ORBDR Route Updates
Updated May 21, 2026
Join our Facebook Group for more route updates.
Visit the official ORBDR Facebook Group page for ride reports, photos, and discussions with other riders in your area HERE
Important: Wildfire Season is Here
The unfortunate reality of wildfire season is upon us and there are important reminders to keep in mind:
- While we do our best to post Route Updates for significant fire bypasses or closures, the rapidly-changing conditions of wildfires make it nearly impossible to track.
- Before and during your ride, there are important things you must do to ensure your safety and adherence to closures:
- Always check for Route Updates and download the latest GPS track file just before you go. Note, recommended bypasses are not always included in the track file.
- Reference the official BDR Interactive Map wildfire layers to see current activity HERE
- Use other wildfire apps and websites to cross-reference data, such as WatchDuty HERE
- Join the official Facebook Group Page for the route you intend to ride and monitor throughout your trip. This is a great way to get up to date reports and share intel.
- Email us at [email protected] or report a route update on the mobile website to help us track any changes.
- Check local jurisdictions for campfire regulations and bans. Please consider not having any campfires.
- Always respect closures and adhere to detours. Wildfires are a tragic event for local residents. Be respectful of locals and allow the hard-working fire crews to do their job: stay out of their way.
See attached screenshots for reference.
Important: Downed Trees
In the early riding season there can be multiple blocked roads due to downed trees:
- While we do our best to post Route Updates for major extended closures, treefall is often cleared quickly so impacts are generally not posted here.
- Before and during your ride:
- Carry a saw on your bike to clear downed trees for safe passage and to help riders behind you.
- If the road is impassable, backtrack on the route and find a logical way around. Use the official BDR map and your GPS devices to research the most effective safe bypass.
- Never venture off the main route onto sensitive areas to bypass a downed tree.
- Join the official Facebook Group Page for the route you intend to ride and monitor throughout your trip. This is a great way to get up to date reports and share intel.
- Always respect posted closures and adhere to official USFS detours.
- Check for Route Updates and download the latest GPS track file just before you go. Note, recommended bypasses are not always included in the track file.
See attached photos for reference.
May 21, 2026
New Tracks Available for Download
A new version of the ORBDR tracks is available labeled ORBDR-May2026
In addition to the significant revisions changes listed in the previous post, this update includes a slight change to Section 2:
- A previous portion of the route has been revised east of Thompson Reservoir to bypass a section of highly degraded terrain.
See attached screenshots for reference.
Purchase the updated official map for the ORBDR HERE
Always download the latest version of the GPS tracks just before you go HERE
November 11, 2025
New Tracks Available for Download – Major Updates!
A new version of the ORBDR tracks is available labeled ORBDR-Nov2025
This update marks a significant and exciting change to the Oregon BDR.
- Sections 1-3 have now been completely redesigned and are brand new! More on that below.
- Plus, a new addition to Section 7 to include a great portion of Barlow Wagon Road.
Why the Change?
As an organization, we strive to deliver the best riding opportunities for our community, and the all-new revisions to the first three sections of the ORBDR are certainly no exception.
After releasing the ORBDR, riders faced logistical challenges with the original Sections 1-3 often being closed due to wildfire travel restrictions on BLM land and the Hart Mtn Wildlife Refuge. This, and the higher temperatures in the southern Oregon desert meant a very short window to safely ride the entire route from start to finish.
The newly revised Sections 1-3 start and remain in higher elevation National Forests to match a similar climate to the northern sections. This will ensure a more predictable and consistent riding season to run the entire route, whereas in the past by the time the northern sections opened in the Cascades after snowmelt, the southern three sections were too hot with temperatures over 100F and often closed for the remainder of the season, and deep sand was possible creating more difficult riding conditions. Given that the new sections start at a higher elevation, riders can expect to ride the entire updated route between mid-June and mid-October, depending on snowfall.
We as an organization love the original three sections, and our community can rest assured they will not go to waste. We are actively working on a brand new BDR-X in southeastern Oregon that will use the best parts of the original three sections combined with the best parts of the current Steens/Alvord BDR-X to create a brand-new longer and more comprehensive loop-style route in this region.
While we will no longer be advising on route conditions or publishing the original three sections as part of the ORBDR track file downloads, those roads and areas remain public and available to ride, and if you choose to venture into this area be mindful of the extreme summer heat and potential closures.
Creating the best routes for our community to ride while enabling a strong economic impact to small communities is our number one goal, and we’re delighted to release this significant change in an effort to do just that.
- See attached screenshots for reference.
- Visit the main ORBDR page HERE to read about each new section. More information, photos, and video coming soon…
- Purchase the official ORBDR map which now includes the addendum map for the new sections 1-3 HERE
- Always download the latest version of the GPS tracks just before you go HERE
FOLLOW US!
