Let’s face it: Americans are obsessed with cars and road trips. Who can resist the call of the wide-open road? But one cyclist organization is imagining a different way to see the country — and it just made a huge addition to its network.

Established in 1978, the U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) aims to build the largest bike network in the world, connecting rural and urban American communities across state and county lines with a variety of cycling paths, from off-road tracks to long-distance interstate routes. In January, the nonprofit Adventure Cycling Association (which has partnered with USBRS since 2003), shared with Travel + Leisure it added four new routes in three states, bringing the system’s total mileage to 23,186. It’s the largest addition ever and collectively brings it nearly halfway to its final goal of 50,000 miles.

The four new routes are:

• USBR 37 — A mix of suburban streets and scenic rural roads, USBR 37 is just under 187 miles and connects the Erie Lackawanna Trail in northwest Indiana to the Monon Trail in central Indiana.
• USBR 50 — This is the shortest new route at 40 miles, but it travels past several scenic stops including Four State Lookout in White Cloud, Kansas.
• USBR 55 — Clocking in at 288 miles, this trail begins near Kansas’ border with Nebraska and ends at the Oklahoma state line.
• USBR 51 — The largest of the new additions, this 553.7-mile pathway completely bisects Missouri from its northern to southern end. It connects with the existing USBR 51 in Arkansas — eventually, there are plans for this route to run from New Orleans to Minnesota.

“Thanks to the efforts of volunteers, advocates, and state departments of transportation, and [the] support of our members and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, these four designations in Kansas, Indiana, and Missouri bring us closer to the goal of an interstate bicycle travel network of routes equally accessible to all,” Jenn Hamelman, ACA’s director of routes, said in a press release obtained by T+L.

The four new routes collectively add 3,568 miles to the network — but the extensions are about so much more than just reaching the organization’s 50,000-mile goal. The trails also present a unique way for cyclists to explore the oft-overlooked, diverse landscapes of the Midwest, with rolling hills, wide rivers, and plenty of historical points of interest to take in.

And before you set out on your next bike adventure, check out the digital maps of all the U.S. Bicycle Routes, available for free online at adventurecycling.org.