The rally departs the Maine coast and almost immediately enters some of the most celebrated motorcycle roads in the northeastern United States. The Kancamagus Highway, known to riders as the Kanc, threads through the heart of New Hampshire's White Mountain National Forest at 2,855 feet, following the Swift River through rolling peaks, dense forest, and river valleys. Early June is excellent timing on the Kanc, well ahead of the summer tourist rush.

From the White Mountains the route pushes west into Vermont's Green Mountains, where the optional ADV route tackles Lincoln Gap, one of the sharpest paved climbs in the state, before the Appalachian Trail crosses the path and the day descends into Adirondack Park in New York. A short but demanding optional run through the Adirondacks BDR-X closes out the riding before dropping into the St. Lawrence River valley at Watertown.

Riders face a meaningful strategic choice at the hotel. The Lower Route covers approximately 500 miles through the US on interstate. The Maple Route covers 540 miles and crosses into Canada through Prince Edward County and Toronto via three ferry crossings and two international border crossings. A passport is required, and the organizers note it is not recommended for slower riders, as completing it under 12 hours is genuinely challenging.

A temporary regulation applies on June 9: checkpoints can only be collected in either Canada or the USA, not both, except for the daily finish line checkpoint.

The second high-mileage push drives 580 miles northwest across the Midwest. The route finishes with a stretch of local roads and a noted biker hangout before dropping into the Mississippi River valley at La Crosse and crossing over to Onalaska on the Wisconsin side. The Mississippi valley scenery on the approach is a welcome reward after two consecutive big interstate days.

The route turns decisively west and the landscape transforms. After a long run on I-90, the day's payoff arrives at Skyline Drive and the gateway to the Black Hills. The approach to Mount Rushmore via Keystone sets the tone, and then the real riding begins.

The historic Needles Highway, completed in 1922, snakes through granite towers and twisting bridges, past mountain lakes, craggy peaks, and the famed Cathedral Spires. Iron Mountain Road connects Custer State Park to Mount Rushmore National Memorial through three tunnels that frame the monument in the distance. The combination of Highway 16A and Needles Highway is the kind of riding that reminds people why they do this. The rally recommends saving the tunnel checkpoints for the morning of Day 5, as that day is designed to be ridden in and out from the east. Optional dirt checkpoints are available for off-road riders throughout the Black Hills.

The hardest day on paper and almost certainly the most spectacular in practice. After revisiting the Needles Highway tunnels in the morning, riders need to make good time across I-90 to position themselves for three major mountain passes before dark.

US Route 212, known as the Beartooth Highway, is a 68-mile stretch from Red Lodge, Montana to the northeast entrance of Yellowstone National Park, consistently ranked as one of the premier motorcycle routes in the country. The slower pace of Yellowstone stands in deep contrast to the wild turns, serious elevation, and views on top of Beartooth Pass. After crossing the pass, the route enters Yellowstone via the Northeast Entrance, follows Soda Butte Creek through Lamar Valley, one of the best areas for wildlife viewing in the park, and connects to Grand Loop Road for a section through America's first national park.

With 28,000 feet of elevation gain, this is not a day for late starts or long stops. A direct route to Bozeman exists at 496 miles and 7 hours, but skipping Beartooth and Yellowstone would be a significant missed opportunity.

After the drama of Day 5, Day 6 transitions into one of the most purely enjoyable riding days on the entire route. The paved route picks up MT-43 before connecting to US-12 for the crossing of northern Idaho into Lewiston.

US-12 traverses Lolo Pass at 5,233 feet, stretching roughly 135 miles from Kooskia, Idaho to Lolo, Montana, and is routinely ranked among the finest motorcycle roads in the country, serving mile after mile of seemingly endless curves among dramatic mountain vistas. The famous highway sign reading "Curves next 99 miles" is not an exaggeration. The route passes through the Lolo National Forest alongside the Lochsa and Selway rivers, with steaming hot springs flowing down the hillsides and frequent deer and mountain goat crossings.

For off-road riders, the optional ADV route follows the Lolo Trail itself, a National Historic Landmark and the exact route taken by Lewis and Clark in 1805. It is shorter in distance but substantially longer in time, and at 23,800 feet of elevation change it demonstrates just how demanding the terrain becomes off pavement in this part of Idaho.

The shortest day of the rally by paved mileage, and deliberately so. The Old Spiral Highway out of Lewiston provides the first checkpoint of the morning before the route heads west and north into Washington. Day 7 is built around the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route and designed to be as easy or as demanding as the rider chooses. Riders pursuing the Rough Rider Award must complete three dirt checkpoints on a WABDR loop. There is also an Extreme Dirt checkpoint at the base of the Devils Backbone Trail reserved for riders in contention for the First Overall Award. The short paved day gives everyone a genuine opportunity to recuperate and plan for the final push.

The final competitive day before the finish run. Riders cross the Cascades with the paved route passing iconic Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens before the Columbia River escorts them into Portland. Old Blewett Pass is noted for cracked and uneven blacktop; riders who prefer smooth pavement can stay on Highway 97 for that section. At 21,500 feet of elevation gain over 375 miles, this is a surprisingly demanding penultimate day.

The optional dirt route follows the WABDR and traces stunning views of Mount Adams, running shorter in distance but considerably longer in time at 10 to 12 hours.

The Pacific is visible on the horizon well before the road brings you down to meet it. The final morning climbs out of Portland into the coast range, the pavement winding through dense fir and cedar before the hills fall away and the ocean opens up below. Nine days and 4,047 miles after leaving the Atlantic shore in Maine, the finish line sits at the mouth of the Columbia River in Astoria. At 5,500 feet of climbing packed into 102 miles, the route earns the arrival rather than gifting it.

The optional ADV route follows the Nehalem River through a narrow, forested valley that feels genuinely remote for being so close to the city. The canyon tightens as the river bends, the trail climbing out through old-growth canopy before breaking into the coastal headlands of Oswald West State Park, where the trees end and the Pacific fills the view. It is a short route by the standards of this rally, but a memorable one.