Take the Long Way: Exploring Montezuma Pass on Your Way to Douglas

If you’re making the drive to Douglas for BorderLands Gravel, here’s a tip: don’t take the fastest route. Take the long way. Carve out a few extra hours in your itinerary and aim your wheels, whether on four tires or two, toward Montezuma Pass.

The pass rises from the eastern edge of the Huachuca Mountains, tucked inside Coronado National Memorial. From the east side, a gravel road climbs nearly 1,500 feet in just a few miles, twisting and switchbacking up to one of the most panoramic spots in all of southern Arizona. On a clear day, you can see the San Pedro Valley stretching north, Mexico unfolding south, and hawks riding the thermals overhead. It is remote, raw, and absolutely worth the detour.

But here is the beauty of Montezuma Pass: you can climb it from either side, and both are unforgettable.

From the east, you get the steep and loose grind. It is short, sharp, and rewarding, the kind of climb that leaves your legs burning but your eyes wide at every switchback. For gravel riders chasing a true test, this is your line.

From the west, starting near Parker Canyon Lake, the road stretches out longer and mellower. The grades are kinder, with rolling hills that give you space to settle in and spin. It is still a big ride with more than 18 miles and 4,000 feet of climbing. It is less about brute force and more about a steady rhythm. For families, friends, or those easing into the borderlands, this route offers a way to soak in the scenery without the sting of constant steep pitches.

No matter which way you go, the reward is the same: a ridgeline where history and horizon meet. Nearly 500 years ago, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado led his expedition through this very region in search of the mythical Seven Cities of Gold. They never found treasure, but their path reshaped the Southwest. Standing at Montezuma Pass today, with the borderlands stretching in every direction, it is impossible not to feel part of that ongoing story.

That is the essence of this part of Arizona: adventure meeting history. It is why we tell riders not to rush straight to Douglas. This is a region that rewards lingering. Pull over. Ride. Take in the view. Let the borderlands sink in before you line up on race day.

When your tires finally roll into Douglas, you will have already tasted what makes this corner of the state so special. You will not just have driven to a race. You will have traveled through a story.

Pro tip: If you are flying into Tucson or driving down from Phoenix, give yourself the gift of time. Plot your course through Montezuma Pass. Choose your climb, east for the challenge or west for flow. Either way, you will arrive in Douglas not just ready to race, but already immersed in the adventure that makes BorderLands Gravel what it is.