gpsKevin Adventure Rides - Trans America Trail

The Trans America Trail is a mixed dirt route across the USA

The Trans America Trail (TAT) is a legendary coast-to-coast adventure route starting at the Atlantic Ocean and stretching over 5,000 miles to the Pacific. Made up of gravel, dirt, and rugged backcountry roads, the TAT is designed for ADV bikes, dual-sport motorcycles, and overland vehicles. It winds through remote forests, deserts, plains, and mountain passes—offering an epic, off-pavement journey across the heart of America.

"The original route goes from Coast to Coast and it is the official Trans America Trail"

Self Guided American Adventure: The Trans America Trail is designed to be a self guided adventure with the use of a custom GPS card. As GPS units have become both more powerful and easier to use, it has enabled anyone to be able to easily find their way along the trail. For many, this allows them to just experience the American trail without the burden of getting lost.

TransAmerica Trail Welcome Video (2 minutes)

Video, see how to navigate the Trans America Trail (made easy)

Do it yourself ride packet: Riders can purchase a custom GPS micro SD Card and matching custom paper maps all designed for their Garmin GPS unit

TAT Section Cards (74)

are 5x7 quick reference maps designed to be used along with your GPS as you ride.

These maps fit directly into your motorcycle tank bag or map pouch and highlight the rider choices as each ride section unfolds. Unlike a GPS alone, these give the rider a great perspective of how the ride will go.

TAT microSD card

Includes the spectacular custom Garmin Map and a complete gpx file of the entire route and choices

TAT Big Picture Maps (18) (11"x17")

New TAT rider maps have been developed for riders to use in conjunction with their GPS units. "Big Picture Maps" are 11x17 maps designed to illustrate the overall trail. Unlike a GPS alone, these give the rider a great perspective of how the ride will go.

Navigation is as easy as just buying the SD Card and putting it into your GPS unit

TAT Self Guided Ride Packets: You are able to purchase the routes for the entire trail and supporting paper maps to help in planning. The best navigation form is to use a Garmin GPS unit and install a custom SD card with the TAT maps. In addition it is recommended that you also get the supporting complete set of paper maps. This includes 74 daily section maps for the entire ride and 18 Big Pictue 11x17 maps of the full route.

The price for the custom TAT micro SD cards is $125

The price for the complete set of Maps and SD card is $225

Note: The Custom SD Card does include a complete high quality GPX file for the ride. However we are not able to offer riders using the GPX file any support, due to the universal nature of GPX file types. Sorry, there just too many devices where these files work differently.

TAT Packet Choice (Scroll Down Menu)

Free Shipping to Lower 48 States

International Shipping add $30

Checkout View Cart

TAT Instant GPX Download

Want to download the Complete set of Tracklogs and Waypoints? Maybe you want to edit them and download them to your GPS yourself? We are offering a high quality instant download in Universal (GPX) format. These are high resolution tracklogs for all sections of the trail and its options. 229 Tracklogs and 269 key Waypoints (This option is not recommended if you have not worked with tracklogs before. Tracklogs do not work straight away in all GPS units and often must be modified to fit your GPS.

We cannot offer any tech support for your GPS unit or phone. We recommend you buy the micro SD card)

Note: After you complete your payment, select "Return to Merchant" button to be directed to the download link.

TAT gpx Instant Download $125

TAT Ride Planning

Below we have provided a very complete map of the entire TAT Trail and all it's options. You may use this to help with you ride planning. It is best viewed on a computer and you will find that when you zoom in you can see great detail

Legend:

The Blue lines are the main TAT routes

The Red lines are Harder route options

The Green lines are Easy options

The Black lines are the out and back viewpoints

Navigation of the Trans America Trail: For sure the best way to follow the trail is by the use of a Garmin GPS unit. There are many types of Garmin units, almost all of them can work well. If you don't already have a Garmin GPS you can often get a new Garmin for under $150. Cell Phone GPS is starting to be used, but has trouble in the remote areas and doesn't take the abuse of the trail well. See our Garmin GPS recommendations.

New "Official" TAT GPS microSD cards are now available

These cards fit directly into your Garmin GPS and contain the entire trail with all options and updates.

New TAT rider maps have been developed for riders to use in conjunction with their GPS units. "Big Picture Maps" are 11x17 maps designed to illustrate the overall trail and "TAT Section Cards" are 5x7 quick reference maps designed to be used along with your GPS as you ride. These maps fit directly into your motorcycle tank bag or map pouch and highlight the rider choices as each ride section unfolds.

Unlike a GPS alone, these give the rider a great perspective of how the ride will go.

About Route Choices: The Trail has a main route that is colored in Blue. In addition there are 129 optional Green Route choices designed for riders wanting easier more scenic routes or on larger adventure bikes and 51 Red Challenging Route options including several singletrack sections for Tough Guys wanting a real challenge. But If you want to do the Original traditional TAT route you will need to stay on the Blue Route.

Structure of the trail information: The original TAT is broken into 49 sections (from Cape Hatteras NC to Port Orford OR). At the end of each section is a gasoline station. The New York Route added 11 new sections and the Los Angeles Route added 14 sections. The sections vary in length from 66 miles to 161 miles. You will need a gas range of 161 miles. Several sections can be ridden in a day depending on your wishes.

TAT Ride Maps: One can argue that with a GPS you don't even need paper ride maps, and yes, that can be true. But there are several reasons that people like paper ride maps. First, with a GPS, it is hard to see the day's ride as a whole. Tiny screens and trying to zoom out do not work well. People like looking at a map to see what the day's ride will be like and to aid in planning their options. Then, during the ride, it is great to be able to have a discussion about what choices the day might have. Paper maps and section cards are great for this. Many riders put the section cards in a pocket in their tank bag and watch the map as the day unfolds. I highly recommend both map sets below.

TAT Section Cards: These are quick reference 5x7 maps of each ride section. They are meant to be carried directly on your motorcycle in your tank bag map pouch or simply in a Ziplock bag on your handlebars. These maps show the route choices and the highlights and the mileage of each section. These are custom designed for motorcycle riders and are meant to be used in conjunction with your GPS to aid your GPS navigation and choices. 74 TAT Section Cards cover the entire trail.

Big Picture Maps: These are large 11x17 maps that cover several ride sections on each map. Their scale is similar to what you would expect from a "state level" map. There are 18 maps to cover the entire trail. These are best used the night before the ride for planning the next day's activities or destinations. These maps show the towns nearby and the highway routes that the trail passes. Great for finding resources near the trail or planning side trips.

Evolution of the Trans America Trail: What is next for the Trail? Continued user feedback. Please send me route improvement suggestions and rider experiences. We still need camp spot waypoints! I update the GPS files based on rider experiences and feedback. Looking for more difficult route options too!

Help by providing feedback and ride information: On each of the ride sections there is a User Comments Form that is designed so that riders can easily view comments from others who have recently ridden the section and riders can add their own comments just after riding the section. Please help us improve the trail ride experience by adding your ride comments after you ride each section. Have some fun with your comments along the way. It is kind of fun to see who may be chasing you along the trail. (Link to the ride sections)

The Trans America Trail (TAT) is the ultimate cross-country dual-sport motorcycle adventure, guiding riders from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific Ocean almost entirely on dirt, gravel, forest service roads, and backcountry byways. Originally mapped by adventure rider Sam Correro, the TAT spans over 5,000 miles across the United States, offering a unique, off-pavement route through remote wilderness, small-town America, and some of the most scenic and challenging terrain in the country.

Beginning in at the Atlantic Ocean and the Appalachian foothills of the Southeast—typically in North Carolina or Tennessee—the trail winds west through the Mississippi Delta, the rolling Ozarks, the expansive Great Plains, and the high deserts of Utah before reaching the rugged backroads and coastal forests of Oregon. Along the way, riders traverse mountain passes, river valleys, farmland, and desert, with opportunities to experience a wide range of climates, cultures, and riding conditions.

The TAT is not just a route—it’s an adventure through the soul of America, where preparation, navigation, and self-reliance are as much a part of the journey as the riding itself. Ideal for dual-sport and ADV motorcycles, the trail demands resilience, mechanical readiness, and a sense of curiosity. Whether ridden end-to-end or in regional sections, the Trans America Trail delivers an unforgettable long-distance ride through the country’s most authentic and untamed landscapes.

FAQ

Q: How long does it take to complete the trail?

A: Some riders do it as fast as 2 weeks but at a comfortable pace of 7 riding hours per day, it takes about 26 days

Q: How long is the route?

A: New York to Los Angeles is 5,139 miles (8,270km) and Cape Hatteras NC to Port Orford OR is 5,174 miles (8,326km)

Q:Can I ride the trail from West to East?

A: Yes you can, however there will be a few spots where you will have to take the easier options due to one way roads. It is as simple as riding the arrows (chevrons) backwards.

Q: What must my gas range be?

A: There is one day that is 161 miles between gas stops, however, I would recommend a 120 mile range on a tank and to carry a little bit in a bottle for the longer days.

A: What bike would you recommend?

Q: I would say any bike that you are comfortable on. The nicer ones would be a WR250R or a DRZ400 if you were trying to do all the hard, single track options. The route can still be done on a big 1200cc adventure bike however, you probably would want to take the green routes. So there is a wide range of bikes that can go on the trip, but the bike you take will determine the options you can choose.

Q:What tires do you recommend?

A:You could do the route on any good dual-sport tire however you might want more aggressive knobbies for the hard options in the West but that all depends on your vision of how you want to approach the ride.

Q: What is the recommended ride length per day?

A: I have separated it based on gas stops and would suggest 2-3 gas stops a day. However, you can veer off the trail or go at a slower pace if you want and cover 1 gas stop a day.

Q: Where should I get bike maintenance done?

A: There are a few good options and several places that are a little way off the trail that you could go to if you have an issue. Richfield, UT at Jorgensen's Honda, Beebe, AR at Sunrise Yamaha, Las Vegas, NV at Yamaha of Las Vegas all have good size motorcycle shops where you could get help. You could also go to Tulsa, OK or Colorado Springs, CO but they are a little way off the trail.

Q: What is the best GPS for the ride?

A: Almost any will work, but if you want to buy a new one see my GPS Recommendations:

Adventure Bike GPS and Dual Sport Bike GPS

Q: Does this trail cross private property?

A: Yes, of course many times. There are many public easements which allow people to cross these zones. There are also many gates, which you are allowed to open and pass through. You are requested to leave the gate as you found it, open or closed. This is very common out west.

Sadly, some property owners wish there was no public easement and will post no trespassing signs, which can be confusing. Really, it means you are allowed to pass on the road, but should not travel off the road onto their property.