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BDR announces its seventh route, the NVBDR, produced in partnership with the American Honda Motor Co. Inc, TravelNevada and RideNow Vegas.
The NVBDR release includes free GPS tracks and route travel information on the BDR website, a waterproof map from Butler Motorcycle Maps, and expedition documentary DVD produced by ColorBlind, and BDR Documentary Films.
The NVBDR is a scenic ride across Nevada, beginning in Oatman, AZ, and finishing in Jarbidge, NV. Created for dual-sport and adventure motorcyclists, this 900-mile south-to-north route primarily uses dirt roads to lead riders through Nevada’s expansive deserts, open sagebrush valleys, and seemingly endless mountain ranges.
In rural Nevada, you’ll experience historic saloons and relics from it’s rich mining history. The state’s maverick spirit remains, and you’ll see ghost towns, artifacts, desert sculptures, murals, the world’s largest car forest, jackrabbits, antelope and even wild mustangs.
Most importantly, the film reveals miles of meandering two-track roads that are just perfect for spending time on an adventure motorcycle.
Route Updates
April 17, 2018 - Section 6 Change
June 19, 2017 - Update on Current Road Conditions
Feb 26, 2017 - Temporary (March 2, 3 and 4) Re-Route of NVBDR Sec 1 for Mint 400
NVBDR Discovery Points
While riding the NVBDR, we recommend visiting some (or all) of these places. They were selected for their natural beauty, photo opportunities, historical significance, or pure pleasure of discovery! Send us your photos from these discovery points to share with the BDR community.
(Listing South to North)
Oatman - Food and Lodging: 35.02639 -114.383572, on the route.
Laughlin - Food, Gas, Lodging: 35.168386 -114.572489, on the route.
Davis Dam: 35.196072 -114.569875, side trip.
Lake Mohave: 35.428451 -114.648694, side trip.
Searchlight - Food, Gas, Lodging: 35.465248 -114.920012, on the route.
Nipton - Lodging: 35.4672 -115.272271, on the route.
The Solar Array Solar Power Farm: 35.551524 -115.458878, side trip.
Primm - Food, Gas, Lodging: 35.612393 -115.38804, on the route.
Roller Coaster at Buffalo Bills Casino: 35.613459 -115.383329, on the route.
Chicken Ranch Brothel: 36.073423 -115.956647, side trip.
Pahrump - Food, Gas, Lodging: 36.208838 -115.984632, on the route.
Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Museum: 36.420066 -116.329659, on the route.
Titus Canyon in Death Valley National Park: 36.83462 -117.099976, side trip.
Beatty - Food, Gas, Lodging: 36.908439 -116.759373, on the route.
Scotty’s Castle in Death Valley National Park: 37.031917 -117.341435, side trip.
Hard Luck Mine Castle: 37.264523 -117.260085, on the route.
The Mizpah Hotel: 38.068316 -117.230763, on the route.
Tonopah Museum: 38.068816 -117.230026, on the route.
Tonopah - Food, Gas, Lodging: 38.070104 -117.231875, on the route.
Old Tonopah Cemetery: 38.072381 -117.238387, side trip.
Manhattan Ghost Town: 38.538872 -117.074762, side trip.
Belmont Ghost Town: 38.595688 -116.874926, on the route.
Spencer Hot Springs: 39.326947 -116.855852, side trip.
Austin - Food, Gas, Lodging: 39.491645 -117.06785, on the route.
Stokes Castle: 39.493559 -117.079656, side trip.
Pony Express Trail: 39.518223 -117.034279, on the route.
Ruby Mountains and Ruby Mountain Lakes: 40.548308 -115.661019, side trip.
Lamoille - Food & Lodging: 40.727996 -115.478364, side trip.
Elko - Food, Gas, Lodging: 40.832631 -115.76323, on the route.
Wild Horse Reservoir: 41.67086 -115.799185, side trip.
Jarbridge - Food and Gas: 41.875228 -115.43066, on the route.
Businesses Servicing the Route (Lodging, Food and Fuel)
Oatman, AZ
The Saddle Sore Ranch: 4597 S Jasper Road, Golden Valley, AZ 86413. Tel. 702-728-7719. 5 acre property with motorcycle camping area, outdoor bar, several firepits, bbq grills, horseshoe pits.
Oatman Hotel: 181 Main St, Oatman, AZ 86433. Tel: (928) 768-4408. No lodging, food only. Historic Old West venue turned ice cream shop & American eatery with dollar bills on the walls.
Olive Oatman Restaurant & Saloon; 171 Main St, Oatman, AZ 86433. Tel.: (928) 768-1891
Laughlin, NV
Numerous casinos.
Campground at Lake Mead National Recreation Area (A Hidden Gem). About 3 miles NW of town on Hwy 163 turn on Nevada Telephone Cove Road. Follow road about 4 miles until it ends at Telephone Cove Nevada side Lake Mohave.
Searchlight, NV
El Ray Motel: 430 US-95, Searchlight, NV 89046. Tel. (702) 297-1144
B V Motel: 115 Gaviland St, Searchlight, NV 89046. Tel. (702) 297-6306
Blue Sky Motel (11 miles south of Searchlight): 2 Spirit Mountain Ln, Cal-Nev-Ari, NV 89039. Tel. (702) 297-1118
Primm, NV
Primm Valley Casino Resorts: 31900 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Jean, NV 89019. Tel. (702) 386-7867
Whiskey Pete’s Hotel & Casino: 31900 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Jean, NV 89019 Tel. (702) 386-7867
Buffalo Bill's: 31700 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Primm, NV 89019. Tel. (702) 386-7867
Jean, NV
Gold Strike Hotel & Gambling: 1 Main Street, Jean, NV 89019. Tel. (702) 477-5000
Goodsprings, NV
Pioneer Saloon: 310 NV-161, Goodsprings NV 89019. Tel. (702) 874-9362. Food only.
Sandy Valley, NV
Idle Spurs of Sandy Valley: 1650 Quartz Ave, Sandy Valley, NV 89019. Tel. (702) 723-1702. Food only.
Trails End General Store: 600 Quartz Avenue, Sandy Valley, NV 89019. Tel. (702)723-5111. Food only.
Pahrump, NV
Pahrump Nugget Hotel & Casino: 681 S Highway 160, Pahrump, NV 89048. Tel. 775-751-6500.
Saddle West Hotel Casino: 1220 NV-160, Pahrump, NV 89048. Tel. (775) 727-1111.
K-7 Bed & Breakfast: 6050 Thousandaire Blvd, Pahrump, NV 89061. Tel: (775) 513-6227
Beatty, NV
Atomic Inn: 350 S 1st St, Beatty, NV 89003. Tel. (775) 553-2250.
Death Valley Inn: 651 US-95, Beatty, NV 89003. Tel. (775) 553-9400.
Stagecoach Hotel: 900 US-95, Beatty, NV 89003. Tel. (775) 553-2419.
Motel 6: 550 E Hwy 95 N, Beatty, NV 89003. Tel. (775) 553-9090.
Gold Point, NV
Gold Point Ghost Town, Bed & Breakfast: NV-774, Gold Point, NV 89013. Tel. 775-482-4653
Goldfield, NV (Food & Emergency Gas-look for sign on US95)
Dinky Diner (Food): 323 Crook Ave, Goldfield, NV 89013.
The Hoist House Tavern (Food): 300 N Columbia Ave, Goldfield, NV 89013.
Tonopah, NV
Tonopah Station: 1137 Erie St, Tonopah, NV 89049. Tel. (775) 482-9777
Mizpah Hotel (Haunted Hotel): 100 N Main St, Tonopah, NV 89049. Tel. (775) 482-3030.
National 9 Inn, 720 N Main, Tonopah, NV 89049. Tel. (775) 482-8202.
Belmont, NV
Campground - Beautifully maintained dry campground about .5 mile south of town on Hwy 82.
Austin, NV
Lincoln Motel: 60 Main St, Austin, NV 89310. Tel. (775) 964-2698.
Cozy Mountain Motel: 40 Main St, Austin, NV 89310. Tel. (775) 964-2471
Pony Canyon Motel: 30 Main St, Austin, NV 89310. Tel. (775) 964-2605.
Union Street Lodging (Bed&Breakfast): 69 Union St, Austin, NV 89310. Tel. (775) 964-2364
Elko, NV
Numerous motels, food, lodging, gas, camping.
Jarbidge, NV
Outdoor Inn: Main St, Jarbidge, NV 89826. Tel. (775) 488-2311. Food/Camping/Hotel/Showers/Laundry.
Backcountry Discovery Routes Currently in Development:
California Backcountry Discovery Route South
California Backcountry Discovery Route North
North East Backcountry Discovery Route
South East Backcountry Discovery Route
Wyoming Backcountry Discovery Route
Montana Backcountry Discovery Route
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Backcountry Discovery Routes Headquarters
Food/Camping/Hotel/Showers/Laundry.
Main St, Jarbidge, NV 89826
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Food/Camping/Hotel/Showers/Laundry.
Main St, Jarbidge, NV 89826
Tel. (775) 488-2311
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The NVBDR is the seven route developed by the Backcountry Discovery Routes organization for dual-sport and adventure motorcycle travel. The NVBDR is a south-to-north route across the state of Nevada covering over 900 miles of mostly non-paved track. The route begins in the old mining town of Oatman, AZ and finishes in Jarbidge, Nevada. You will experience challenging riding on remote backcountry roads through this beautiful state. Discover Nevada’s scenic terrain including iconic deserts, rocky valleys, high-elevation forests, sage high desert, and beautiful canyons. You will experience the unique sights only found here, in Nevada. Enjoy Nevada’s rural towns, mining districts, historic locations, wild west saloons & colorful people.
This is probably one of the harder BDR’s to plan the entire trip due to temperature changes from start to finish. Temperatures in Sections 1 and 2 can be as high as 110 in the summer months. But can be 60-80s in April, May, Oct, and Nov. You can in most cases ride these sections throughout the winter as well. Once you head north from Gold Point to Jarbidge the temperatures become cooler. You can expect to ride these sections from June to October. However, you may run into snow in the very northern part into late June, depending on snowpack. Snow does begin to fall in early October in northern Nevada and can make travel impassable. We suggest you ride from the North to the South in the summer until you can’t stand the heat and ride from the South to the North until you can’t take the cold.
Most people average 150 miles a day on a backcountry motorcycle trip. Plan on doing this route in 7-9 days depending on how fast you want to travel and how early you want to roll out of camp. There is a lot of history to see and Saloons to visit on the NVBDR so planning a little extra time is suggested.
The NVBDR route is designed to be ridden on adventure and dual-sport motorcycles, as well as driven in 4x4 vehicles. There are no single-track style trails on this route. Many of the roads are in remote areas and reach high elevation areas where road maintenance is minimal or non-existent. You can expect to cover sections of road with deep ruts, loose rocks, deep sand and other challenges. Road conditions change from week to week based on the recent weather. When you see signs that read, “Roads maybe impassable when wet”, use caution, roads become very slick and can be impassable. Depending on time of year and weather, there may be a few small deep water crossings. Flash floods are frequent during summer storms. Don’t cross flooded washes. Wait until water subsides.
Nevada has fast moving thunder storms during the summer months. These storms usually build in the mountains in the early afternoon and usually contain lightning, hail stones and heavy downpours. These storms can contain heavy winds with blinding dust storms.
Yes the route can be done North to South.
Always bring a complete set of maps for the area you plan to ride. They have good information about roads, water sources, and are an indispensable resource when the GPS doesn't work, or is giving questionable advice. Unplanned events can occur and having paper/synthetic maps of the area can be a life saver. National Forest maps are available at http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/map/state_list.shtml#U and local Ranger Stations. NVBDR Butler Motorcycle Maps are available at www.touratech-usa.com or www.butlermaps.com.
Any GPS unit capable of displaying 15 track logs with a minimum of 500 points each is suitable for use on the NVBDR. Garmin models that work best for this application are: Zumo 665/660, Montana, GPSMap 60, 62, 76, 78 and 276. Other GPS manufacturers may have units that will work. Check the technical specs to determine suitability.
Any bike that has a license plate, can run knobby tires, is set-up to carry the gear you plan to bring, and has the fuel range to make the distance between gas stops. Most adventure or dual-sport motorcycles will be suitable for the trip. Choose the bike that you are the most comfortable riding in desert and mountain terrain.
The tracks for the route can be downloaded free of charge online at RideBDR.com/NVBDR.
DOT approved knobby tires (such as Continental TKC 80, Mefo Super Explorer, or Dunlop 606) are strongly recommended.
Section 5: Austin to Elko the distance is over 200 miles. Carrying extra gas is strongly suggested. Section 4 also is a little long and has 178 miles between gas stops. Never pass up the opportunity to get gas.
There are few campgrounds and suitable dry camping locations along the route. The Butler Motorcycle Map for the NVBDR has a tent icon showing campgrounds on the route and many near the route. The NVBDR Butler Map is available at www.touratech-usa.com, www.butlermaps.com and other fine retailers and dealerships. You will also find dispersed camping along the way when on BLM lands. Please make sure you camp near the road and respect the property owners private lands along the route.
In most cases camp fires are allowed, but check with local BLM/Ranger Stations to determine if campfires are allowed before you build one. Forest fires are a threat during parts of the year and the rules that manage this risk must be followed. Be sure to fully extinguish fires so they are DEAD-OUT. Use water to ensure a fire is fully extinguished and the ground is left cool and wet.
The NVBDR has fewer hotel opportunities than other Backcountry Discovery Routes. Camping on the other hand, is plentiful. Official campgrounds are shown on the front of this map with a small tent icon and many more primitive backcountry camps can be found along the way. Because of the limited beds available in the small towns along the NVBDR, it is recommended that riders make reservations ahead of their arrival. Rooms can be found in Laughlin, Searchlight, Primm, Pahrump, Beatty, Gold Point, Tonopah, Austin, Elko and Jarbidge.
There are a few natural water sources along this route however, depending on the snow pack, some may not be running. You can find potable water in the towns along the way. It is suggested that plenty of water is carried for personal and cooking use. Here is a video on water filtration filmed in the Oregon Backcountry: http://youtu.be/vqOFZAoZdTU
Yes, there are several gates on the route. The route travels through several ranches where you will find gates open and closed. Please leave the gates as you find them.
The highest elevations are reached in sections 4 & 6, where elevations climb to 8800ft. The NVBDR starts out in sections 1 & 2 with average elevations of 2500ft to 3000ft. The rest of the route averages between 5000ft to 6500ft with several higher elevations when climbing over mountain ranges.
Check the BDR website for updates on current road conditions. We try to post road closures/changes as we hear about them from riders and agencies. Updates are posted on specific route pages and on the home page. Check the BDR Facebook page for route comments from other riders. Additioanlly, a BDR forum is currently in the works, where riders will be able to share the most up-to-date date trip information with each other.
Much of this route is remote and out of reach for cell phone towers. There will be long sections with no coverage. Your best bet is to talk or text in the towns or on top of mountains. You will be surprised where you get coverage and where you don't. A satellite communication device is a good idea in the backcountry. Phones with Verizon service have more coverage on this route vs AT&T.
Nevada is a habitat to many large animals like the Black Bear, Elk, Deer and Antelope. Safe food practices while camping are an absolute for your safety and the animals safety. Here is a link to find out more. Rattlesnakes are also found throughout the state.
For the most part all of BDR routes are doable by 4x4's with adequate tires and clearance. The roads are all public roads and do require a street legal vehicle. One thing to keep in mind, the routes conditions can change dramatically due to rain and flash floods which cause the roads to become difficult or un-passable.
There is only one case where a jeep can't get through, and that is a section in Idaho where it's a 60" barrier. There is a go around near. You can go down the road to cross another bridge and pick the route on the other side.
The UTBDR probably will be the most challenging route in a 4x4 if you take the expert sections. Lockhart Basin is the hardest section of all the BDR's.
We get this question all the time. Here are some key things to consider as you put together your plan.
All of the BDR routes include intermediate to advanced terrain. If a person is on a large bike twin-cylinder bike like an R1200GS Adventure or Yamaha Super Tenere, the routes can be very difficult. If a person’s skills are not advanced level, they may consider taking a smaller bike or choosing the easier options when possible. A BDR is something a person should build up to and it shouldn’t be their first overnight trip on their ADV bike.
Although, ID, WA and CO are less difficult than UT and AZ, they all contain difficult sections. Lockhart Basin in UT is the hardest section of all the BDR's. We suggest looking at the Butler Map and take the optional easier routes to avoid the difficult sections.
Even taking this approach there may be difficult stretches depending on changes in road conditions, weather, construction and the unknown. This is part of what makes it an adventure.
Regardless of its description on the map or in the film, no section of a BDR should be underestimated.
Do some shorter overnight trips as practice and ride increasingly difficult terrain to build up your skills and confidence. Also remember that riding with a fully-loaded bike should be practiced prior to tackling a BDR. Lastly, always ride with a group so that you have a team to help overcome any obstacles whether it’s terrain, mechanicals, navigation, medical emergency, etc…
In summary, take baby steps and work up to doing a BDR. Don’t make it your first adventure motorcycle outing on a full-sized twin-cyclinder bike.
This advice comes from Rob Watt, BDR Director of Developemnt, and Wilderness EMT.
We carry items for wound management, breaks, basic meds and dental. You can buy a good first aid kit at one of the outdoor stores online or Touratech-USA. Get one that is an Extended Day Backpacker or 3-4 person kit. These kits usually have the basics for a motorcycle trip.
They usually don't have a SAM splint, so pick one of those up along with a couple ace bandages. One other thing that we do for every multi-day trip, is to gather important information about each rider: allergies, medications, medical issues, emergency contacts, etc.
Then we put that on a master sheet for each person, so if something does happen we have that information handy incase that person can't speak. Another good practice is to do a little research of where medical facilities are along your planned route. Is there a "flight for life" in the area? Where are the hospitals, Medical clinics, etc?
Here is a list of some items that you should have in your medical kit:
(This packing list serves as an example and is not intended to be a complete list for your backcountry riding needs. Feel free to customize this list to work for you.)
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Main St, Jarbidge, NV 89826
Tel. (775) 488-2311
