Hub
Destination loops with permits, fuel, and legal-route notes - plus the land-use rules that keep those miles rideable. One hub for where to put the tire and whether the gate is still open.
Trails is about where to ride and whether you're allowed to. Destination guides cover loops and regions worth the drive, the Backcountry Discovery Routes that cross states on dirt and gravel, and the planning that keeps a long day from turning into a long walk: fuel range, water, weather, elevation and the tools to carry.
Access is the other half. Public land rules decide which roads and trails are open to motorcycles, and they change. We explain how to read a Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Map, what travel management decisions mean for riders, and when fire closures or new rules shut down routes people have ridden for years. Those stories come straight from the agency orders, maps and notices, and we link them so you can check the current version.
We never host GPX tracks. For the Backcountry Discovery Routes, the official maps and tracks come from the BDR organization, and their route updates take priority over anything you read here. Before any ride, confirm the route is legal for your vehicle on the current map and check for closures with the local ranger district or BLM field office.
Ride it the way you'd want to find it: stay on designated routes and pack out what you pack in.
Updated
Destinations and access - last three stories
Dual-sport and dirt loops with fuel spacing, permits, and MVUM-minded route notes, with links to the land managers who publish the official maps and closures.
Trails & DestinationsDestination
The Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route is a high-elevation dual-sport and adventure route from Four Corners toward Wyoming. Plan season, fuel range and morning passes from RideBDR's own route guide - then verify MVUMs and Route Updates the week you leave.
Trails & DestinationsDestination
The Utah Backcountry Discovery Route strings iconic southern desert and mountain dirt into a long dual-sport / adventure crossing. RideBDR rates it among the harder BDRs - plan tires, weather patience, and Route Updates before you chase Moab-adjacent glory.
Trails & DestinationsDestination
Idaho's Backcountry Discovery Route is often listed among RideBDR's more moderate full-length routes - which still means remote dirt, real logistics, and Motor Vehicle Use Map homework across multiple forests.
Trails & DestinationsDestination
Arizona's Backcountry Discovery Route runs roughly 750 miles of mostly remote dirt from the Mexico border country toward Utah, mixing high desert, canyons, and unexpected green mountains. RideBDR rates it Difficult - and as of recent Route Updates, riders should budget time for multiple permits before the kickstand goes up.
Trails & DestinationsDestination
The Southern California Backcountry Discovery Route was built as a winter-leaning dual-sport / adventure line through southeastern California desert and preserve country - including Mojave vibes and Death Valley-adjacent logistics. RideBDR rates it Difficult; heat, sand, and flash floods still edit the calendar.
Trails & DestinationsDestination
The Mid-Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route threads about 1,100 miles of dirt, gravel, and pavement through Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. RideBDR groups it as Moderate among BDRs - Appalachian forests, farm country, and history without Western desert sand.
Trails & DestinationsTrail Report
A sample Front Range-to-high-country loop with elevation notes, fuel spacing, and how to verify USFS travel management before you roll.
Classic BDRs with RideBDR difficulty guidance. We never host GPX - official maps and tracks live on RideBDR. Re-download before every trip.
About 750 miles from the Mexico line up toward Utah - desert heat, remote fuel, and a permit stack that changes with the season. RideBDR has flagged multiple permits; check Route Updates the week you leave before you treat any connector as a given.
Roughly 940 miles from the Mammoth / Sierra country north to the Oregon border - big elevation swings and classic California dirt-road mileage. Re-download tracks before you go; printed maps and GPX can drift apart.
About 820 miles through desert and Mojave country with a winter-leaning season window when summer heat is less punishing. Treat Route Updates as part of your pre-ride checklist - sand, washouts, and temporary closures show up here first.
Around 675 miles from the Four Corners country toward Wyoming, with high passes that punish early- and late-season timing. Pick your window carefully - monsoon and early snow decide whether those passes are a highlight or a bailout.
About 1,250 miles of Magruder Corridor and Lolo lore - remote enough that a knobby can live a hard life and cell service is a rumor. Fuel spacing and Ride Respectfully etiquette matter as much as the GPS file.
Roughly 1,080 miles of Appalachian gravel and dirt through Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Softer difficulty band on paper - still watch seasonal road opens and Route Updates before you stitch weekend segments.
About 900 miles from Island Park, Idaho, toward the Canada border - the western-system link that closes the long northbound plot. Official page noted a December 2025 map edition; grab the latest tracks and read any Flathead / seasonal open notes before you roll.
Around 900 miles of desert valleys and ghost-town connectors where heat, wind, and long fuel legs do the sorting. Carry more water than you think you need and confirm the current GPX - Nevada dirt changes with flash floods and maintenance windows.
About 1,200 miles from Dell City, Texas, up to Antonito, Colorado - big sky, long stretches between towns, and monsoon timing that can turn silt into glue. Plan around afternoon storms and verify Route Updates before you commit to a south-to-north window.
Roughly 1,300 multi-state miles where seasonal road opens decide half the adventure. Build slack into the calendar - a locked gate midweek is more common than a hero GPS line suggests.
About 750 miles from high desert into Cascades volcano and forest country; July and later is the typical window for snowmelt and pass access. Expect lava rock, silt, and long remote sections - re-pull tracks the morning you leave.
Around 1,300 miles from the Gulf toward Damascus, Virginia - the southern leg of the East Coast trilogy that links toward the Mid-Atlantic BDR. Humidity, hunting-season traffic, and wet-clay days matter more than elevation here.
Classically cited around 871 miles with Moab and Wasatch highlights - and a hard truth: Utah clay is impassable when wet, not folklore. Watch weather windows and Route Updates; mud math is the difference between a film-worthy day and a recovery bill.
About 575 miles of Cascades volcano country - shorter on paper, still a demanding alpine dirt-and-gravel loop. Snowmelt timing and forest road status change fast; pull the current map and Route Updates before you chase a summit view.
Classically cited in the 950-1,000 mile range from Colorado toward Montana at serious elevation. Wind, weather, and high-country season windows set the pace - treat the official RideBDR page and fresh tracks as your source of truth.
Difficulty bands are RideBDR's public Moderate / Challenging / Difficult guidance under favorable conditions. Paper Butler maps and tracks can diverge - download tracks from RideBDR before you leave.
Travel Management, roadless proposals, comment deadlines, and the policy beats dual-sport riders actually need. Article URLs under /trail-access/… stay put - this section is the hub home after the merge.
Trail AccessPolicy
A new Forest Service order keeps Banshee Hill and the southwestern edge of the Umpqua Dunes closed to all motorized vehicles through Jan. 15, 2027, and the 10:30 p.m. curfew stays too. Here's what's closed, why, and what to check before you ride Umpqua 2 or 3.
Trail AccessPolicy
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Order 06-17-07-2026-40 closes NFS lands, roads, and trails across Wenatchee River / Entiat / Chelan districts for the Little Giant Fire from Sept. 3 through Oct. 31, 2026 unless rescinded. Dual-sport and ORV impact includes Lower Chiwawa ORV 1548, Minnow Ridge ORV 1524, and Alder Ridge 1523.
Trail AccessPolicy
Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forests and Idaho Parks and Recreation reopened 5.6 miles of Divide Trail 505 between Trails 504 and 672 on the Red River Ranger District - restoring Magruder Corridor-Boundary National Recreational Trail looping for single-track motorized riders.
Trail AccessPolicy
Wyoming Public Media (August 25, 2026) and Missoula Current summarize the Forest Service intent to revise the Travel Management Rule toward greater motorized and e-bike access. Existing designations remain until revised - here is the dual-sport FAQ version of the Federal Register NOI.
Trail AccessPolicy
Federal Register NOI (Aug 24, 2026; 91 FR 54686) starts EIS/rulemaking to revise 36 CFR part 212 toward an open-unless-closed access presumption and annual closure review. Comments due Sept 23, 2026 on Docket FS-2026-0100. Existing MVUMs stay until locally revised - not legal advice.
Trail AccessPolicy
USDA and the Forest Service proposed rescinding the national 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule, returning inventoried-roadless decisions to local forest planning. Federal Register publication was August 20, 2026; comment deadline cited as September 21, 2026.
Cross-links for multi-day dirt: bike fit, suspension, packing, and how we verify legal routes. Not legal advice - always check the current MVUM and RideBDR Route Updates.
How-To & Tech
Sag, filters, packing, and service-bay checklists.
Bikes
Platform fit for BDR days vs singletrack weekends.
RideBDR Route Updates
Closures, permits, and track changes from the source.
How to read an MVUM
Legal-route checklist: Forest Service MVUM + RideBDR Route Updates + ranger notes. Not legal advice.
Newsletter
One email with the trail news, race results, recalls and gear stories worth your time.
