Canada to Mexico: USA Park Route by Motorcycle >

22 hours ago
6 min read

USA | Sep 2025 |

Here's details on a 15-day ride from British Columbia to Tijuana along the "park route" through Yosemite, Teton, Moab, Mesa Verde, and other renowned locales in the western USA.

Duration & Distances

15 days / 11 stops / 63 hrs riding / 4400 km

Route & Rides

Below are details on the route and segments. You can view it visually on the Google Map at the bottom of the page

Ride 1: Salmon Arm BC to Chewelah WA

I rode south from Salmon Arm via Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton, on one of the world's premier scenic drives. My goal for the day was to get as far as I could, with no set destination in mind. At Oysoyoo, I headed east on the Crowsnest Highway, my first time on this section of road. The climb out of Oysoyoos is a great stretch of road, offering stunning views of the lake and town below. From there its a high elevation ride to Midway, where I entered the US at the tiny border crossing, no issues. I needed to gas up and expected to find a station across the border, with cheaper prices than in BC. Wrong: I rode 50 miles to the next gas pump, and it was nearly $6 a gallon. From there, the road runs through some isolated country and then up the Sherman Pass Scenic Byway, a mountain pass where the temperature went as low as 12 °C. I ended the day in Chewalah and worked out a deal with a motel to set up my tent in their orchard.

R2: Chewelah WA to Missoula MT

From Chewelah, I rode to Spokane, Cour d'Alaine ID, then Missoula, a nice 4-hour ride. After experiencing a shockingly high gas price the day before, I had another whopper expense in Missoula, where a tent site at KOA was $59 - wtf. I had a chance to look around Missoula; it's a nice college town, named by CNN as a "must-visit" town in the US in 2025. As always in MT and other states, it's a bit jarring to see locals riding around with no helmet - a Harley rider mocked me for wearing one; whatever dud(e).

R3: Missoula to Helena MT to West Yellowstone MT

Leaving Missoula, I had 2 route options: via Helena or Butte. I took the Helena route, a nice ride through the mountains. I had a pit stop in Helena, a really nice heritage town. From there, it was a smooth ride to West Yellowstone, near the park entrance. I stayed 2 nights at Rainbow Point campground, with elk and wolves yowling after dark. The temperature was as low as -6 °C. Unfortunately, my camping gear is rated to 10 °C. I was seriously thinking I could freeze to death.

R4: Yellowstone Day 1

I was up early for a day in Yellowstone Park, a 20-minute ride from the campsite. I bought a $30, 7-day motorcycle pass, then followed the northern loop. Yellowstone is truly astonishing, both the scenes and the wildlife. After growing up on the edge of the Rockies in Canada, I am convinced I have seen much of the best of North America's mountain scenery. But Yellowstone really takes it to the next level. Aside from the stunning natural scenery and geysers, I managed to see: a coyote hunting, a fearless raven I could have touched, 100s of wild bison, and my first ever Grizzly Bear. The route takes you through many of the most famous sights at Yellowstone, including Old Faithful and the Mystic Pool, and crosses the Continental Divide. It took me about 5 hours to complete the ride with numerous stops.

R5: Yellowstone Day 2 to Grand Teton to Jackson to Afton WY

This route took me back into Yellowstone Park, backtracking some of the route I did the day before. But today I stopped at Old Faithful. I didn't manage to see it blow, but it was cool nonetheless. The highlight of the stop was 2 bison grazing in the middle of all the human activity. Later, when I was departing, I came across the same 2 bison, got fairly close (on my bike, engine on); a park ranger pulled up, told me "they don't like motorbikes", which I kind of had a premonition due to the way one of the bison was looking at me. After departing Yellowstone, it's not far to the entrance of Grand Teton, another renowned park. And there I managed to see more bison, a herd crossing the road. I rode on through Jackson and randomly called it a day in Afton, a nondescript small town that is the home to legendary Olympic wrestler Rulon Gardiner. After almost freezing to death camping in West Yellowstone, I checked into a motel room for the night.

R6: Afton WY to Wasach to Helper UT

My next major destination was Moab. I wanted to bypass Salt Lake City, and found the route via the Wasatch Park. This was a good choice, an amazing mountain pass. From there I rode to Provo and towards Moab. Coming out of the Provo I followed a pass where the railroad winds up and up for miles. You get some amazing high mountain dry scenery on this route. It was getting late in the day, so I stopped in Helper, a small former mining center. Interestingly, the motel owner collects international currency; after he learned I was Canadian, I worked out a deal whereby I paid C$50 for a room - though we started the transaction at US$70 a night (C$90). He's not too good at math, but a great guy. I ate at a new hipster brew pub, awesome beer and pizza.

R7: Helper UT to Moab UT

Nice ride, fairly short, nice scenery, especially as you get close to Moab, where the highways runs through the renowned red-rock landscape. I got there early afternoon, set up at a campground right in town, 2 nights. The manager was a cool guy, and he mentioned that Mesa Verde is his favorite national park; I hadn't heard of it, but it struck me that a guy in Moab would rate another park as better. After 4pm I entered Arches National Park, rode about halfway, thinking I would re-enter the next day. I had a bit of a look around town, and it struck me that it's a bit over-touristy, kind of like Banff with rounded red mountains. That night my neighbors talked loudly and did numerous video speaker calls until after midnight, then were up noisily up at 4 am. I got up and packed up, left Moab one day early, heading for Mesa Verde.

R8: Moab UT to Mesa Verde CO

Nice ride into Colorado. Mesa Verde is the most famous pueblo site, where natives americans built settlements in the rocks, high up near 10,000 ft, perfect conditions for corn cultivation. After I set up my gear in the excellent campsite, I did a ride up to one of the loops where you can see the pueblo. Definitely a world-class site. It got really cold at sundown, another freezing night in the tent.

R9: Mesa Verde CO to Albequerque NM

Decent ride, nothing overly interesting. I was visiting friends in Albuquerque, stayed 2 nights, didn't explore the city much, though did see a couple of Breaking Bad scenes locations.

R10: Albequerque NM to Flagstaff AZ

Without being overly negative, I can say, this ride was awful - it's a major freeway full of trucks. Flagstaff is a cool town, but it was cold and raining (not what I expected in Arizona), so I didn't have a chance to look around much.

R11: Flagstaff AZ to Blythe CA

A friend from Arizona told me the Flagstaff to Sendona route is one of the best roads in the USA. And I agree - this is a spectacular route, stunning views, a great country mountain road. From Sedona, I rode up to Jerome, a historical town high up the side of a mountain. From there it wass up and over a mountain pass, at the end of which you can see a flat valley, wherea massive storm was rolling towards my route. I tired to beat it and didn't, ended up stuck under a bridge to wait it out. After not expecting rain in AZ, I was now experiencing a flood ('when it rains, it pours"). From there I rode on to Blythe, just across the California border, stayed at the cheapest hotel in town.

R12: Blythe CA to Fallbrook CA

From Blythe, I was soon rode into an area of sand dunes. Then it was desert, around the Salton Sea, then back into the mountains to cross over to the coast. Overall, a nice ride. I almost ran out of gas, riding maybe 100 miles between filling stations - not what I expected in CA. I stopped at my cousin's place in Fallbrook, stayed 3 nights in comfortable luxury, a nice re-group before entering Mexico.