The latest Backcountry Discovery Route (BDR) is live. The Lost Coast BDR-X is the 20-second published route.
It is a 500-mile figure-eight loop through northern California’s Lost Coast, a mostly undeveloped stretch of rugged coastline. The route is designed for adventure and dual-sport motorcycle travel, but can also be done with a high-clearance 4×4.
The route is designed to start and end in Fort Bragg. It’s a mix of pavement, gravel, dirt, rocks, and even sand. Yes, you can ride out on the beach at Usal Beach and Shelter Cove Beach on this route.
The route also has lots of switchbacks, epic coastal views, dense forests, ancient redwoods, and historic tiny towns. Overall, this is a moderate-skill level route and “appropriate for lower-intermediate riders.”
It can be done quickly, or you can take your time and explore, but this route generally takes 4-5 days on an adventure bike to complete. May through October is the best time to do this route, as there are seasonal road closures in the winter.
The only real bummer on this route is that there is no dispersed camping. Lodging will have to be at established campgrounds and/or hotel/motels in the local towns, which there are plenty of.
Runtime: 38 minutes
