there are the sleeping arrangements. First and foremost, you need to decide: are you hardcore enough to sleep in a tent, or would you prefer the comfort of a hut? Personally, I’d never go for a tent after November sets in, but hey, I’m a softy.
My main problem with camping in mid-November is that you need to find the perfect place to camp. Being in a forest is a great idea, but you still have to pick the right forest. Some woods are much more prone to break under certain conditions that are much more often found during autumn – for example, strong winds.
Next is the problem with the water source. You need to have running water near your camp, but you also have to set your camp on higher ground since it’s fall, and flash floods are not out of the question.
Then there’s the campfire. You might have noticed that fall is not particularly dray. Now, try to find enough dry wood to start a fire and keep it burning until you get comfy in your tent and sleeping bag. You might think, why aren’t you bringing a gas stove or something? Well, yeah, but you need to use it responsibly, and it’s OK for cooking. It’s not OK to dry your clothes, warm yourself up, and keep animals away.
Speaking of animals, they are another huge problem. Of course, whether you will meet them depends on where your journey takes place. Where I live, fall is when bears are actively looking for food to raise their body fat before the winter slumber. Sure, bears rarely attack humans and usually keep their distance, but when you are alone and you have food, they might make an exception. And let me tell you, cuddling with a hungry murder teddy is not as fun as you picture it.
So, I’m a fan of sleeping in huts during the colder months. But if you are up for a true challenge – by all means, get a good tent, plan your camping sights in advance, preferably near huts, and happy camping.
So, is it worth the effort?
In a word: absolutely. Bikepacking in the fall is both thrilling and humbling. It’s a blend of the awe-inspiring beauty of changing landscapes and the real-life challenges of cycling in unpredictable weather. With fewer people on the trails, fall bikepacking gives you a refreshing sense of solitude, more intimate camping experiences, and a true sense of adventure.
Yes, it’s a bit colder, a bit muddier, and yes, you’ll be raiding your snack stash more often than anticipated. But the stories you’ll come back with (and maybe even a few bruises from leaf skids) make it all worthwhile.
Just make sure to be prepared. Most importantly, be prepared to quit. There is no “must” when you’re bikepacking in the fall. Plan your exit strategies before you leave, and don’t be afraid to quit when the suffering becomes much harsher than the fun. But don’t worry. You will still have a lot of fun.
