Belgian Waffle Ride Celebrates 15 Years with a Landmark Anniversary Route Honoring One of San Diego County’s Most Pristine Wild Canyons

February 24, 2026

While Boden Canyon itself remains protected under strict land-use policies, its presence, history, and conservation importance will serve as a defining theme for the 15th anniversary course and storytelling, reflecting the spirit of what Belgian Waffle Ride has always represented: adventure with accountability, challenge with reverence, and access earned through respect.

DEL MAR, Calif. (February 24, 2026) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ — The Belgian Waffle Ride California, the original event that helped define modern American gravel, will celebrate its 15th annual edition this spring with a newly designed anniversary route inspired by one of the region’s most rare and ecologically significant landscapes: Boden Canyon Ecological Reserve, an approximately 1,200-acre protected canyon system located between Escondido and Ramona.

While Boden Canyon itself remains protected under strict land-use policies, its presence, history, and conservation importance will serve as a defining theme for the 15th anniversary course and storytelling, reflecting the spirit of what Belgian Waffle Ride has always represented: adventure with accountability, challenge with reverence, and access earned through respect.

Boden Canyon is a striking, largely intact representation of what Southern California once looked like before the heavy imprint of agriculture and urban expansion. Vegetation communities within the canyon include southern mixed chaparral, coastal sage scrub, coast live oak woodland, Engelmann oak woodland, and riparian forests anchored by willow and coast live oak.

The reserve also supports a remarkable range of wildlife, including common upland game birds and migratory species, as well as mule deer and turkey. Sensitive species documented in the region include Engelmann oak, San Diego horned lizard, Arroyo toad, coastal western whiptail, two-striped garter snake, red diamond rattlesnake, loggerhead shrike, least Bell’s vireo, and golden eagle.

Boden Canyon is not only biologically rich; it is strategically important. The canyon sits within one of the longest natural wildlife corridors in coastal San Diego County, forming a critical habitat linkage extending east toward Pamo Valley and north toward Riverside County through U.S. Forest Service lands. It is also identified as a core resource area within the region’s Multiple Species Conservation Plan (MSCP), and is located within the focused planning area for the San Dieguito River Valley Regional Open Space Park, a long-term vision that will one day connect open space from the ocean near Del Mar all the way to the Anza-Borrego Desert.

“This 15th anniversary isn’t just about distance or elevation,” said Belgian Waffle Ride founder Michael Marckx. “It’s about the soul of why we ride. Boden Canyon is a reminder that the most beautiful places are often the most protected, and that access is something we earn through responsibility. We’re celebrating the wild heart of San Diego County and doing it the right way.”

Boden Canyon’s land ownership is a mosaic of state, county, and city parcels, and more than 2,000 acres in the broader area are set aside for resource conservation. A multi-agency Land Management Plan guides stewardship of the region, emphasizing the protection of biodiversity while allowing only sustainable levels of public access that do not detract from the ecological integrity of the canyon. Access through Boden Canyon was made possible by issuance of a Special Use Permit from the California Department of Fish & Wildlife.

The Belgian Waffle Ride California will take place in Del Mar May 2 – 3, as part of a full weekend festival featuring rides, community events, and the signature mix of elite competition and inclusive participation that has made BWR one of the most distinctive endurance events in North America.

More details on the 15th anniversary route and weekend schedule will be released soon.

About Belgian Waffle Ride
Founded in San Diego County, Belgian Waffle Ride is the original “road + dirt” endurance cycling event in North America, blending gravel, pavement, singletrack, and irreverent culture into a race experience that is equal parts suffering and celebration. Now in its 15th year, BWR continues to expand its event footprint while staying anchored in the landscapes, communities, and backcountry spirit that started it all.

Media Contact
Michael Marckx – mmx@monumentsofcycling.com

Belgian Waffle Ride / Monuments of Cycling – www.BWR.bike