Announcing the Hells Canyon BDR-X Release!
July 8th, 2026
SEATTLE, WA (July 8, 2026) — We are excited to announce the upcoming release of the Hells Canyon BDR-X (Idaho/Oregon), a new 520-mile adventure motorcycle loop that circumnavigates Hells Canyon, the deepest river gorge in North America.
The Hells Canyon BDR-X will officially launch on Friday, August 7, during the inaugural Yamaha Ténéré Trek Owner’s Rally at Tamarack Resort in Donnelly, Idaho. The BDR team will host an in-person route release celebration and broadcast the event live on YouTube at 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time.
Riders around the world are invited to join the live broadcast as BDR unveils the new route, premieres the Hells Canyon BDR-X expedition film, and makes free GPS tracks, travel resources, and the official BDR Motorcycle Map available.
ATTEND THE HELLS CANYON BDR-X WORLD PREMIERE
Join us for the Hells Canyon BDR-X official route release & film premiere held during the Yamaha Ténéré Trek Rally at Tamarack Resort in Donnelly, Idaho. Only 100 complimentary Friday evening passes are available for guest riders who are not already registered for the weekend rally.
WHEN:
Friday, August 7, 2026 at 7 pm Mountain
WHERE:
The Yamaha Ténéré Trek Rally at Tamarack Resort in Donnelly, Idaho
About the Route
The Hells Canyon BDR-X is a 520-mile off-pavement motorcycle loop that circumnavigates Hells Canyon, the deepest river gorge in North America. At 7,993 feet deep, Hells Canyon is nearly 2,000 feet deeper than the Grand Canyon. The route traverses both the Oregon and Idaho sides of the Snake River, connecting more than ten spectacular viewpoints and historic fire lookouts overlooking the canyon.
Riders will descend from high canyon rims to the river below before climbing back into mountain forests, experiencing elevation changes of more than 5,000 feet. Along the way, they’ll encounter diverse landscapes, changing climates, and remote backcountry roads that showcase one of the most rugged and awe-inspiring regions in the American West.
Designed as a moderate route with a few optional challenging sections, the Hells Canyon BDR-X is suitable for a wide range of adventure and dual-sport motorcycles while offering experienced riders opportunities to tackle more technical terrain.
Route Release Event & Film Premiere
The Hells Canyon BDR-X will officially debut on Friday, August 7, during the 2026 Yamaha Ténéré Trek Rally at Tamarack Resort in Donnelly, Idaho.
Adventure riders are invited to attend the event in person or tune in live on YouTube as the BDR team introduces the new route, shares stories from the expedition, premieres the full documentary film, and answers questions during a live Q&A.
Yamaha is offering 100 complimentary Friday evening passes for riders who would like to attend only the Hells Canyon BDR-X premiere. Riders interested in joining the celebration can reserve their free admission using the RSVP link on the premiere page.
For riders who want to experience the full rally, registration is available for the Yamaha Ténéré Trek, held August 6-9. The event features three days of riding, rider training, seminars, demo rides, and vendor exhibits, all based out of Tamarack Resort in the mountains of west-central Idaho. Register for the full rally at Yamaha Ténéré Trek Rally page.
GET THE HELLS CANYON BDR-X MAP
A BDR motorcycle map is an essential supplement to the free BDR GPS tracks when navigating BDR routes. This map contains the main route, detailed section descriptions, and information on points of interest, gas stops, seasonal weather, elevation profiles, and much more.
Click below to be notified as soon as the Hells Canyon BDR-X map is available.
“This route has been hard to keep a secret. Hells Canyon is one of my favorite places to ride because it never stops surprising you. One minute you’re riding along the canyon rim looking out across endless views, and the next you’re dropping thousands of feet toward the Snake River before climbing back into the mountains. Between the historic fire lookouts, incredible viewpoints, and constantly changing terrain, every day on this route feels different. I think a lot of people are going to come away wondering why they hadn’t discovered Hells Canyon sooner.”
“We’re excited to partner with Yamaha to unveil the Hells Canyon BDR-X at the inaugural Yamaha Ténéré Trek. It’s a great way to introduce the route, surrounded by a community that shares our passion for adventure riding and exploring the backcountry. We’d also like to thank the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative for helping make this project possible. Their support allows us to create and steward routes like the Hells Canyon BDR-X, giving riders another incredible destination to explore while promoting responsible recreation and helping preserve access to public lands.”
Supporting Responsible Access
Industry Sponsors
The Hells Canyon BDR-X was developed with support from the Yamaha Outdoor Access Initiative, whose 2026 grant to BDR helps expand responsible access to public lands through sustainable motorized recreation.
Additional support for the Hells Canyon BDR-X expedition was provided by AllTerra by Alpinestars, which equipped the BDR team with adventure riding gear, and onX Offroad, BDR’s preferred navigation app, making it easy for riders to plan, navigate, and explore every BDR route.
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