The Stagecoach 400 is described by Bikepacking.com as "a masterpiece of stitchworked dirt doubletrack, sandy desert roads, technical singletrack, urban bike paths, and rolling tarmac...created to be an epic multi-day adventure encompassing the three distinct biomes of southern California: craggy forested mountains, spectacular and desolate desert, and the ocean, with its rich coastal canyons and urban center of San Diego." The route covers approximately 400 miles and ascends 28,000 feet as it traverses the Peninsular Range, meanders down the coast, and crosses the the Anza Borrego Desert. 

The high proportion of unpaved roads and generally remote nature of the route contribute to the challenges that riders face on the route; however, this being Southern California, options for resupply, bike repair, aide, and respite are generally more accessible than they may be on other more remote routes. Other matters to contend with on the route include drastic variations in weather, deep sandy road, rattlesnakes, and long stretches without reliable access to water. What is a little adventure without some risk involved, right?