California
ModerateMontaña de Oro Bluff Trail and Islay Creek Road — San Luis Obispo Coast Backcountry via Valencia Peak
Pacific cliffs, creek crossings, zero crowds.
Feature: Scenic
Idaho
ModerateIdaho BDR Southern Segment — Murphy to Rogerson via the Snake River Canyon Rim and Owyhee Desert
Owyhee emptiness — 200 miles of nobody.
France
ModeratePassage du Gua — Col de la Bonette to Jausiers via the Highest Paved Mountain Road in the Alps
Highest paved road in the Alps. Earn the view.
Canada
ExpertContwoyto Winter Road — Tibbit Lake to Ekati Diamond Mine via the Barren Lands Ice Road
600 km of ice road. The lake beneath you is the road.
New Zealand
ModerateMordor Road — Lake Ōhau to Ohau Skifield via the Mackenzie Basin High Terrace
Rohan is real. It's in the Mackenzie Basin.
Colorado
ExpertBlack Bear Pass Road — Telluride to Silverton via the San Juan High Alpine Shelf
One-way. One lane. Straight down into Telluride.
India
DifficultLeh to Tso Moriri — Korzok High Altitude Desert Crossing via Puga Valley Hot Springs
4,500m. No guardrails. One sacred lake.
USA
ModerateTrans-America Trail — Clifton Forge to Lewisburg via the Allegheny Highland Divide
Appalachian ridgelines, zero traffic, real dirt.
India
DifficultLeh to Khardung La and Nubra Valley — Northern Ladakh High Desert via Khardung Village
5,359 metres. Camels below. Glaciers above.
Idaho
DifficultIdaho BDR Northern Segment — Coeur d’Alene to Lowell via the St. Joe River and Selway Corridor
St. Joe River to Selway — Idaho at its most honest.