Piste du Dades — Boumalne Dades to Msemrir via the Dades Gorge and High Atlas Plateau
Past the tourist switchbacks, the real Dades begins.
The paved road through the Dades Gorge is well known — tourist vans go as far as the famous curved switchbacks and call it done. What most of them never see is what starts at Msemrir: a proper piste climbing onto the High Atlas plateau toward Imilchil, where the tarmac stops and the route gets honest. From Boumalne Dades the drive through the gorge itself takes you past layered rose-red cliffs, Berber villages stacked against the canyon walls, and the famous spiral hairpins at the top of the gorge before the road degrades to dirt. The canyon narrows at its upper end to a point where the walls almost touch, with the Dades River running underneath your wheels at multiple crossings.
Above the gorge the piste to Msemrir requires real high clearance and a capable 4WD — the clay surface turns impossible when wet and some sections involve rocky steps that will bottom out anything unprepared. Best season is May through October; winter snowfall closes the high plateau entirely. Fuel at Boumalne before you go — Msemrir has nothing reliable. Water crossings of the Dades River are manageable in dry season but can be thigh-deep in spring snowmelt. The reward for grinding past the tourist cutoff is a high plateau view with the Atlas spine laid out south toward the Saharan fringe, and Berber villages that see very few foreign vehicles.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Difficult |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Overland Route, Technical 4x4 |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel, Rock |
| Features | High Altitude, Historic, Remote, Scenic, Water Crossings |
| Length (miles) | 47 mi / 76 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 7900 ft |
| Best season | May-October |
| Minimum vehicle | 4WD high-clearance, skid plates recommended |
| Nearest town | Boumalne Dades, Drâa-Tafilalet |
| Land manager | Haut-Commissariat aux Eaux et Forêts et à la Lutte Contre la Désertification / Province de Tinghir |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | Yes |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
No recent condition reports. Be the first to post one.
Log in to post a condition report.
Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Jeep Wrangler or Land Cruiser handle this without modifications?
A stock Wrangler or Land Cruiser with factory high clearance and skid plates will manage, but you'll want them. Rocky ledges and embedded limestone on the plateau section can catch low-hanging differentials. Lifted rigs have an easier time above Aït Oudinar where the piste gets loose and uneven.
When does the route typically open and close each year?
May through October is the reliable window. Winter snow closes the high plateau sections — sometimes as early as November — and spring melt can make the water crossings genuinely dangerous through April. July and August are hot in the gorge but manageable at altitude.
Do I need a permit to drive this piste, and are there any fees?
No permit is required to drive the route. Morocco doesn't charge trail access fees here. If you camp near villages, a small informal arrangement with locals for water or a flat spot is common courtesy, not an official fee.
What's the hardest section and what actually makes it technical?
The plateau push above the gorge switchbacks — roughly between Aït Oudinar and the approach to Msemrir — is where it gets honest. Loose rock shelves, off-camber traverses, and narrow cuts with drop-offs demand slow, deliberate driving. It's not about horsepower; it's about line choice and not rushing it.
Is there anywhere to get fuel or water between Boumalne Dades and Msemrir?
Fuel up in Boumalne Dades before you leave — there's nothing reliable on the route until Msemrir, which has a small station but don't count on supply consistency. Water crossings exist on the route but carry your own drinking water; villages along the gorge sometimes have wells but purification is on you.
Trail track
No GPX track for this trail yet. If you've driven it and have a track, contribute below.
Log in to contribute a GPX track.