U.S. Bicycle Route 76 (USBR 76) is a cross-country

bicycle A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike, push-bike or cycle, is a human-powered transport, human-powered or motorized bicycle, motor-assisted, bicycle pedal, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, with two bicycle wheel, wheels attached to a ...

route east of

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. It is one of the two original U.S. Bicycle Routes, the other being U.S. Bicycle Route 1. USBR 76 runs from the Midwestern state of

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

to the eastern seaboard state of

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

. It is also known as the TransAmerica Bike Route and is contained within the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail. A spur, U.S. Bicycle Route 176, was established in Virginia in 2016.

History

Bicycle Route 76 originated as the

Bikecentennial Bikecentennial '76 was an event consisting of a series of bicycle tours on the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail across the United States in the summer of 1976 in commemoration of the bicentennial of America's Declaration of Independence. The route cr ...

, the route for a large bike tour organized for the 1976 celebration of the

United States Bicentennial The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic. It was a central event in the memo ...

. The Adventure Cycling Association was at that time also known as the "Bikecentennial." USBR 76 was established in 1982 as an original U.S. Bicycle Route, along with U.S. Bicycle Route 1 from

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

to Virginia. Bicycle traffic along a good deal of Bicycle Route 76 has been sparse to practically non-existent for several years. However, a 2003 conference encouraged the establishment of new interstate bicycle routes, as well as proposing the extension the two existing ones, 76's western terminus being conjectured on the

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

coast. Since 2014, the annual

Trans Am Bike Race The Trans Am Bike Race (TABR) is an annual, self-supported, ultra-distance cycling race across the United States. The route is about long and uses the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail that was developed by the Adventure Cycling Association for the Bike ...

has used the route.

Route description

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Kansas

In Kansas, USBR 76 runs from the Colorado state line at

K-96 K96 or K-96 may refer to: *K-96 (Kansas highway) K-96 is a state highway in central and southern Kansas. Its western terminus is at the Colorado state line east of Towner, Colorado, where it continues as Colorado State Highway 96; its easte ...

near

Towner, Colorado Towner is a census-designated place (CDP) in and governed by Kiowa County, Colorado, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 18. It is the easternmost town in Colorado, located less than from the Kansas state line, along ...

, to the Missouri state line at K-126 near

Pittsburg, Kansas Pittsburg is a city in Crawford County, Kansas, Crawford County, Kansas, United States, located in southeast Kansas near the Missouri state border. It is the most populous city in Crawford County and southeast Kansas. As of the 2020 United S ...

Missouri

In the state of

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

, USBR 76 is signed. The route begins at the

border west of Golden City, continuing east across of the state before reaching the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

just west of

Chester, Illinois Chester is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, Illinois, United States, on a bluff above the Mississippi River. The population was 7,640 at the 2020 census. It lies south of St. Louis, Missouri. History Founding Samuel Smith is s ...

. The route passes through the following counties: * Ste. Genevieve County * St. Francois County * Iron County * Reynolds County * Shannon County * Texas County * Wright County * Webster County * Greene County ** Just east of Walnut Grove, USBR 76 intersects the Frisco Highline Trail, which connects the route to Springfield to the south and Bolivar to the north * Dade County * Jasper County * Barton County

Illinois

In the state of

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

, USBR 76 intersects the Tunnel Hill State Trail in southern Illinois and passes through the following counties: * Randolph County * Jackson County * Williamson County * Johnson County * Pope County * Hardin County

Kentucky

In the state of

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

, USBR 76 is signed, and a map is available as part of a state bicycle tours publication.

Virginia

In the state of

, part of USBR 76 is signed, and a map is available as part of a state bicycling publication. The route passes along the following roads and through the following counties and communities: * State Route 80 (Virginia) from

Elkhorn City, Kentucky Elkhorn City is a List of cities in Kentucky, home rule-class city in Pike County, Kentucky, Pike County, Kentucky, in the United States. The population was 1,035 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city is located in proximity to ...

Meadowview, Virginia Meadowview (listed as Meadow View by the Census Bureau in 2010) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Washington County, Virginia, United States. The population was 861 at the 2020 census. down from 967 at the 2010 census. It is part of the King ...

in Washington County * Buchanan County (10.9 mi.) * Dickenson County (20.6 mi.) * Russell County (20.1 mi.) * Washington County (38.4 mi.) ** Meadowview to

Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...

U.S. Route 58 U.S. Route 58 (US 58) is an east–west U.S. Highway that runs for from U.S. Route 25E just northwest of Harrogate, Tennessee, to U.S. Route 60 in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Until 1996, when the Cumberland Gap Tunnel opened, US 58 ran on ...

from Damascus, where the route crosses the

Virginia Creeper Trail The Virginia Creeper Trail is a multi-purpose rail trail. Located in southwestern Virginia, the trail runs from Abingdon to Whitetop, Virginia, near Mount Rogers National Recreation Area and the North Carolina state line. The trail accommoda ...

and the

Appalachian Trail The Appalachian Trail, also called the A.T., is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tra ...

to County Route 603 through Smyth County to Troutdale in Grayson County * Smyth County (6.4 mi.) * Grayson County (7.4 mi.) ** State Route 16 from Troutdale to Sugar Grove in Smyth County * Smyth County (14.7 mi.) * Wythe County (34.7 mi.) * Pulaski County (23 mi.) * City of Radford (2.6 mi.) *

Montgomery County Montgomery County may refer to: Australia * The former name of Montgomery Land District, Tasmania United Kingdom * The historic county of Montgomeryshire, Wales, also called County of Montgomery United States * Montgomery County, Alabama * Montg ...

(27.9 mi.) ** County Routes 787, 664, 600, and 666 from Radford to Christiansburg ** Ellett Road (County Route 723) from

Cambria Cambria is a name for Wales, being the Latinised form of the Welsh name for the country, . The term was not in use during the Roman period (when Wales had not come into existence as a distinct entity) or the early medieval period. After the ...

in Christiansburg to Ellett crossing the

Eastern Continental Divide The Eastern Continental Divide, Eastern Divide or Appalachian Divide is a drainage divide, hydrological divide in eastern North America that separates the easterly Atlantic Seaboard drainage basin, watershed from the westerly Gulf of Mexico wat ...

and passing under the Wilson Creek Bridge, second tallest bridge in Virginia, and part of the

Virginia Smart Road The Virginia Smart Road, also known as simply the Smart Road or Smart Highway, is a short, limited-access road in Montgomery County, Virginia, used for the testing of pavement technologies and as a proving ground for new transportation technologi ...

, and passing Trinity United Methodist Church, Earhart House, and Blankenship Farm ** Lusters Gate Road (County Route 723) from Ellett to Lusters Gate passing through the

Virginian Railway Underpass Virginian Railway Underpass is a historic concrete arch bridge located at New Ellett, Montgomery County, Virginia. It was built in 1906, and is a single circular barrel underpass constructed of cast-in-place concrete. The underpass at ground lev ...

and New Ellett and through Ellett Valley with the North Fork of the

Roanoke River The Roanoke River ( ) runs long through southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the ...

to the east and the Eastern Continental Divide and Blacksburg a few miles to the west ** Catawba Road (County Route 785) from Lusters Gate to the

Roanoke County Roanoke County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, its population was 96,929. Its county seat is Salem, but the county administrative offices are located in the census-designated place of ...

line passing through Catawba Valley * Roanoke County (13.7 mi.) ** Blacksburg Road (County Route 785) from the Montgomery County line to Catawba passing out of the Roanoke River watershed and into the

Chesapeake Bay The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula, including parts of the Ea ...

(

James River The James River is a river in Virginia that begins in the Appalachian Mountains and flows from the confluence of the Cowpasture and Jackson Rivers in Botetourt County U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowli ...

) watershed ** County Route 779 from Catawba to the Botetourt County line * Botetourt County (40.5 mi.) *

Rockbridge County Rockbridge County is a county in the Shenandoah Valley on the western edge of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,650. Its county seat is the city of Lexington. Rockbridge County completely surrounds the ...

(17 mi.) * City of Lexington (3 mi.) * Rockbridge County (27.6 mi.) *

Augusta County Augusta County is a county in the Shenandoah Valley on the western edge of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The second-largest county of Virginia by total area, it completely surrounds the independent cities of Staunton and ...

and Nelson County (29.8 mi) * Just south of Waynesboro near

Afton Mountain Rockfish Gap is a wind gap located in the Blue Ridge Mountains between Charlottesville and Waynesboro, Virginia, United States, through Afton Mountain, which is frequently used to refer to the gap. Joining the Shenandoah Valley to the Piedmont ...

, the route runs along the

Blue Ridge Parkway The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and National Scenic Byway, All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. The parkway, which is the longest linear park in the U.S., runs for through 29 counties in Virginia and ...

for about 25 miles, overlooking the

Shenandoah Valley The Shenandoah Valley () is a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia in the United States. The Valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the east ...

to the west and Nelson County's Rockfish Valley to the east. *

Albemarle County Albemarle County is a United States county located in the Piedmont region of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Its county seat is Charlottesville, which is an independent city entirely surrounded by the county. Albemarle County is part of the Ch ...

(38.9 mi.) * City of Charlottesville (3.7 mi.) * Fluvanna County (21.7 mi.) *

Goochland County Goochland County is a county located in the Piedmont of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Its southern border is formed by the James River. As of the 2020 census, the population was 24,727. Its county seat is Goochland. Goochland County is inclu ...

(4.1 mi.) * Louisa County (31.4 mi.) *

Hanover County Hanover County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 109,979. Its county seat is Hanover. Hanover County is a part of the Greater Richmond Region. History Located in the western Tidewater ...

(50.7 mi.) *

Henrico County Henrico County , officially the County of Henrico, is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 334,389 making it the fifth-most populous county in Virginia. Henrico Coun ...

(16 mi.) *

Charles City County Charles City County is a county located in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. The county is situated southeast of Richmond and west of Jamestown. It is bounded on the south by the James River and on the east by the Chickahominy River. The a ...

(26.8 mi.) *

James City County James City County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 78,254. Although politically separate from the county, the county seat is the adjacent independent city of Williamsburg. Located o ...

(13.9 mi.) ** Along the

Colonial Parkway Colonial Parkway is a scenic parkway linking the three points of Virginia's Historic Triangle, Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. It is part of the National Park Service's Colonial National Historical Park. Virginia's official state cl ...

to Yorktown * City of Williamsburg (3.2 mi.) * York County (11.4 mi) ** Yorktown Total miles: 560.1

Auxiliary routes

U.S. Bicycle Route 176

U.S. Bicycle Route 176 is a

connector route A connector is a highway or freeway road in the United States that connects to another highway or freeway. It can be part of an interchange such as the MacArthur Maze or a longer roadway such as the Interstate 635. A connector route is a typ ...

that connecting USBR 1 and USBR 76 at a point a little further south than where the routes cross. It travels along the

Virginia Capital Trail The Virginia Capital Trail (VCT) (informally, the ''Cap Trail'', or simply ''the Cap'') is a dedicated, paved bicycle and pedestrian trail crossing four counties and between Jamestown and Richmond, Virginia — that is, between the Colony o ...

for .

References

External links

Adventure Cycling - TransAmerica Trail
{{authority control 076 Bike paths in Illinois Bike paths in Kansas Bike paths in Kentucky Bike paths in Missouri Bike paths in Virginia