The Mid-Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route
Our jaunt through East Coast backcountry — the wrong way
Part One: MABDR Segments 9 to 6
What better thing to do these chilly autumn days than to zip up to Northern Pennsylvania only to meander back down through winding mountain wood roads, up peaks, and down valleys with two small children, three dogs, a Land Cruiser, and an offroading trailer in tow?
Driving the top four sections of the Mid-Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route (MABDR), gave us a unique peek into Pennsylvania’s beauty that can only be seen by getting off the highway and onto the gravel road. During this quick three-day jaunt we reveled in the ups and tried to embrace the downs as much as we could. We learned a lot along the way, and we’d like to share it with you.
What is the MABDR?
The Mid Atlantic Backcountry Discovery Route (MABDR) is just one of 11 BDR routes developed for adventure motorcyclists by the Backcountry Discovery Routes non-profit organization to promote “backcountry motorcycling opportunities” for current and future riders. BDR has developed eleven backcountry routes across the country in all major regions.
They provide extensive resources for the rider, including downloadable maps, GPX files, and paper maps for each of their routes. Currently, their trails cover the West, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast regions, with more to come soon.
Why the MABDR?
My spouse and I are not adventure riders. We are SUV driving, off-road trailer towing, state park loving campers, and off-the-beaten-path seekers. So why explore a backcountry route that was developed for and is devoted to the adventure motorcyclist?
We recently attended Overland Expo East held this past October in Arrington, Virginia. If you’re unfamiliar with the Overland Expo, it’s an event-filled meeting ground where any offroad/overland/camping enthusiast can enjoy classes, vendor exhibits, demonstrations, and connecting with a community, while buying a whole host of outdoor gear they may or may not need in the process. Perhaps one of the more beneficial aspects of the Overland Expo is the classes, taught by experts in their respective fields, such as vehicle recovery, outdoor photography, field first aid, camp cooking, and more. In the class “Navigation 101” instructor Dean Shirley of East Coast Overland Adventures introduced the MABDR as an option for overlanding in the Mid-Atlantic region. ( You may likely be aware just how woefully underrepresented East Coast offroad travel is compared to the grand adventures so plentiful out west.)
While introducing us to this route, Dean emphasized that the MABDR is created by and for motorcycle adventurers. “Stay Right - Share the Trail - Slow Down” were mantras he repeated. That said, the BDR routes are composed of public roads, often maintained by 4x4 clubs, logging and gas companies, or state and national park systems. Everyone can enjoy these trails while sharing them respectfully with all travelers whether they be motorcyclists, ATVs, horseback riders, or other 4x4 vehicles.
The Truck, The Trailer, & The Tent
We are not hardcore overlanders. We are primarily “weekend warriors.” We don’t have an amazing modded-out rig with all the bells and whistles (not yet). But, we do believe that if you’re going to get on the dirt on the regular, you should equip yourself with the right gear to keep you moving forward. We’ve found that for us, our 2013 Landcruiser 200 series does the trick. In tow is our small but capable trailer that houses our camp kitchen, fridge, battery, water tank, recovery gear, and other essentials, with our rather roomy rooftop tent mounted above.
Too Many Maps ?
Taking what we learned from Dean’s Navigation 101 class, we purchased a Pennsylvania gazetteer and a physical MABDR map and downloaded the GPX map file from the BDR website directly into our GAIA app. Here’s how we used each:
Example of Campground Icons found in Tiadaghton State Forest from the DeLorme Pennsylvania Atlas & Gazatteer
Pennsylvania Gazetteer
We used this to identify state parks and primitive camping spots along our route. Many private campgrounds listed on the MABDR map were closed because we were traveling off-season. The Gazetteer highlights state park areas and marks public and primitive camping locations with icons referenced at the front of the book.
MABDR GPS Tracks
The GPX file of the MABDR (downloaded into our GAIA) was essential for this journey. There are so many turns, T’s, and forks throughout the MABDR, we found ourselves keeping a keen eye on our GAIA the entire way.
The MABDR Map
We would not go on the BDR without the actual MABDR map. It gave us a wide-angle view of the route, valuable information about the type of terrain we would encounter, and places to stop for gas or food along the way.
Backward? Really?
As autumn has arrived all too quickly, our choice to hit the MABDR had to be weighed against imminent winter weather and eventual road closures. We can’t do the entire MABDR in one go, so we decided to start at the end, which happens to be the northernmost point, and therefore the region where road closures would occur first.
As the weather is plenty cold at night in northern PA in early November, we figured traveling this direction on the MABDR wouldn’t be a nuisance to adventure riders since there wouldn’t be many. We were right. We saw one motorcyclist during the four segments we traveled over three days.
Day One
Section 9 and Section 8 (Partial)
Time Taken: 3 hours (with frequent stops for pictures)
Day one of our three-day journey consisted of segment 9 and a part of segment 8, which mostly kept us up in the mountains. The day was filled with leisurely driving along winding forest roads following the contours of the “wrinkled-paper” relief of the Allegheny Plateau. These gravel and dirt roads were canopied by trees with leaves flushing of fall color, and at some stretches, interlinked with slender pines. We were frankly awed by how breathtaking these forests drives were that first day.
What we were also surprised by was the high degree to which the forest roads were maintained — we suspect mostly had to do with the natural gas and logging industry presence in this part of Pennsylvania. (Pennsylvania is the country’s second-largest producer of natural gas, behind Texas.)
On day one we camped at Little Pine State Park, one of the campsites listed along segment 8 in the MABDR map. We’ve long operated under the assumption that camping in state parks leads to fairly predictable expectations of scenery and surroundings. Little Pine is a shining example of this break in expectations. We ended up camping near the outlet of the park’s dam, which provided a steady rush of white noise for us while we slept. It also gave us a nice coating of frost over our tent and condensation inside the next morning.
Day Two
Section 8 (Partial) & Section 7 (Partial)
Time Taken: 8.5 hours (about 3 hours stopping for food, pictures, and sightseeing)
Accompanying day two were some noteworthy changes in topography as we made our way out of Tioga State Forest and into the Valley and Ridge section of the journey. Day two meant sitting up a little straighter and keeping our eyes alert as we met many more switchbacks and changes in elevation on this portion of segment 8. The roads along these segments are also nicely maintained, and the views were, again, spectacular.
Rutted out
There were two sections of Segment 8 we found to be a little more challenging (but still easily doable with a 4x4). These two sections provided fun little breaks to otherwise smooth riding.
The first section of rutted “road” is not highlighted on the MABDR map or GPX. We’ve recorded this section with our GPS, which you can find here, in case you’d like the heads up. Again, do-able, just a little more “off-roadish.”
The second section we experienced is noted on the MABDR Section 8 Blow Out Map as “Section 8 Alt (3 miles) GPS track: MA8ALT Driveable 4x4 EXPERT”. You’ll find it likewise, in the MABDR GPX file located here: https://ridebdr.com/download-tracks/
(41.30993777655861, -77.3646025883119 )
Slowing Down
We made several stops along the way that day for food, play, and pictures, slowing our progress down considerably but creating some worthwhile memories, too.
Stop One: Citgo & Country Store, Waterville PA
We’d highly recommend BDR add this country store to the Food & Grocery section of its Segment 8 info panel instead of just referencing it with a simple fuel icon. This quaint little place is a lunch spot for local hunters, as it features a sub counter inside, a quick stop to stock up on convenience items and basic groceries, and a place to grab stickers, maps, and other souvenirs.
Stop Two: Woolrich Outlet Store & Woolrich Community Park, Woolrich PA
The town of Woolrich is picturesque. Pristine older homes of all styles adorned with American flags lined the town streets. A large central park complete with pavilions, baseball fields sat at the center of town, accompanied by winding walking paths littered with large crimson and rust-colored leaves that crunched under your feet as you walked. You couldn’t get more all-American Apple Pie if you tried.
The Woolrich factory for which the town is named has been closed since the end of 2019, putting an end to the oldest continuously running vertical woolen mill in the United States. Everything we touched in the outlet store carried a “Made In China” tag, a reminder of the times we live in and the good and not so great aspects of living in a global economy.
Camping on the Fly
Unlike Day One, on day two we did not have reservations at a campsite nearby. Luckily, Pennsylvania is stuffed with state parks, which in this region of the state at this time of year, were plenty available for last-minute walk-ins. We noticed Poe Paddy State Park was listed as one of the campgrounds suggested on the MABDR map, but we found Poe Valley State Park, located just a couple miles beyond Poe Paddy, had more electric hook-up sites available.
Thanks to their honor pay system, we found a nice site in the pet-friendly section, just a short walk from the immaculately maintained public shower & restroom facility.
Day Three
Section 7 (Partial) & Section 6
Time Taken: About 7 hours (with stops for lunch and pictures)
We unpacked the bare minimum in gear the night before, yet our fingertips had frozen by the time we had finished packing up all the frost-covered gear the next morning. The other thing we had to contend with was yet more condensation on the interior of our tent.
Ahead of us on Day 3 was a veritable ping-pong volley back and forth between ridges and valleys, switchbacks, and blind curves. Each ridge we crested gave way to majestic views of a new farmland-covered valley below. Our kids were enamored by the myriad Amish farmers and families working outside in the fields and driving in horse & buggy along the same country roads we found ourselves on.
One of our favorite stops on the trip was at Couch’s Subs & Groceries in Huntington. We stopped here for lunch, but couldn’t help picking up some crafty local trinkets, too along with some homemade ice cream. And, they don’t just serve subs. In their diner-style seating section, you can order up hot dishes such as the spaghetti and meatballs or Rueben Stromboli we enjoyed for lunch that day.
Once we made it through the last of the valley and ridge hopscotch, it was relatively flat, smooth sailing to the southern tip of Segment 6, where we hopped on HWY 81 and headed home back to Virginia.
Sharing the Road
Who did we share the road with? For most of our journey along mountain paths, hardly anyone! We think this is primarily due to the time of year we traveled. Still, we were diligent about traveling at a safe speed and staying on the lookout for the occasional adventure rider, cyclist, logging truck, or hunter. We did come across an ATV or two as well.
Driving the MABDR with a Trailer?
As off-roading trailers go, ours is pretty small. Yet, we didn’t find anyone online that had taken a trailer on the MABDR, so we weren’t completely confident going onto the MABDR blind. We can say now, at least through segments 6 to 9, an offroad trailer is not a problem to take along the MABDR. The vast majority of the roads allowed enough space for other vehicles to get by or spots where we could turn around comfortably if needed.
We would mention, however, that section 6 features pretty steep climbs and descents. Ensure your payload and tow capacity can handle your load so you don’t encounter any overheating issues.
To Be Continued…
We’ve got sections Sections 1 through 5 yet to adventure on, so if you like this sum-up, stay tuned for more!
