road bike portions of trail?

[Leprichon]

As far as the AZ trail, I think the correct information has allready been given and that "The only portion of the Arizona National Scenic Trail that is paved is a short (3-mile) section of Greenway Trail inside Grand Canyon National Park. Other than that, it’s dirt – 80% singletrack and 20% dirt roads" (so just looking to confirm....
I plan to travel S. and W. this January (Im from NY so below regions with possibility of snow – about SC to about NV)…My intrest is National or State parks with roadways of 75 miles or more…any information that might help in this matter would be appreciated…

[azbackpackr]

You need to stay at lower elevations in the Southwest to avoid snow. We have more than our fair share of it here in Arizona in January at higher elevations.

I can't think of any state park with 75 miles of roadway in it. Saguaro National Park in Tucson has a lot of roads. Which way are you riding into the state of Arizona? Or, are you driving, and transporting a bicycle? You didn't indicate. If you come in on the old US 80, it's lower elevation. US 60 is higher elevation until it gets down below Globe. If you want to ride out in the boonies, stay in Bisbee and ride those roads around there.

[SpiderLegs]

Used to race bikes in college and spent a lot of time on the roads around Tucson. If I was forced to pick one road to ride for the rest of eternity it would be the 8 mile loop around Saguaro National Park East. Just technical and hilly enough to keep you on your toes. They don't open the roads to cars until around 7 AM or so, so if you go early you don't have to worry about cars. Learned how to bunny hop a road bike on that road, not uncommon to see rattlesnakes stretched out across the road trying to soak up some rays.

Know quite a bit about the roads around southern AZ for riding on a road bike. Let me know if you want to know more.

[blisterfree]

If I was forced to pick one road to ride for the rest of eternity it would be the 8 mile loop around Saguaro National Park East.

Fun, challenging, scenic - I agree, SNP East is hard to beat. This was once my regular ride when I lived on Tucson's east side, where I'd head out to the park via Old Spanish Trail from Broadway. With a mountain bike, the option exists to combine the road ride with a portion of the Cactus Forest Trail (the only singletrack in the park open to bikes) that bisects the loop road.

The Greenway on the South Rim is miserable on foot, from what I hear. Not to mention baffling, corralling trail users onto officially-sanctioned asphalt (welcome to the Grand Canyon dear hikers - this is it - you made it!) considering better options both existent and conceivable. Suppose cyclists can have it then.