New Mexico
ModerateTrans-America Trail — Grants to Silver City via the Gila National Forest and Continental Divide Dirt Corridor (New Mexico Full Segment)
New Mexico empty. No pavement, no people.
Trail Type: Overland Route
China
ExpertSichuan–Tibet Highway — Kangding to Markam via Litang, Batang, and the High Tibetan Plateau (G318 Central High Segment)
Roof of the world, no guardrails.
Australia
DifficultGibb River Road — Derby to Kununurra via the Kimberley Gorge Country (Dry Season Classic, Full Traverse, King Leopold Ranges and Manning Gorge Complete Run)
The Kimberley's spine. No shortcuts.
Mongolia
ExpertGobi Desert Bayanzag to Khongoryn Els — Southern Mongolian Desert Circuit via Moltsog Els and Sevrei Mountains
Trackless Gobi. Zero margin for error.
Ethiopia
DifficultSimien Mountains High Road — Debark to Ras Dashen Base Camp via the Ethiopian Roof Escarpment (Full Traverse)
Africa's roof, raw and unforgiving.
Norway
ModerateGimsøy to Å — Lofoten Islands E10 Coastal Mountain Road via Vestvågøy and Moskenesøya (Full Traverse)
Where the road ends at the Arctic sea.
Colorado
ModerateTrans-America Trail — Telluride to Moab via Paradox Valley and Gateway (Colorado–Utah Canyon Connector)
San Juan high country to canyon desert on pure dirt.
Andalusia
ModerateTransibérica Off-Road — Miranda do Douro to Ronda via the Iberian Interior Wilderness (Full Peninsula Overland Traverse)
Iberia edge to edge, the way it used to be crossed.
Australia
DifficultBirdsville Track — Marree to Birdsville via the Tirari Desert and Diamantina River Floodplains (Classic Outback Full Traverse)
The drovers' road. Still earns its reputation.
Niger
ExtremePiste du Tenere — Agadez to Bilma via the Erg du Ténéré and Fachi Oasis
The emptiest desert crossing on the planet.