// Field Notes

From the road, and the workshop.

Build updates, the thinking behind the routing engine, and rider-built guides to the roads in the atlas. Written by people who actually ride.

119// STATE SPOTLIGHTM-119 "Tunnel of Trees"20 miles, no centerline, 135 curves above Lake Michigan SWITCHBACK MOTO

M-119 Tunnel of Trees: Michigan's Centerline-Free Corridor

Ride Michigan's only centerline-free state highway — 20 miles of hardwood canopy, 135 curves, and two famous tight bends from Harbor Springs to Cross Village.

October 9, 2026Tunnel Of Trees
20// STATE SPOTLIGHTNorth Cascades Highway (WA-20)140 miles across two high passes through the North Cascades SWITCHBACK MOTO

North Cascades Highway (WA-20): A Rider's Guide to Washington's High-Pass Crossing

140 miles from Sedro-Woolley to Twisp over two high passes. Everything a rider needs to know before rolling onto WA-20.

October 7, 2026North Cascades Highway
12// STATE SPOTLIGHTUtah Scenic Byway 12123 miles from Bryce to Capitol Reef — canyons, aspens, and the Hogback ridge SWITCHBACK MOTO

Utah Scenic Byway 12: 123 Miles Through the Heart of the Colorado Plateau

A deep-dive rider's guide to Scenic Byway 12 — the All-American Road linking Bryce Canyon to Capitol Reef through slickrock, aspens, and the Hogback.

October 5, 2026Utah Scenic Byway 12
14A// STATE SPOTLIGHTSpearfish Canyon Scenic Byway (US-14A)19 miles of limestone canyon, three waterfalls, Spearfish Creek alongside SWITCHBACK MOTO

Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway (US-14A): South Dakota's Canyon Road

19 miles of limestone walls, three waterfalls, and Spearfish Creek. A complete rider's guide to US-14A through the Black Hills.

October 2, 2026Spearfish Canyon
16A// STATE SPOTLIGHTIron Mountain Road (US-16A)17 miles of curves, pigtail bridges, and tunnels aimed at Mount Rushmore SWITCHBACK MOTO

Iron Mountain Road (US-16A): The Black Hills Road Built to Frame Mount Rushmore

17 miles, 314 curves, 14 switchbacks, 3 pigtail bridges, 3 Rushmore-framing tunnels. Your complete rider's guide to US-16A in the Black Hills.

September 30, 2026Iron Mountain Road
HC// STATE SPOTLIGHTHells Canyon Scenic Byway218 miles circling the Wallowas, rimming the continent's deepest gorge SWITCHBACK MOTO

Hells Canyon Scenic Byway: Northeast Oregon's 218-Mile Loop

A rider's guide to Oregon's Hells Canyon Scenic Byway — 218 miles circling the Wallowa Mountains beside the deepest river gorge in North America.

August 18, 2026Hells Canyon Scenic Byway
TAL// STATE SPOTLIGHTTalimena Scenic Drive54 miles of open ridgeline through the Ouachita National Forest SWITCHBACK MOTO

Talimena Scenic Drive: Arkansas & Oklahoma's Ridgetop Two-Lane

54 miles of open ridgeline across the Ouachita Mountains. No commercial traffic, 22 overlooks, and sustained views across five states on a clear day.

August 14, 2026Talimena Scenic Drive
NTP// STATE SPOTLIGHTNatchez Trace Parkway444 miles of NPS two-lane — no trucks, no lights, no shoulder. SWITCHBACK MOTO

Natchez Trace Parkway: A Rider's Guide to 444 Miles of NPS Road

444 miles of smooth, no-commercial-traffic NPS parkway from Natchez, MS to Nashville, TN — history, hazards, fuel stops, and how to ride it.

August 4, 2026Natchez Trace Parkway
34// STATE SPOTLIGHTTrail Ridge Road (US-34)48 miles across the tundra — 11 of them above 11,500 ft SWITCHBACK MOTO

Trail Ridge Road (US-34): Riding the Highest Continuous Paved Road in North America

A rider's guide to Trail Ridge Road — 48 miles across Rocky Mountain National Park, topping out at 12,183 ft above treeline.

July 28, 2026Trail Ridge Road
SKY// STATE SPOTLIGHTSkyline Drive105 miles on the Blue Ridge crest — pace yourself, the views earn it SWITCHBACK MOTO

Skyline Drive: Shenandoah's 105-Mile Ridge Road

A rider's guide to Skyline Drive — 105 miles, 75 overlooks, and a 35 mph limit through Shenandoah National Park.

July 21, 2026Skyline Drive
SD// STATE SPOTLIGHTSturgis & the Black HillsThe legendary roads and stops around the Sturgis rally SWITCHBACK MOTO

Riding Sturgis: Beyond the Rally

A Black Hills ride guide for Sturgis week — the legendary roads, landmarks, and stops around the rally, from Iron Mountain Road to Devils Tower.

July 9, 2026Sturgis
CHE// STATE SPOTLIGHTCherohala Skyway43 miles of ridge-top sweepers between two national forests SWITCHBACK MOTO

Cherohala Skyway: Tennessee and North Carolina's High-Ridge Run

43 miles of sweeping high-elevation road connecting Tellico Plains, TN to Robbinsville, NC through Cherokee and Nantahala national forests.

July 7, 2026Cherohala Skyway