It’s been 15 years since we launched the Washington BDR, our first route. Since then, we’ve been saving up route changes, big and small, for a future update. That time is now! Because of the route changes, we are releasing new GPX tracks, a new printed map (coming in January 2026), and a new short film of the founders riding the WABDR in its new configuration.

The Washington Backcountry Discovery Route is a multi-day off-pavement ride designed for dual-sport and adventure motorcycles. This route begins at the border with Oregon on the Columbia River and quickly ascends into Washington’s densely forested South Cascade Range, passing by 12,276’ Mt. Adams on the way northward. The central portion of the route explores the more arid eastern foothills of the Cascades and crosses multiple sub-ranges with optional, more difficult rocky and rutted roads. After crossing the Entiat and Chelan Mountains, the route descends and wraps around Lake Chelan to enter the North Cascades.

This remote northern region offers wonderful scenery and undulating backroads before ending at a remote US-Canada border crossing near the ghost town of Nighthawk. It takes around 4-6 days on average to ride this 688-mile route with countless photo opportunities along the way to slow you down. The best time of year to ride it is July-Sept when it’s typically snow free at the highest elevations. Despite being one of the shorter BDRs, the WABDR packs in a lot of stunning viewpoints, quaint small towns, and epic riding that you won’t forget.