Historical Markers
Motorcycle History Rides icon - Historical Markers, listed historic sites across the United States

By motorcycle · 72,896 listed sites · 4,299 places

Motorcycle History Rides

Back-road rides with historic stops worth pulling over for, from covered bridges to old courthouses, laid out for a day in the saddle.

Every page below lists the real sites nearest that place, from the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program and the Georgia historical marker program, with the distance and the source for each one.

How it works

  1. 1

    Set the loop so you never double back

  2. 2

    Check pull-offs and parking at each stop

  3. 3

    Read the record for each stop before you arrive

  4. 4

    Pull over safely, step out, and see it in person

  5. 5

    Collect the stops and save the loop for another season

Questions people ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in your area?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

How long is a typical route in your area?

Walks run one to three miles, runs from a 5K up to a long run, rides ten to forty miles, and drives a half day or more. The route is built from the stops, so it is as long as the history in the area allows.

Does the app track my distance as well as my stops?

It counts the stops you reach and the route you followed. Keep using your own watch or fitness app for pace and heart rate, the two work side by side.

The rules that make it work

The record comes first

Every site on these pages comes from a published register or marker program, with its source named. Nothing is listed that is not on the record.

Read the whole story

A marker is a few lines on a post. The story behind it is longer, and it includes the hard parts. Both are worth the stop.

Movement makes it stick

People remember the places they walked to. A route through five markers teaches more than fifty marker pages read on a couch.

Local beats famous

The marker two streets over usually has a better story than the one in the guidebook, and nobody else is standing in front of it.

Respect the ground

Many sites are private homes, working churches or cemeteries. View from the public way, follow posted hours, and leave it as you found it.

Every visitor can improve it

Markers go missing, get moved, or carry mistakes. A photo or a location fix from the person standing there is how the record stays right.

Motorcycle Rides by metro area

Northeast

Midwest

South

West

Cities and all 3,143 US counties are covered too - every place page is live. The Motorcycle Rides sitemap lists every one.

Related