Plymouth, MA → Central Pennsylvania

Catskills to the Appalachian Foothills

The route runs through at least ten state forests and wilderness areas on day one alone. Butler Map's "Gold Motorcycle Roads" carry riders through New York's Catskills before the route rips through the Slide Mountain Wilderness. The day finishes in the foothills of the Appalachians, with an overnight stay in Penn State's college town.

Central Pennsylvania → Lexington

Into Appalachia

Riders collect GPS checkpoints while navigating forested mountain roads through the Appalachian range on the way to Lexington.

Across America

Open Road

Two days of covering serious distance, the true spirit of any Cannonball event, close the gap toward the Rockies. If the weather cooperates, the day-five climb into Colorado is framed by fall color that looks like a postcard.

Colorado Rockies → Moab, UT

Cumberland Pass to Onion Creek

Day five splits the field into two groups. Off-pavement riders take on Tin Cup via Cumberland Pass and the switchbacks of "Lands End" in Colorado, while both groups share incredible G-1 paved roads heading west. In Utah, riders make their way into Moab on the Onion Creek ADV route, crossing more than 15 shallow water crossings beneath red rock views. The paved-only group rides a series of winding roads through some of the finest motorcycle terrain in the Rockies.

Moab → Las Vegas

Burr Trail to the Backbone

This is the hardest stage of the rally, best suited to riders who handled day five without trouble. The off-pavement route runs dirt and sand down the Burr Trail Switchbacks and through Singing and Cottonwood Canyons. The paved route still demands pace to beat the sunset, threading Hell's Backbone, Capitol Reef, and Zion National Park. The ADVC is a friendly competition, not a retirement bagger tour, though we'd love to see a bagger take the day. The views of Monument Valley, the Valley of Fire, and Lake Mead make it worth the effort.

Skip any optional off-pavement section in bad weather.

Las Vegas → Bakersfield

Death Valley to the Sierra

The ride heads west through Red Rock Canyon and Death Valley before noon. After Father Crowley Valley, the group climbs the Sierra Nevada into Sequoia Forest. At Isabella Lake, riders choose a 4x4 trail down the mountain or a paved run through classic California canyon roads into Bakersfield.

Final Day

Three Elevations, One Finish

The last day covers three distinct elevation ranges and two ADV route options. If the coastal road is open, the route may reroute through Big Sur.