2026

There are significant changes being applied to the 2026 ADV Cannonball Rally. 

First, competitors will now be responsible for booking their own accommodations. We have provided a “Hilton Group Link” that offers a substantial discount, allowing competitors to book and pay for their rooms. Each rider or team leader will be responsible for finding roommates, managing check-in and check-out, earning points and perks, and handling cancellations. Group Links are limited to 50 rooms per hotel, and they are on a first-come, first-served basis and are usually valid up to 60 days before the arrival date. Competitors can stay at other hotels if needed, but it’s discouraged.

The second change in 2026 pertains to the route. Competitors have demanded more miles and more difficulty.

Riders who choose to complete all paved road checkpoints and follow the route in its entirety will be rewarded with amazing motorcycle roads in stunning locations across the country. Based on our experience and pre-running conducted in the spring of 2025, competitors who ride spiritedly and depart each morning on time will successfully reach each evening's hotel before dark.

The 8-day, 4,000-mile ADVC route for 2026 will symbolically depart from Plymouth on the morning of Wednesday, September 16, 2026. Participants will journey through at least ten state forests and wilderness areas. From Butler Map's “Gold Motorcycle Roads,” the views are breathtaking throughout New York’s Catskills region. This first day will also rip through the Slide Mountain Wilderness with the day’s finish in the foothills of the Appalachians, overnighting in the Penn State College Town of PA.

On day two, competitors will collect GPS checkpoints while navigating the forested mountain roads of the Appalachian mountain range before heading to Lexington. Days three and four will involve covering significant distances on the open road across America, embodying the true spirit of any Cannonball event. If the weather permits, the ascent into Colorado's Rocky Mountains on day five will be enhanced by the vivid fall colors reminiscent of postcards.

Day five splits the participants into two groups: on-pavement and off-pavement riders. We’ve been exploring these routes for years and can confidently say that both options feature some of the best tracks on the planet. Off-pavement riders will conquer Tin Cup Pass and the challenging switchbacks of “Lands End” in Colorado. Meanwhile, both groups will enjoy incredible G-1 paved roads as they head west.

In Utah, the group will make their way into Moab via the Onion Creek ADV route, which includes more than 15 shallow water crossings and breathtaking red rock views that are hard to describe to members of your local Starbucks motorcycle club. The paved-only group will ride along a series of winding roads, showcasing the finest motorcycle routes in the Rockies.

Day 6 from Moab to Las Vegas will be an epic day for some, while it may prove quite challenging for others. The off-pavement route is best suited for those who handled the previous day’s sections without difficulty. Dirt and sand tracks run down the Burr Trail Switchbacks and through Singing and Cottonwood Canyons, which are big-ADV-bike-friendly. Riders will also need to put in extra effort on the paved sections to reach the hotel before dark, riding through Hell’s Backbone, Capitol Reef, and Zion National Parks. Remember that the ADVC is a friendly competition, not a retirement bagger tour. Although it would be awesome if someone did show up with a bagger and won the day. This is the most challenging stage of the event, but the stunning views of Monument Valley, the Valley of Fire, and the Lake Mead area will make it worthwhile. Never attempt any optional off-pavement stage in bad weather.

*Photographs are from 2026 route pre-rides or past events.

If you haven't been arrested in Las Vegas, today's ride will head West through Red Rock Canyon and Death Valley before noon. After leaving Father Crowley Valley, the entire group will climb up the Sierra Nevada range into the Sequoia Forest. At Isabella Lake, you will have the option to take a 4X4 trail down the mountain, or you can choose the paved route that winds through classic California canyon roads into Bakersfield.

On the final day, there will be three distinct elevation ranges and two ADV option tracks. If the coastal road is open, the RM will reroute into Big Sur if the opportunity allows.