By David Kidd | Adventure Motorcycle Writer

How Backcountry Discovery Routes Are Redefining the American Motorcycle Adventure

I’ve been throwing a leg over motorcycles for more than five decades. I’ve raced enduros through brutal East Coast timber, lined up on vintage motocross tracks alongside some of the greats, and logged more miles of singletrack than I can count. But when riders ask me what’s changed the most about adventure motorcycling in the last fifteen years, I give them the same answer every time: Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR). The BDR program didn’t just chart new roads — it rewrote what it means to go on a motorcycle adventure in America.

Here at Adventure Rigs, we’ve spent years covering the best builds, gear, and destinations for four-wheel adventure seekers. Now we’re bringing that same energy to two wheels, and there’s no better place to start than the network of routes that has ignited a movement. If you’re new to the adventure motorcycle world, buckle up. If you’ve been riding for years and haven’t explored a BDR, consider this your wake-up call.

What Exactly Is a BDR?

Backcountry Discovery Routes are long-distance, off-pavement motorcycle routes designed specifically for dual-sport and adventure motorcycles. The concept is elegantly simple: connect existing public lands — forest service roads, fire roads, county two-tracks, and dirt byways — into cohesive, border-to-border routes that showcase some of the most spectacular and remote terrain in the United States.

The organization behind it all, also called Backcountry Discovery Routes, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that launched its first route in 2010. What began as a passion project by a handful of dedicated adventure riders has grown into a nationwide network of more than 20 routes and connectors — with aggressive expansion plans underway. The routes aren’t private trails or closed-course events. Every mile of a BDR travels on public land, meaning any licensed, street-legal motorcycle can access them legally and freely.

What makes the BDR system so valuable is the infrastructure wrapped around each route. Riders don’t show up with a vague sense of direction and hope for the best. Each BDR comes loaded with free downloadable GPS tracks, interactive online maps, waterproof printed maps, section-by-section breakdowns, condition update pages, lodging and fuel location info, and even documentary-style films that serve as both inspiration and scouting tools. For a nonprofit, the level of polish and resource depth is extraordinary — and it’s all free to access at ridebdr.com.

The Routes: America’s Backyard on Two Wheels

The classic BDR routes are designed to run south to north and typically range from 600 to 1,300 miles in length, with most riders completing them in five to nine days. Each day’s segment tends to run roughly 100 to 150 miles — not because that’s all the miles available, but because the terrain demands attention, and the scenery begs you to slow down.

The lineup spans the country and continues to grow. The West Coast classics — Oregon, Washington, and Idaho — were among the earliest routes and remain favorites for their rugged mountain terrain and dramatic elevation changes. The California Backcountry Discovery Route takes riders through the Sierra Nevada foothills and High Desert, while Nevada’s version delivers the kind of wide-open solitude that resets the soul. Colorado threads through the Rockies with a route that will test your altitude tolerance and your nerve, and New Mexico drops riders into dramatic canyon country and high desert mesa landscapes that feel genuinely otherworldly.

Moving east, the Utah BDR carves through red rock canyon country and remote plateaus that most four-wheel rigs could only dream of accessing. Wyoming’s route crosses the Red Desert and into the Wind River Range, offering some of the most remote riding on the continent. The Mid-Atlantic BDR traces the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains through Virginia, dipping into West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. The Northeast BDR crosses five states — New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine — covering over 1,300 miles and earning its reputation as one of the most diverse and challenging routes in the catalog.

Newer additions reflect the organization’s ambition to cover the full breadth of the country. The Southeast BDR, which debuted in early 2025, stretches from the Gulf of Mexico all the way to Damascus, Virginia — over 1,300 miles of mixed terrain through states still recovering and rebuilding from the impacts of Hurricane Helene, meaning your ride dollars go directly into rural communities that need the tourism. Routes in Texas, Georgia, and Arizona round out the southern tier, and there are BDR-X variants (shorter, more technically demanding routes) for riders who want to turn up the difficulty dial without committing to a week-long expedition.

And the network keeps expanding. Montana is next. British Columbia is in development. Ohio and Michigan are on the horizon, and more than 30 additional routes are in various stages of planning. For adventure motorcycle riders, this is an embarrassment of riches.

Why BDR Is the Perfect Starting Point for Adventure Riding

For riders stepping off the pavement for the first time — or transitioning from track and trail riding to long-distance exploration — the BDR system removes one of the biggest barriers to adventure touring: figuring out where to go. Scouting a multi-day off-pavement route from scratch requires local knowledge, mapping skills, and significant research time. BDR has done that work for you, and done it incredibly well.

The routes are designed with big adventure bikes in mind. A loaded GS, an Africa Twin, a KTM 890 Adventure, or a Yamaha Ténéré 700 can handle these roads. You don’t need an ultralight enduro machine or elite off-road skills to ride a standard BDR route. What you do need is solid off-pavement experience, a mechanically sound motorcycle capable of carrying your gear, and the mindset that the adventure is in the journey — not just the destination.

Each route also offers alternative track options, including harder variants for experienced riders who want more technical challenge and easier bypasses for those who encounter conditions beyond their current skill level. The BDR ethos is inclusive without being soft — they want you out there, but they want you prepared and making smart decisions.

Beyond the personal adventure, the BDR mission has a broader purpose. Each route is deliberately planned to pass through small, rural towns and communities that benefit enormously from the tourism dollars that riders bring. Filling your tank, grabbing a meal at a local diner, throwing down for a motel room in a tiny mountain town — that economic activity matters in places where the nearest interstate is hours away.

BDR Dos and Don’ts: Hard-Earned Wisdom for the Trail

After decades in the saddle, I can tell you that preparation is the difference between a story you laugh about at camp and one that goes sideways fast. Here’s what I’ve learned, and what the BDR veterans will tell you when they’re being straight with you.

DO download the GPS tracks before you leave. Cellular service is nonexistent on large sections of every BDR route. The tracks need to be loaded onto a dedicated GPS device or downloaded offline before you’re standing in a canyon with no signal trying to figure out which fork to take. Commit to this before you leave the driveway.

DO check the route update pages. Conditions in the backcountry change constantly — wildfires, seasonal road closures, washed-out crossings, reroutes. BDR maintains active update pages for each route, and the associated Facebook groups are gold mines of real-time trail intel from riders who just came off the route. Read them.

DO ride your own ride. The BDR routes can be ridden as solo missions or with a group, but resist the temptation to match your pace to someone faster than you’re comfortable with. Technical terrain rewards patience and technique. A dropped 500-pound bike miles from the nearest road is an expensive and exhausting reminder that ego has no business in the backcountry.

DO carry basic mechanical gear. Tire plug kits, a quality hand pump or small 12V inflator, tube patches, basic tools, and zip ties are non-negotiable. Know how to use them before you go. Most BDR sections are remote enough that a flat tire becomes a real problem if you’re not equipped to address it yourself.

DO embrace the camping. Some of the best moments on any BDR happen around a camp stove at dusk, nowhere in particular, with the kind of silence that reminds you why you ride. Lightweight moto-camping gear has evolved dramatically — a solid shelter, a quality sleep system, and a compact cooking setup don’t have to weigh much or cost a fortune. Spend the time to get your camp kit dialed.

DON’T overplan it. Load the route, know your approximate daily distances, identify fuel stops, and then let it breathe. Rigid itineraries crumble the moment conditions change, and the best discoveries on a BDR tend to happen when you take the unexpected turn down a road that wasn’t on the original plan. The route is a framework, not a contract.

DON’T ignore your fitness. Multi-day adventure riding is physically demanding. Standing on the pegs for hours over rough terrain works muscles that standard road riding doesn’t touch. Core strength, leg stamina, and upper body endurance all matter. Riders who show up physically unprepared find the last two days of a BDR more survival than adventure.

DON’T ride beyond your skill set — and know what that is. Water crossings, deep sand, loose shale, and steep technical climbs are all waiting somewhere on a BDR. If you’re uncertain about your off-road skills, take a training course before you go. ADV moto schools exist specifically to bridge the gap between pavement competence and backcountry confidence. There’s no shame in honest self-assessment — there’s plenty of shame in a recovery call from a remote canyon.

DON’T forget Leave No Trace principles. You’re riding through some of the most pristine public land in the country. Pack out everything you pack in. Stick to established roads and don’t shortcut across sensitive terrain. The BDR organization actively works to preserve access for adventure motorcycles on these routes — every rider who treats the land with respect is making a deposit into that account. Every rider who doesn’t is writing a check that the whole community pays.

The Bottom Line

There’s a reason the BDR movement has exploded across the adventure motorcycle world. These routes deliver exactly what they promise: genuine backcountry exploration, stunning American landscapes, and the kind of multi-day adventure that recalibrates your perspective. Whether you’re a seasoned off-road competitor eyeing the Colorado BDR’s rocky high passes or a pavement rider ready to finally see what that adventure bike can really do, there’s a route in the catalog for you.

I’ve spent more than fifty years chasing what motorcycles offer that nothing else can — the raw, unfiltered connection between rider, machine, and terrain. The BDR system has managed to package some of the best of that into a free, well-supported, and constantly growing resource. That’s not something to take for granted.

Start at ridebdr.com. Download a route. Watch the documentary film. Check the conditions. Load the tracks. Then go ride.

The backcountry is waiting.

David Kidd is Adventure Rigs Magazine’s Adventure Motorcycle Writer. A dedicated AMA member with more than 50 years in the saddle, Kidd has competed in AMA National Enduros, Hare Scrambles, and Vintage Motocross — including the 2003 AHRMA Open Class Vintage Motocross Championship. He covers adventure motorcycles, gear, and culture for Adventure Rigs.