Multi-Day 4x4 Routes: BDRs & Overland Routes
Multi-day 4WD and overland routes, described from official agency and route-organization data: legs, permits and seasons. Each guide links the land manager or route organization to confirm current conditions.
Backcountry Discovery Routes
What Backcountry Discovery Routes are, and every BDR we cover.
Read the overviewColorado Backcountry Discovery Route (COBDR)
The Colorado BDR is an official, nonprofit-mapped, multi-day route across the state on county roads, national forest roads and seasonal dirt tracks, built and published by Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR) with free GPS tracks and a waterproof paper map from its own official site.
Live Fri, May 21Washington Backcountry Discovery Route (WABDR)
The Washington BDR (WABDR) is an official, nonprofit-published multi-day route across Washington state on national forest, DNR and county roads, mapped and published by Backcountry Discovery Routes with free GPS tracks and a waterproof paper map.
Live Fri, May 21Oregon Backcountry Discovery Route (ORBDR)
The Oregon BDR (ORBDR) is an official, nonprofit-published multi-day route across Oregon on national forest, BLM and county roads, mapped and published by Backcountry Discovery Routes with free GPS tracks and a waterproof paper map.
Live Fri, May 14Mid-Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route (MABDR)
The Mid-Atlantic BDR (MABDR) is an official, nonprofit-published multi-day route through Virginia and West Virginia's Appalachian backcountry, mapped and published by Backcountry Discovery Routes with free GPS tracks and a waterproof paper map.
Live Fri, May 14Idaho Backcountry Discovery Route (IDBDR)
The Idaho BDR (IDBDR) is an official, nonprofit-published multi-day route across Idaho on national forest, BLM and county roads, mapped and published by Backcountry Discovery Routes with free GPS tracks and a waterproof paper map.
Live Thu, May 13Montana Backcountry Discovery Route (MTBDR)
The Montana BDR (MTBDR) is an official, nonprofit-published multi-day route across Montana on national forest, BLM and county roads, mapped and published by Backcountry Discovery Routes with free GPS tracks and a waterproof paper map.
Live Thu, May 13Alpine Loop, Colorado
Colorado's Alpine Loop is a high-alpine 4WD byway connecting Lake City, Silverton and Ouray over Engineer Pass and Cinnamon Pass, managed jointly by the BLM Gunnison Field Office and the San Juan and Uncompahgre National Forests, and is not the same route as Utah's paved Alpine Loop Scenic Byway.
Live Thu, May 27
Arizona Peace Trail
The Arizona Peace Trail is a 675-mile OHV loop built in 2013 by the BLM and Arizona Game and Fish Department with local off-road clubs, running through Mohave, La Paz and Yuma counties in western Arizona on old mining and county roads marked with BLM and Peace Trail carsonite posts.
Live Thu, May 27Dalton Highway, Alaska
The Dalton Highway is a 414-mile gravel-and-dirt road across northern Alaska from Livengood to Deadhorse and the Prudhoe Bay oilfields, open to the public without a special permit since 1994 and managed in part by the BLM, which runs the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center at Coldfoot along the route.
Live Thu, May 27Texas Hill Country Overland Route
The Texas Hill Country Overland Route is a roughly 148-mile (up to about 300 miles with optional loops) ranch-country tour through central Texas, starting near Horseshoe Bay and running through Mason before ending in Fredericksburg, on a mix of roughly 65% dirt/gravel and 35% paved two-lane road.
Live Fri, May 21The Routes Compared
| Route | Length | Published or managed by | Best season (official guidance) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado BDR | 745 miles, 6 sections | Backcountry Discovery Routes | July–September; most of it by late June |
| Washington BDR | 688 miles, 6 sections | Backcountry Discovery Routes | July–September |
| Oregon BDR | 682 miles, 7 sections | Backcountry Discovery Routes | Early July to end of September |
| Mid-Atlantic BDR | About 1,100 miles, 9 sections | Backcountry Discovery Routes | Mid-May to first snowfall; best early June and September–October |
| Idaho BDR | 1,250 miles, 9 sections | Backcountry Discovery Routes | July–October |
| Montana BDR | About 900 miles, 8 sections | Backcountry Discovery Routes | July and September, depending on snow and closures |
| Alpine Loop, Colorado | 63 miles | BLM (a Type III Back Country Byway) | Summer |
| Arizona Peace Trail | More than 675 miles | Arizona Peace Trail organization | — |
| Dalton Highway, Alaska | 414 miles, Livengood to Deadhorse | BLM corridor; Alaska DOT&PF road | — |
BDR lengths, sections and seasons are from each route's official page at ridebdr.com. Where no official season is published, the cell is left blank.
BDR, BDR-X and Connector Routes
Backcountry Discovery Routes publishes three kinds of route. Its classic cross-state BDRs run 600 to 1,300 miles and usually take 5 to 9 days. BDR-X routes are shorter loops that typically take 3 to 5 days. Connector routes link the end of one BDR to the start of another on off-highway terrain. BDR designs its routes for adventure and dual-sport motorcycles, but several route pages say a 4x4 can drive them: the Colorado and Washington pages say the entire route is at least double-track, and the Oregon page advises a high-clearance 4x4 because of deep puddles, large rocks, ruts and steep loose grades.
Fuel Range: A Worked Example
The longest gap between fuel on these routes is on the Dalton Highway. BLM's visitor guide lists gas at the Yukon River crossing (mile 56), Coldfoot (mile 175) and Deadhorse (mile 414), and none in between. That leaves 239 miles from Coldfoot to Deadhorse with no fuel.
- A truck averaging 15 mpg on gravel needs 239 ÷ 15 ≈ 16 gallons for that stretch.
- Keeping a 25% reserve for idling, detours and headwinds: 16 × 1.25 = 20 gallons.
- If the tank holds less than that, carry the difference in approved containers, as BLM's list of items to bring includes extra gasoline.
BDR sections are shorter but still long between towns: the Mid-Atlantic BDR's Warm Springs, VA to Moorefield, WV section is 172 miles, which at the same 15 mpg is about 11.5 gallons before any reserve.
BLM's Dalton guide also recommends at least two full-sized spare tires mounted on rims, a jack and tools, and extra motor oil for that road. Coldfoot and Deadhorse are the only stops listed with tire and vehicle repair.
Permits on These Routes
- BDRs: there is no single route permit; each section crosses land run by its own county, national forest or BLM office.
- Alpine Loop: plated vehicles on designated Colorado OHV routes need a Colorado OHV Permit ($26.25, April 1 to March 31).
- Dalton Highway: no permit or fee is required.
Recommended gear
Gear for long, remote routes
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Best for extra fuel on long, remote routes (EPA & CARB compliant).
- 5-gallon (20 L) NATO-style steel jerry can with spout.
- EPA and CARB compliant.
Best for plugging a tread puncture on the trail.
- Reamer-and-plugger kit for tread punctures.
- Lets you plug a tire on the trail instead of changing it.
Best for fast inflation of larger off-road tires.
- Heavy-duty 12V off-road compressor.
- Built for inflating larger off-road tires quickly.
Best for carrying drinking water where none is available.
- 5-gallon (20 L) BPA-free, food-grade water container.
- Military-style jug that stacks and stores in the bed.
We research products from manufacturer specs and owner feedback; we don't test them ourselves. How we choose.
Sources
- Backcountry Discovery Routes — Routes Overview — BDR 600–1,300 miles and 5–9 days; BDR-X 3–5-day loops; connector routes
- Backcountry Discovery Routes — About BDR — Routes designed for adventure and dual-sport motorcycle travel
- Backcountry Discovery Routes — Colorado BDR — 745 miles, six sections, season, entire route at least double-track
- Backcountry Discovery Routes — Washington BDR — 688 miles, six sections, July–September season, 4x4 access
- Backcountry Discovery Routes — Oregon BDR — 682 miles, seven sections, season, high-clearance 4x4 advice
- Backcountry Discovery Routes — Mid-Atlantic BDR — About 1,100 miles, nine sections (Warm Springs to Moorefield 172 miles), season
- Backcountry Discovery Routes — Idaho BDR — 1,250 miles, nine sections, July–October season
- Backcountry Discovery Routes — Montana BDR — About 900 miles, eight sections, season
- Bureau of Land Management — Alpine Loop Back Country Byway — 63 miles, Type III Back Country Byway, summer season
- Arizona Peace Trail — Official Site — More than 675 miles
- Bureau of Land Management — Dalton Highway — 414 miles, Livengood to Deadhorse; no permit or fee
- BLM — 2024 Dalton Highway Visitor Guide (PDF) — Mileage chart, gas and repair stops, two spare tires and extra gasoline
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife — Register an Off-Highway Vehicle — OHV Permit for plated vehicles, fee and validity