Explore Landmarks Along the TransAm Trail

The TransAmerica Trail is a cross-country majority off-pavement trail for dual-sport motorcycles and 4x4 vehicles. Riders use a combination of maps, roll charts, and GPS to tackle this unique adventure.

Along the way, the trail passes by a number of national parks, landmarks, and stunning sights worth stopping for. We've rounded up some of our favorites.

Please review and follow all state and local guidelines while traveling.

September 28, 2021

By: Tatum Lenberg

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Great Sand Dunes National Park

Located in southern Colorado, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is known for its large rolling dunes, seasonal Medano Creek, and pristine backcountry. With forests, wetlands, and an alpine lake, there's no shortage of diverse landscapes to explore.

Shenandoah Mountains

Shenandoah is a 73-mile-long mountain range extending across Virginia and West Virginia. The surrounding national park is bursting with waterfalls, expansive vistas, fields of wildflowers, and hollows. Home to deer, songbirds, and black bears, these 200,000 acres of protected land are bustling with life.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Located at the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is home to dense forests and stunning wildflowers and foliage that bloom all year long. Intersected by parts of the Appalachian Trail, the park offers a number of hiking routes with plenty of rivers and waterfalls. The highest peak, Clingmans Dome, offers panoramic views of the surrounding mist-covered mountain tops.

George Washington National Forest

George Washington and Jefferson National Forests are one of the largest public land areas in the Eastern United States. Covering 1.8 million acres of land in the Appalachian Mountains, the forests span Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky. The forests offer more than 2,000 miles of hiking trails and are home to white-tailed deer, bobcat, black bear, weasels, otter, marten, and bald eagles.

Wallowa-Whitman National Forest

Wallowa-Whitman National Forest encompasses 2.4 million acres of public land across Oregon and Idaho. The national forest features a diverse landscape including alpine peaks, grasslands, canyons, rivers, and wilderness areas.

Paulina Lake

Paulina Lake, located in Oregon, is one of the twin lakes in Newberry Crater. At 6,331 feet above seal level, this collapsed caldera is the byproduct of more than 500,000 years of volcanic activity. The lake is 250 feet deep with a creek, hot springs, and thermal vents offering abundant habitat to nearby wildlife.

Crested Butte

Crested Butte is located in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. A popular skiing destination in the winter, and popular with mountain bikers in the summer, Crested Butte offers plenty of activities. The town was even named the wildflower capital of Colorado.