A coast-to-coast road trip is a staple of American culture and is doable in a few days if you stick to major highways. However, a route exists offering a slower, off-road-centric way across the country: the TransAmerica Trail (TAT).
TAT prioritizes adventure over rapidity, affording an Atlantic Ocean to Pacific Ocean route with thousands of miles of dirt and gravel, as well as mud and rocks on farm roads, back roads, off-road trails, and byways in between. While it may be the least efficient way to cross the USA, an adventure is all but guaranteed.
What Is the TransAmerica Trail?
In the mid-1980s, Mississippi pharmacist and adventure motorcycle enthusiast Sam Correro started mapping adventure routes starting in his home state. Eventually, he added states all the way to the oceans. It took Correro over a decade to culminate his routes into what became the TransAmerica Trail.
Sam sells TAT maps, available as paper sheets, turn-by-turn paper roll charts, and digital GPX files, on the TransAmerica Trail website. Officially, TAT runs east to west. Many people do sections of it as they have the time.
However, if you’re attempting the entire transcontinental journey in one fell swoop, you’ll start on the Atlantic Ocean Spur in Nags Head, N.C. From there, you join the main TAT route in Virginia, which then runs through the center of the country. Next, you’ll hop on the Pacific Ocean Spur in Idaho and finish in Port Orford, Ore., some 7,100 miles later, give or take.
Taking a Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness Across the TransAmerica Trail
While the route was originally intended for adventure motorcycles, four-wheel drive adventure vehicles, such as trucks, Jeeps, and other SUVs, have tackled TAT. I wondered: Could this be done in a modern Subaru? This means no low range, no locking differentials, and smaller tires. Was it possible?
My navigator, wife, and fellow automotive journalist, Mercedes Lilienthal, and I pitched the idea to Subaru of America, and they agreed to lend us a ’25 Crosstrek Wilderness for this journey.
We knew we’d need to make some minor modifications to the car since we’d be living out of it for 3-5 weeks and taking it over mountainous terrain, thousands of miles of gravel, and in extreme weather.
Off-Road Chops From the Factory
Out of the box, the car has off-road chops, which I experienced at the Crosstrek Wilderness launch in 2023. This includes 9.3 inches of ground clearance, 20-degree approach and 33-degree departure angles, and X-MODE off-pavement driving modes.
It has a relatively high gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 4,817, allowing us to carry a lot of gear. It also showcases a larger rear differential, increased engine cooling, and all-terrain tires. We added to this platform with help from the automotive aftermarket and Subaru’s own accessories to make this a more usable overland vehicle.
Truthfully, I wasn’t 100% sure we could do the entire route in this vehicle. After all, it would cross some tall mountains and, potentially, lots of mud. Most TAT trucks and SUVs have low range and bigger tires. Our car has all-wheel drive, a CVT, and the tires we’d use were just 28.5 inches tall.
Perhaps we’re crazy. Maybe we’re just adventurous. Probably a bit of both.
Multiple Minor Modifications
In an attempt to make this car as capable as possible without going totally overboard on custom parts, we added multiple upgrades, many of which were bolt-ons.
Underbody Armor
Wheels, Tires, and Suspension
Lighting
Vehicle Recovery
Camping Gear
Off-Grid Power
Locked & Loaded Down
With the added weight from our modifications and gear, the car’s rear end was slightly sagging. We made a last-second decision to add Bilstein B6 struts and taller, stiffer King Springs (via Primitive Racing) in the back to compensate for the extra weight.
After the modifications were installed, our Crosstrek Wilderness weighed in at 3,999 pounds. However, the car has an impressive 4,817-pound gross vehicle weight rating. This is a specification telling how much the car can weigh when totally loaded. The GVWR includes passengers, fuel, and everything in and on the car.
We had 818 pounds of payload to work with before exceeding the GVWR. We weighed our gear and found we’d still be under.
Once all our stuff was loaded, despite the stiffer King Springs, the rear still squatted, but not as much, and we wouldn’t be riding on the bumpstops. It was time to hit the road, and we drove from Subaru’s New Jersey headquarters down to Nags Head, N.C., to start the transcontinental crossing.
TaT Crosstrek Adventure by the Numbers
We left Nags Head, N.C., on June 19 and reached Port Orford, Ore., on July 17. The journey took us 29 days, 7,163 miles (3,184 of which were unpaved) across 15 states (plus four not on the route). We camped 23 nights in the rooftop tent. We averaged 25 mph on the entire trip and couldn’t escape the stifling heat and jungle-like humidity. Twenty-eight of 29 days were above 90 degrees F, six of which were 100 degrees F or higher.
We stuck to the official TransAmerica Trail route as much as possible, but had 39 total deviations due to downed trees, closed roads, washed-out bridges, flooding, wildfires, and a sinkhole on the very last leg in Oregon.
We used the paper maps, loaded our GPX files on a Garmin Tread Overland Edition, and used onX to double-check dispersed camping, wildfires, and trail conditions. Quad Lock mounts were used to securely hold onto our phones while scrolling through critical info, too.
Every region had its own beauty, challenges, and unique attributes. While Mercedes and I had already been to all 50 states, seeing our own country from remote backroads was amazing and unforgettable.
Crosstrek Wilderness as an Overland Rig
And yes, a Crosstrek Wilderness can do the trip (or at least most of it). Let me elaborate..
After many hard miles, the Crosstrek Wilderness proved to be a worthy compact overlanding platform, and a tough one at that. Despite driving with the utmost of attention, there were times when we’d hit an unexpected “gotcha” — an unseen rock, pothole, or stump — either on a trail or dirt road.
Often, I thought we must’ve broken something: a sway bar end link, a strut, a tie rod. But we never had a single issue and didn’t break anything. The car’s sturdiness was truly impressive.
We knew what we were getting into with the car’s size. It’s essentially a compact five-door hatchback. There’d be space limitations, but so long as we planned for them, it’d work.
Using the RiG’d swing-away tire setup helped with space. It carried a full-size spare tire, extra fuel, our MAXTRAX, and our trash and laundry in a Trasharoo. We used every square inch of this car and every one of its plentiful cubbies.
As two journalists, we also have camera gear, computers, and communications equipment like a Starlink Mini in a Pelican case. This despite the fact that we packed smartly and as light as possible.
Is a Crosstrek Wilderness usable for a 29-day overland trip? Yes. Would an Outback Wilderness be more spacious? Yes.
Had we skipped the Thule rooftop tent and opted for a roof box and a ground tent, we could’ve stashed more gear on top of the car and less inside. But the rooftop tent was comfortable and convenient.
Crosstrek Wilderness as an Off-Road Platform
The Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness was far more off-road capable than I expected. It went everywhere we asked it to go (with one exception; more on that in a moment). The addition of more aggressive BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2 tires and the Primitive Racing skid plates, paired with X-MODE, impressed me, a seasoned off-roader, on multiple occasions. Even with AWD and a CVT, the Crosstrek Wilderness punched above its weight off pavement.
Whether traversing washed-out trails in Appalachia or crawling over rocks at high elevations on Cinnamon Pass in Colorado, this car went nearly everywhere if I chose a good line. But, there was one exception.
After summiting Cinnamon Pass in Colorado at 12,640 feet, we headed to an even loftier California Pass. A set of steep, narrow switchbacks loomed in the foreground. The first corner, a bypass for a more difficult climb, was blocked by a few feet of snow, leaving the steep way up as the only way forward.
At over 12,500 feet, our weighty Crosstrek Wilderness was robbed of power due to elevation. According to an online calculator, we may have been down by as much as 68 horsepower. The lack of oxygen, the CVT, and no low range meant we weren’t getting up the extreme incline.
After a few attempts, we turned around and opted for another way. While disappointed, I couldn’t be mad. After all, most Subaru owners are not trying to go over 12,960-foot mountain passes off-road.
Despite our one unsuccessful mountain ascension, we summited the rocky Ophir Pass (11,789 feet), completed several trails in Moab, Utah, including Gemini Bridges, and ascended several other 10,000+ foot passes with ease.
While admirable as a mountain goat, the Crosstrek Wilderness is a dirt road warrior. The chassis, based on the Impreza, is fun to throw around in corners and gobbles up dirt tracks. The suspension is great over potholes, washboard, and more. Its rally car heritage definitely showed through on the TAT.
What Worked Well
The overall vehicle platform is super-durable. It’s fun to drive and comfortable, and the air conditioning — which we employed daily — never skipped a beat.
Primitive Racing’s skid plates were the heroes of this trip. They took a beating protecting the underbody from what would’ve been certain damage. They were a must-have. Similarly, our BFGoodrich tires didn’t get a single flat. More aggressive than the stock/OEM Yokohama Geolandar G015 all-terrain rubber, they proved beefy if not a bit noisy.
Side note: The Rally Innovations light bar mount, while not intended to be used as a bull bar, took some unexpected hits on the trail and never budged — nor did the Baja Designs lights.
The Ecoflow DELTA 3 Plus and 800W Alternator Charger were an impressive duo for off-grid power. While we’ve run power banks in the past, the ability to charge the DELTA 3 Plus with the alternator during the day and then send power back to the car’s 12V battery at night was awesome.
This ensured the car would start every morning, and our ARB fridge/freezer would keep our food, drinks, and medicine at the right temperatures. This setup allowed us to leave our solar panels at home.
Lastly, the RiG’d Supply UltraSwing spare tire setup was the biggest surprise. Its versatility (especially with the UltraTable) helped make our vehicle a kitchen, a workstation, and with the Trasharoo, and added storage area — all without rattling.
What Didn’t Work So Well
We had a few misses on this trip, none of which were critical. For example, the Crosstrek Wilderness’s rear brakes would pick up stones, which would lodge behind the rotor and backing plate, making a horrific screeching noise. We could get some out with a screwdriver, and some would have to work their way out on their own. We experienced this for hundreds of miles.
Subaru’s infotainment system was laggy and would lock up and restart itself nearly every day. Perhaps it just needed an update. And, while the front StarTex leatherette seats were mostly comfortable, the piping on the seat bottoms dug into our hips and legs; we used microfiber cloths on these areas to stop the irritation.
The last gripe: Automakers need to stop using piano black finishes in adventure-themed cars. This stuff scratches more easily than a lottery ticket in a gas station parking lot.
I was glad we had the taller/stiffer King Springs in the rear. Blake Lind, owner of Primitive Racing, tells me there was one more step up in height we could’ve used. Our ride quality remained good regardless, and off-road performance wasn’t hampered. But next time, we’d go with the stiffer springs.
The Thule tent worked as advertised and was high quality. But hindsight being 20/20, a slimmer, more aerodynamic rooftop tent would’ve helped increase our fuel economy and make less noise at highway speeds.
Being that space was at a premium, we probably could’ve gotten away with a small backpacking stove to boil water for Mountain House and coffee versus the larger (albeit wonderfully powerful) two-burner Camp Chef Everest 2X unit, which took lots of space.
An Incredible Journey in an Unlikely Underdog
We knew the Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness would be an unlikely vehicle to use on the TransAmerica Trail. However, it proved its worth with zero issues, and more off-pavement prowess than anticipated. Our carefully curated modifications let us camp comfortably, travel surefootedly, and complete this epic journey successfully.
Someone on Facebook asked whether this trip could be done in an unmodified Crosstrek Wilderness. The short answer is yes, so long as you were ultra-careful in the California and Utah rocks. I’d strongly advise at least adding the upgraded trio of skid plates.
Should You Do the TransAmerica Trail?
If you love to explore, travel, and see less-explored places, the TransAmerica Trail is a premier overland route in North America and one hell of an adventure. From ocean vistas and mountain tops to wide-open prairies and rural villages, you’ll see a little of everything the less-traveled parts of America have to offer.
Buy the paper maps, get the GPX files, and take the time. You’ll be amazed at what you can discover without leaving the U.S. With fun TAT stops along the way, friendly people, and some of the best and most diverse scenery in the country, TAT should be on your overlanding bucket list, no matter what you ride or drive.
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