WHERE ARE YOU HEADING NEXT YEAR?
I woke up this morning to 28 degree temperatures and headed out to an early appointment. The first of the season’s black ice was encountered on the road. I was happy to be in my pre-warmed Jeep Grand Cherokee. Today was not going to be a nice day to ride. It was a great morning to think about some “bucket list” motorcycle rides.
This happens to a large percentage of motorcyclists this time of year. Old Man Winter rears his ugly head and keeps our bikes tucked away in their winter digs. At best, we’ll manage a couple of decent day rides over the next couple of months. Long distance road trips are off the menu until the spring thaw comes.
Survey Says
A random survey of some of the Roadcraft USA subscribers was done over the last two weeks. (You did subscribe to Roadcraft USA, didn’t you?) We asked 200 riders what their dream destinations for 2023 are. Some of those destinations have already been visited by Roadcraft USA riders. Some others are on our lineup of bucket list motorcycle rides, too.
For the places we have visited we have provided links to the blog posts about those destinations. Where we haven’t ridden yet we’ve provided links to other great resources on the web. So without further ado, here is the top ten list of bucket list motorcycle rides compiled from Roadcraft USA readers.
#10 The White Mountains of New Hampshire
A perennial favorite of riders in the northeast United States. This Roadcraft USA blog post chronicles a couple of 2022 trips by a Roadcraft USA rider and some of his colleagues in the Long Island BMW Riders Club. Mount Washington, the highest peak in the northeast at 6,288 feet; is always a favorite destination for motorcyclists from this area and beyond.
This coming year an inordinate number of two-wheelers will make the journey. June 10, 2023 marks the opening day of Laconia Bike Week…the 100th anniversary of the event. If you’re planning on being a part of the centennial celebration make your plans and lodging reservations early.
#9 The Dempster Highway
The fact that this destination made the list speaks to Roadcraft USA’s large following of ADV riders. The Dempster Highway is a near 500 mile long dirt road that runs from Dawson, Yukon to Inuvik in The Northwest Territories. To reach the beginning of the highway you’ll first have to travel approximately 1,900 miles north from Seattle, Washington.
I can offer no first hand advice or experience for this incredible adventure. This post from MotorcycleMojo Magazine and this post from Web Bike World have great accounts of what it takes to pull this off…one of the ADV world’s true bucket list motorcycle rides.
#8 The Windy 9
As the name implies this is not one great motorcycle road. There are 9 of them, including the renowned “Triple Nickel”; Ohio Route 555. All of the nine routes start and end in Athens, Ohio which is where you’ll want to stay.
And stay you will. The first eight routes comprise approximately 700 miles of twisty, hilly roads through the Hocking Hills area of the state. Route 555 continues north out of the area and you can ride that one as far as you want (Ideally on your way in or on your way out…or both). Plan on staying a few days to get in as many of the routes as possible. The official Windy 9 website has all the information you’ll need including lodging, GPX routes, nearby services and a form to request the official Windy 9 map.
#7 OBX • The Outer Banks of North Carolina
Route 12 on the Outer Banks of North Carolina is one of the most laid back motorcycle road trips you can take. It’s beauty and simplicity made it one of Roadcraft’s bucket list motorcycle rides. The road stretches a mere 95 miles from Ocracoke Island at the southern end to Kitty Hawk at the north. To really make a day of it we suggest you head inland just below Nags Head and travel west over Roanoke Island and through the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge.
An earlier blog post here on Roadcraft USA chronicles a sunrise to sunset ride that visited a number of the iconic lighthouses on The Outer Banks. The trip will be punctuated by two ferry crossings along the way. You’ll also encounter some of the best fresh seafood restaurants anywhere. Don’t leave without sampling it.
#6 The Ozark Mountains
The Ozark Region encompasses four US states: Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Kansas. The highest point in the region sits at just 2,561 feet at Buffalo Lookout. The roads that run through the region are endless and the number of tourist accommodations are vast.
A great website for motorcycle riders heading that way is Ozark Rides. The site features ride maps, travel destinations and lots of other great resources for bikers.
#5 The Tail of the Dragon
Probably one of the most famous motorcycle roads in the world. It’s no surprise that the Tail of the Dragon made this list of bucket list motorcycle rides. US Route 129 runs between Tennessee and North Carolina. In its 11 mile length there are 318 sweeping curves, hairpin turns and switchbacks.
It’s amazing just how many motorcyclists will plan an entire vacation around riding this short stretch of blacktop. There are “bragging rights” associated with successfully navigating the route. Is it motorcycle heaven or just plain hype? You can read the Roadcraft USA Tail of the Dragon feature.
#4 Highway 163 • Monument Valley
You wouldn’t think that a long, straight stretch of road through the desert would make this list of bucket list motorcycle rides. But it did. All because of the movie Forrest Gump. Seems everyone wants to stop and take a photo at the spot where our hero, Forrest, stopped running after three years, two months, fourteen days and 16 hours.
There are other great reasons to take this highway though. For starters it is on the way to Moab, Utah; home to Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park; from from Page, Arizona. Page is the home of the magnificent slot canyons. You can read more about them on this Roadcraft USA blog post.
#3 The Cabot Trail • Nova Scotia
The Cabot Trail, and all of Nova Scotia Province, offer some of the best motorcycling anywhere on the North American continent. This destination is so incredible that we devoted four blog posts to a recent trip there. Plan on spending a week in the Canadian Maritimes to do it the justice it deserves. Our coverage of different parts of the trip can be found here:
#2 Going To The Sun Road
This is one of my bucket list motorcycle rides, as well as that of many other motorcyclists. The 50 mile stretch of road is located within the confines of Glacier National Park in Montana. The road sees up to 80 feet of snow in the winter months. It is generally only open and passable from late May through September.
So popular is this destination that the National Park Service has instituted a vehicle reservation system which includes a timed vehicle entry schedule. You can make your reservations here if you’re lucky enough to snag a spot.
#1 The Blue Ridge Parkway
The most popular motorcycling road in the eastern United States…and for good reason. This 469 mile long road is America’s longest linear park. If you ride the entire length you will encounter 168 bridges, 6 viaducts and 26 tunnels along the way.
Spring into early summer is the best time to hit this road. Traffic tends to build in late summer through autumn, when Mother Nature puts on her display of magnificent fall foliage. You can read more about #1 on the Roadcraft USA bucket list motorcycle rides in this blog post.
What’s On Your Bucket List?
If you weren’t a part of the survey you still have a chance to sound off. Leave a comment below with your favorite bucket list motorcycle rides. If you have any specific questions you would like answered, please feel free to contact us directly via email. Be sure to subscribe to Roadcraft USA to stay up to date. We send out occasional email notifications when new features hit the blog.
Click Here to view an interactive visual index page where you can quickly browse through all of the great features that are published on the Roadcraft USA blog.
“As a past resident of New Brunswick, I must have done the Cabot Trail at least 15 times and never got tired of it.
I strongly recommend, though, that you get out of the beaten path so as not to miss a few beautiful smaller fishing villages and other points of interest.”
I’ve done it twice and couldn’t agree more. That’s why we said to leave “At Least A Week” to explore Nova Scotia.
So many roads throughout this country you have just scratched the surface.
Truth, Scott. Maybe next year we’ll do a “Top 25”. That still won’t be enough, but we’ll keep riding and keep ‘scratching’. Thanks for reading.
Living in Arkansas, I’m glad to see the Ozark Mountains included in this list. I’ve rarely ridden out of state because I didn’t feel the need to. Within a half hour, I’m on some awesome roads with beautiful scenery. It’s awesome!
Lucky you, Mike. The Ozarks are on my personal bucket list.
I have driven/ridden the Tail of the Dragon in multiple vehicles ranging from sport cars and motorcycles to a class A 42 foot RV.
For a much better experience with less traffic,
more curves, three mountains to cross and three times the distance, go and have more fun on the Back of the Dragon in VA.
Very true, Richard. There are so many more interesting roads than “The Dragon” in that area of the country. A previous post discussed “The Dragon” in great detail. Check it out. But it can’t be denied that it it is on a lot of riders bucket lists.
You forgot one. A ride around the Grand Canyon. Day 1, ride to Prescott AZ, Day 2, Kingman AZ, via Rte. 66, Day 3, St. George UT, stopping at Bolder Dame and Vega for Sliders at White Castle. Day 4 Marble Canyon UT, with stops in Zion National Park and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, with evening views of the Vermilion Cliffs. Day 5, Flagstaff, and day 6, Home.
Wonderful information! And while I highly respect and agree with most of your choices, I’d move your #1 Blue Ridge Parkway down the list. To me, a number one ride should be one you’d eagerly repeat. I’ve ridden much of its considerable length and found it to be a half day ride at the required mostly low speed limit. I found the wonderfully scenic views lacking diversity and becoming too repetitive. I’d replace Blue Ridge Parkway with the amazingly beautiful Beartooth Scenic Highway from Yellowstone’s NE entrance to Red Lodge Montana. Or the Icefield Parkway in the Canadian Rockies.
Don’t shoot me. I’m just the messenger. Just reported on the results of the survey. Beartooth showed up in a lot of folks comments. Hopefully they’ll be around at survey time this year. Stay tuned.