Best ADV Routes to Touratech DirtDaze Rally in NH

The 2022 Touratech DirtDaze Rally is coming up fast—August 16-21 in North Haverhill, New Hampshire.

Are you ready? Riders on the east coast get neglected for larger ADV rallies, so to have such a big event happening in one of the greatest, and underappreciated, areas for adventure riding is going to be a blast for all involved.

But the adventure doesn’t have to begin on August 16. No matter where you’re riding in from, if you’re planning on coming in from the eastern part of the United States, we’ve put together a list of some of the best ADV routes on your way to DirtDaze.

We unapologetically borrowed from the Backcountry Discovery Route because those folks are amazing at what they do.

Coming in from up North? There’s good news for you, too – we’ve even added a fun route to take for our Canadian neighbors.

Ready for an adventure before your adventure? Read on to discover some amazing routes.

New York Isn’t Just The Big Apple

By all means, explore what the other City of Lights besides Paris has to offer, but real adventure riders know that New York has more in store than Times Square.

It’s nearly impossible to get to DirtDaze without going through New York, so once you enter the state, we recommend pointing your motorcycle towards Hancock and following it to the Andes.

Hancock is the beginning of the 1300-mile long stretch of the North East Backcountry Discovery Route. While we’d love to tell you to explore the entire 1300-mile stretch, going from Hancock to the Andes is only 135 miles with varying, though relatively easy terrain.

Here’s a quick excerpt of the route, directly from the BDR organizers:

Make your way to where the east and west branches of the Delaware River converge in the historic village of Hancock, New York — a motorcycle-friendly town, a sportsman’s paradise, and a perfect place to start the NEBDR adventure.

 Cross over the West Branch of the Delaware just a mile from the center of Hancock and get ready to warm up your dirt skills on the shady O&W Road through rural Wayne County Pennsylvania.

 Adventure starts to ramp up as you hit River Road, a rugged seasonal track that hugs a steep drop-off high above the Delaware River. Cross back over to New York into Callicoon for miles of enjoyable dirt and gravel roads that traverse through forests and farmland and crisscross the East Branch of the Delaware several times.

 You’ll pass through your first of many covered bridges on the NEBDR in Downsville and then make your way up and around the majestic Pepacton Reservoir on a thrilling stretch of twisty tarmac. Your arrival into the Andes includes seasonal dirt roads and outstanding mountain views. You are now on the western edge of the Catskills and Andes is the quintessential Catskill town.

Explore Northeastern New York Before Heading To Vermont

New Hampshire Offer Lots for ADV Travelers

New Hampshire is really an adventure rider’s paradise, and the stretch from Woodsville to Gorham is what we mean by the adventure beginning before DirtDaze even starts.

This is the longest single section of the NEBDR—231 miles in total—and both the riding and the view will leave you in awe.

Again, this description from the BDR website paints a better picture of what to expect than anything we could write.

Here’s a brief summary:

Just a few miles up a rural dirt road from Woodsville and after crossing a long, covered bridge, you’ll arrive at the Brick Store in Bath. The Brick Store is the oldest operating general store in the United States, established in 1791. Known for excellent fudge, smoked products, and a fine deli, this is a great place for take-out breakfast and lunch. The owner, Scott, is also an avid motorcyclist.

 Section 6 winds through picturesque dirt roads from the western border towards the east, passing through woodlands and farm fields, as well as some horse properties. Crossing over Interstate 93, the route takes Sandwich Notch Road from Thornton to Sandwich, built in 1801 for the farming community that inhabited the area. The road is now a single-lane dirt road that is great fun to ride, but remember that it is two-way traffic at all times. There’s a must stop at a self-service ice cream and cheese shop, the Sandwich Creamery, tucked down a dirt road well off the beaten track. Soon after you’ll find the magnificent view of Mount Chocorua and Lake Chocorua.

 Turning north, the route takes the Kancamagus Highway for about ten miles. The highway is named after Chief Kancamagus, “The Fearless One,” of the Panacook tribe. Scenery of the Swift River and mountains is spectacular before turning on to Bear Notch Road. Forest service roads in the Bartlett Experimental Forest break up the ride on more dirt before getting through Franconia Notch on NH Route 302. After passing by the Mount Washington Hotel, the route takes Jefferson Notch Road around the base of Mount Washington. You’ll soon come to appreciate any road referred to as a “notch’ in New Hampshire.

 The White Mountains, and especially Mount Washington, are a spectacular sight and the highlight of the NEBDR. The Mt. Washington Auto Road is not to be missed – it’s a 7-mile tar and dirt road up to the summit at 6,288 feet. Clear days offer amazing 360-degree views for a hundred miles.

More New Hampshire

If you’d rather save the technical terrain for DirtDaze and have a relaxing ride instead, the path from Woodsville to Gorham is sure to please.

Spanning 231 miles, this stretch isn’t particularly challenging, but what it lacks in difficulty it more than makes up for in history and scenery.

And don’t be mistaken; these roads are still a massive amount of fun. Again, here’s the official description from the North East BDR:

Just a few miles up a rural dirt road from Woodsville and after crossing a long, covered bridge, you’ll arrive at the Brick Store in Bath. The Brick Store is the oldest operating general store in the United States, established in 1791. Known for excellent fudge, smoked products, and a fine deli, this is a great place for take-out breakfast and lunch. The owner, Scott, is an avid motorcyclist so be sure to tell him we sent you.

 Section 6 winds through picturesque dirt roads from the western border towards the east, passing through woodlands and farm fields, as well as some horse properties. Crossing over Interstate 93, the route takes Sandwich Notch Road from Thornton to Sandwich, built in 1801 for the farming community that inhabited the area.

The road is now a single-lane dirt road that is great fun to ride, but remember that it is two-way traffic at all times. There’s a must stop at a self-service ice cream and cheese shop, the Sandwich Creamery, tucked down a dirt road well off the beaten track. Our favorite flavor was Dirt Road – go figure. Soon after you’ll find the magnificent view of Mount Chocorua and Lake Chocorua.

Turning north, the route takes the Kancamagus Highway for about ten miles. The highway is named after Chief Kancamagus, “The Fearless One,” of the Panacook tribe. Scenery of the Swift River and mountains is spectacular before turning on to Bear Notch Road. Forest service roads in the Bartlett Experimental Forest break up the ride on more dirt before getting through Franconia Notch on NH Route 302. After passing by the Mount Washington Hotel, the route takes Jefferson Notch Road around the base of Mount Washington. You’ll soon come to appreciate any road referred to as a “notch’ in New Hampshire.

The White Mountains, and especially Mount Washington, are a spectacular sight and the highlight of the NEBDR. The Mt. Washington Auto Road is not to be missed – it’s a 7-mile tar and dirt road up to the summit at 6,288 feet. The weather observatory is manned 365 days a year and has recorded some of the highest winds on the planet – 231 mph. Clear days offer amazing 360-degree views for a hundred miles. There’s a restaurant and museum at the summit. Nearby Gorham is the perfect White Mountain town to stay the night. If you weren’t able to make it up Mt. Washington when you arrive into town, you can give it a fresh go the next morning.

Don’t Forget Vermont

Readsboro, VT to Barnard, VT

Vermont doesn’t get enough love from motorcyclists, so this is our attempt to bring some deserved attention to the Green Mountain State. A beautiful part of the country whether you’re into adventure riding or not, Vermont doesn’t get the fanfare of more popular tourist attractions, but that’s what makes it great.

Specifically, we’re talking about a wonderful route from Readsboro to Barnard. As the name Green Mountain State implies, Vermont is full of landscapes any adventure rider would love to explore.

On this 178-mile leg of the North East BDR, you’ll experience a little slice of everything Vermont has to offer. That includes some technical riding towards the end. If an easier route is what you’d prefer, there are workarounds for that. Here’s the official description from the BDR:

You are now in the Green Mountain State. Are you ready to experience beautiful pastoral settings, historic mountain roads and architecture dating back to the Revolutionary War? We hope so! Vermonters have a generally laid-back attitude, a strong passion for their home state and are eager to share that passion with friendly and respectful visitors.

The roads you will be using to pass through Vermont are beautiful, and in most cases, originally designed for human and animal transport. They are small and rudimentary and houses are often placed within feet of the road. Many of these roads double as cattle crossings and hiking trails, so safe riding is imperative.

After your introduction to Class 4 roads at the end of Section 3, stop into the Readsboro General Store to fuel up your body and your bike. From there the route settles into a patchwork of forest roads meandering through the lower Green Mountain National Forest. The town of Grafton is a wonderful place to stop, spend the night at the inn, or have lunch at the general store.

Tip: Don’t miss out on Vermont’s general stores, they are all unique and interesting. 

There are technical riding bits dispersed throughout this section but after the town of Danby, there are quite a few challenging Class 4 roads. If you find you’re not quite up for it, the GPS tracks include easier go-arounds for the more difficult Class 4 roads.

Your last gnarly stretch of this section leads you to the town of Barnard where you can gas up and grab supplies at the General Store. There’s camping at Silver Lake State Park and several B&Bs in town or alternatively the town of Woodstock is only 10 miles away.

Oh, Canada!

We couldn’t forget our Canadian friends to the North. If you’re making your way to DirtDaze from Canada, then this is the perfect opportunity to go the long way and sample a stretch of the Trans Canada Adventure Trail near Montreal.

The Trans Canada Adventure Highway spans 5,000 miles and crosses all 10 Canadian provinces, but this time around sticking near Montreal and working your way south is what you’re after.

The TCAT avoids paved roads and major cities whenever possible. Here you’ll find all kinds of terrain, which also means you’re in store for some epic riding and enjoying parts of Canada you won’t find in a guidebook.

Keeping with the adventure theme, it’s worth pointing out that there will be times when you’ll be in desolate areas with few people. So keep fuel stops in mind and a tool kit handy, just in case. For the most part, however, you won’t be far from civilization.

Mid Atlantic BDR (MABDR) for Those Traveling From the South and West