Terms of Use

Last Updated: Jun 21, 2022

Please read these Terms of Use carefully before accessing or using this website.  If you do not agree to all of the terms and conditions contained in these Terms of Use, do not access or otherwise use this Site or our Services.

Welcome to Backroads.com, a website and online service (collectively, the “Site”) of Backroads (“Backroads,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). This page explains the terms by which you may use our Site (including any subdomains), and any features provided on or in connection with the Site (the “Terms of Use” or “Terms”). 

PLEASE NOTE:  SECTION 19 CONTAINS A BINDING ARBITRATION CLAUSE AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER. IT AFFECTS YOUR RIGHTS ABOUT HOW TO RESOLVE ANY DISPUTE WITH US. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY.

1. Acceptance of Terms
2. Our Services
3. Your Use of Our Services
4. Your Account
5. Your Content
6. Our Content
7. Trademarks
8. Notice for Claims of Copyright Infringement
9. Privacy
10. Minors
11. Third-Party Links
12. International Use
13. Electronic Communications
14. Termination
15. Disclaimer of Warranties
16. Limitation of Liability
17. Indemnification
18. Governing Law
19. Dispute Resolution; Binding Arbitration; Class Action Waiver
20. General Information
21. Contact Us

1. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS

By using the Site, creating an account and checking the “I agree” (or similar) box, or otherwise accessing or using the Site or our Services (defined below), you (1) agree that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Use, and (2) agree that you have read and acknowledge the collection and use of your information as set forth in our Privacy Policy (the “Privacy Policy”), whether or not you are a registered user of the Site. These Terms apply to all visitors, users, account holders and others who access the Site (“User(s),” or “you” or “your”), and are a legally binding contract between you and Backroads.

Backroads may change these Terms of Use from time to time. Your continued access or use of the Site and/or our Services constitutes your acceptance of such changes. Your access and use of the Site and/or our Services will be subject to the current version of these Terms of Use, rules and guidelines posted on the Site at the time of such use. Please regularly check the Site to view the then-current terms. If you breach any of the Terms of Use, your license to access or use this Site shall automatically terminate.

2. OUR SERVICES

Backroads is the world’s #1 active travel company. Since 1979, we’ve been doing what we do best: taking people on unforgettable active vacations around the world. What sets us apart? Our thoughtful, meticulous trip design. Our elegant hotels and world-class dining. And our Trip Leaders, who are consistently described by our guests as the best guides they’ve ever had. Backroads sets the benchmark for incredible biking, hiking and multi-adventure trips worldwide. Never subcontracted, in more than 50 countries and with more dates to choose from than any other company. That’s the Backroads standard.

To assist our guests with selecting a trip, our Site offers information about our destinations, trips and activities. Our Site also allows guests to create an account and access the Backroads account, the online Guest Service and Communication portal (collectively, “Services” or “Our Services ”). 

Backroads reserves the right to disable any guest account that we believe violates our Terms of Use. Backroads also reserves the right to refuse to post any of Your Content (defined below) for any reason or no reason in our sole discretion.  

3. YOUR USE OF OUR SERVICES

You agree not to engage in any of the following prohibited activities:

  • Copying, distributing or disclosing any part of the Site in any medium, including without limitation by any automated or non-automated “scraping.”
  • Using any automated system, including without limitation “robots,” “spiders,” “offline readers,” etc., to access the Site in a manner that sends more request messages to the Backroads servers than a human can reasonably produce in the same period of time by using a conventional online web browser (except that Backroads grants the operators of public search engines revocable permission to use spiders to copy materials from the Site for the sole purpose of and solely to the extent necessary for creating publicly available searchable indices of the materials, but not caches or archives of such materials).
  • Transmitting spam, chain letters or other unsolicited promotional email.
  • Attempting to interfere with, compromise the system integrity or security or decipher any transmissions to or from the servers running the Site.
  • Taking any action that imposes – or may impose, as we determine at our sole discretion – an unreasonable or disproportionately large load on our infrastructure.
  • Uploading invalid data, viruses, worms or other software agents through the Site, including through any of Your Content (defined below).
  • Collecting or harvesting any personally identifiable information, including account names and emails, from the Site.
  • Using the Site for any commercial solicitation purposes, except as explicitly provided for by these Terms.
  • Impersonating another person or otherwise misrepresenting your affiliation with a person or entity, engaging in fraud, hiding or attempting to hide your identity.
  • Interfering with the proper working of the Site.
  • Accessing any content on the Site through any technology or means other than those provided or authorized by the Site.
  • Bypassing the measures we may use to prevent or restrict access to the Site, including without limitation features that prevent or restrict use or copying of any content or enforce limitations on use of the Site or the content.

4. YOUR ACCOUNT

In order to access certain features and functions of the Site – that we may establish, maintain, and modify, from time to time and in our sole discretion – you will need to create a Backroads account. Upon completing the Backroads account registration process, you will be prompted to select a permanent Log-in Name and Password.

You are responsible for tracking all activity on your own account, and you agree to:

  • Provide accurate, current and complete information about you as may be prompted by any registration forms on the Site (“Registration Data”). Creating an account with false information is a violation of our terms.
  • Maintain and promptly update the Registration Data, and any other information you provide to Backroads, to keep it accurate, current and complete.
  • Maintain the security of your password and identification.
  • Notify Backroads immediately of any unauthorized use of your account or other breach of security.
  • Accept all responsibility for any and all activities that occur under your account, including but not limited to, all applicable taxes and any applicable third-party fees (including but not limited to credit card fees, foreign exchange fees and cross border fees).
  • Accept all risks of unauthorized access to the Registration Data and any other information you provide to Backroads.
  • Never transfer your account to another person.

These Terms and/or your use of the Site do not create any agency, partnership, joint venture, employment or franchise relationship between you and Backroads.

5. YOUR CONTENT

Content that you upload, post or otherwise submit and make available using our Services – for example, photographs that you upload to our online galleries – is your content (“Your Content”).  You retain any copyright that you have in Your Content.  

5.1 Responsibility for Your Content.  Backroads is not in a position to offer legal advice or make legal determinations as to whether Your Content infringes someone else’s intellectual property.  You understand that you are solely responsible for Your Content, and you represent that you have all necessary rights to Your Content and that you are not infringing or violating any third party’s rights by posting it. Violating the intellectual property rights of brands or other rights owners may result in legal consequences. IMPORTANT:  This section does not constitute legal advice. You should consult a lawyer if you have a specific question about the rights of others.

5.2 Permission to Use Your Content. By posting Your Content, you grant Backroads a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, irrevocable, sub-licensable, perpetual license to use, display, edit, modify, reproduce, distribute, store, and prepare derivative works of Your Content. This allows us to provide the Services and to promote Backroads or the Services in general, in any formats and through any channels, including across any partners or third-party website or advertising medium. You agree not to assert any moral rights or rights of publicity against us for using Your Content. You also recognize our legitimate interest in using it, in accordance with the scope of this license, to the extent Your Content contains any personal information. 

5.3 Objectionable Content. You may not post content which includes, but is not limited to: (i) content which is obscene, misleading, libelous, violent, hateful and/or unlawful, or (ii) content that infringes upon the rights of any third party, including copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity or other personal or proprietary right.  You also may not: (i) harass, threaten, impersonate or intimidate people or entities, or (ii) post private or confidential information including, without limitation, your or any other person’s credit card information, social security number, non-public phone numbers and non-public email addresses.

5.4 Right to Delete Your Content. Backroads is not obligated to list or post Your Content and reserves the right to delete Your Content from the Site: (i) at any time in the event you violate these Terms of Use, or (ii) in the event Backroads believes it should remove Your Content for compliance with laws, the protection of other guests, or any other business reason(s).

5.5 Feedback / Contributions. We appreciate any feedback or other suggestions about our Site or Services that you may submit to us, but you understand that we may use such feedback or suggestions without any obligation to compensate you for them, and that we may disclose the idea(s) on a non-confidential basis or otherwise to anyone. Backroads does not waive any rights to use similar or related ideas previously known to Backroads, or developed by its employees, or obtained from sources other than you.

6. OUR CONTENT

Unless otherwise indicated, all of the content featured or displayed on the Site, including, but not limited to, text, graphics, data, photographic images, moving images, sound, illustrations, software, editorial content and the selection and arrangement thereof (“Our Content”), is owned by Backroads, its licensors or its third-party image partners. All elements of the Site, including Our Content, are protected by copyright, trade dress, moral rights, trademark and other laws relating to the protection of intellectual property.
 
Backroads grants you the right to view and use the Site subject to these Terms. You may download or print a copy of information provided in the Site for your personal, internal and non-commercial use only. Any distribution, reprint or electronic reproduction of any content from the Site in whole or in part for any other purpose is expressly prohibited without our prior written consent.

7. TRADEMARKS

“Backroads”, “The World’s #1 Active Travel Company,” “Backroads Live Your Adventure Go Active,” and any other product or service name or slogan contained in the Site are trademarks of Backroads, and may not be copied, imitated or used, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of Backroads. You may not use metatags or any other “hidden text” utilizing “Backroads” or any other name, trademark or product or service name of Backroads without our prior written permission. In addition, the look and feel of the Site, including all page headers, custom graphics, button icons and scripts, is the service mark, trademark and/or trade dress of Backroads and may not be copied, imitated or used, in whole or in part, without our prior written permission.  

All other trademarks, registered trademarks, product names and company names or logos mentioned in the Site are the property of their respective owners. Reference to any products, services, processes or other information, by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, supplier or otherwise does not constitute or imply endorsement, sponsorship or recommendation thereof by us.

8.1  Notice. We take claims of alleged infringement seriously, and will respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement under the United States Digital Millennium Copyright Act.  Please see our DMCA Notice.

8.2 IP Enforcement. It is Backroads’ policy, in appropriate circumstances, to terminate the accounts of guests who are repeat infringers or who are repeatedly charged with infringement.  Even if you are infringing IP without knowledge, we will still take action and your account might receive a warning or be suspended or terminated. You should consult an attorney for help to ensure that you have the right procedures in place to prevent IP infringement.

9. PRIVACY

Click here to view our Privacy Policy. You understand that by using the Site and/or Services you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information as set forth in our Privacy Policy, and to have your personal information collected, used, transferred to and processed in the United States.

10. MINORS

In order to use the Site, you must be at least 18 years of age (“Minimum Age”). The Site is not intended for users under the Minimum Age. You hereby represent that (a) you are at least the minimum age, (b) you have all the applicable rights and authority to grant Backroads the rights granted herein; and (c) you have read, understood and agree to be bound by these Terms of Use.  If you are not at least the Minimum Age or you do not agree to all the terms and conditions in these Terms of Use, you may not use the Services.

The Site may contain links to third-party websites or other events or activities that are not owned or controlled by Backroads. Backroads does not endorse or assume any responsibility for any such third-party sites, information, materials, products or services. If you access a third-party website from the Site, you do so at your own risk, and you understand that these Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy do not apply to your use of such sites. You expressly release Backroads from any and all liability arising from your use of any third-party website, service or content. 

12. INTERNATIONAL USE

The Site is controlled and operated from the United States of America. If you access the Site from a location outside the United States of America, you do so on your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with all applicable laws of your jurisdiction. Backroads makes no representation that materials on the Site are appropriate or available for use in locations outside the United States, and accessing them from territories where such content is illegal is prohibited.  Those who choose to access the Site and/or utilize the Services from other locations do so on their own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local laws. You may not use the Site or our Services if you are a resident of a country embargoed by the United States, or are a foreign person or entity blocked or denied by the United States government.

13. ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS

When you use the Site, or send e-mails, text messages and other communications from your desktop or mobile device to us, you are communicating with us electronically. You consent to receive communications from us electronically, such as e-mails, texts, mobile push notices or notices and messages on this Site or through our Services, and you can retain copies of these communications for your records. You agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications that we provide to you electronically satisfy any legal requirement that such communications be in writing.

14. TERMINATION

14.1. Termination by You.  You may terminate your Backroads account at any time by emailing us at brguestservices@backroads.com.  Terminating your Backroads account will not affect the availability of some of Your Content that you posted to the Site prior to termination.

14.2 Termination by Backroads.  Backroads reserves the right to suspend or terminate your account and/or access to the Site, at any time and without advance notice, if we believe you have violated our Terms of Use.  We also reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account and/or access to the Site, at any time and for any other reason, without advance notice.  If we do so, you do not have a contractual or legal right to continue to use our Site or Services. Backroads may refuse service to anyone, at any time, for any reason. Backroads may, but is not obligated to, provide you with an opportunity to provide an explanation as to why your account should not be suspended or terminated. If Backroads (or you) terminate your account, you may lose any information associated with your account, including Your Content.

14.3 We May Discontinue the Site or Services. Backroads reserves the right to change, suspend or discontinue any of the Services or the Site at any time, without advance notice, for any reason.  We will not be liable to you for the effect that any change to the Site or Services may have on you.

14.4 Survival. These Terms of Use will remain in effect even after your access to the Site or Services is terminated, or your use of the Site or Services ends.

15. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES

BACKROADS DOES NOT PROMISE THAT THE SITE OR ANY CONTENT, SERVICE OR FEATURE OF THE SITE WILL BE ERROR-FREE OR UNINTERRUPTED, OR THAT ANY DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, OR THAT YOUR USE OF THE SITE OR OUR SERVICES WILL PROVIDE SPECIFIC RESULTS.  THE SITE AND OUR SERVICES ARE DELIVERED ON AN “AS-IS” AND “AS-AVAILABLE” BASIS.  ALL INFORMATION PROVIDED ON THE SITE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.

BACKROADS CANNOT ENSURE THAT ANY FILES OR OTHER DATA YOU DOWNLOAD FROM THE SITE WILL BE FREE OF VIRUSES OR CONTAMINATION OR DESTRUCTIVE FEATURES. BACKROADS DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTIES OF ACCURACY, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  BACKROADS DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY FOR THE ACTS, OMISSIONS AND CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH OR RELATED TO YOUR USE OF THE SITE AND/OR SERVICE. YOU ASSUME TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE AND ANY LINKED SITES. 

16. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

16.1 Content You Access. Our Site and/or Services allow the sharing of information in many ways, such as through guest profiles, group posts, messaging and forums. [Do we have these features?]comments and photography. You may come across material that you find offensive or inappropriate while using our Site and/or our Services. We make no representations concerning any content posted by users through the Site and/or Services. Backroads is not responsible for the accuracy, copyright compliance, legality, or decency of content posted by users that you accessed through the Site and/or Services.  You release us from all liability relating to that content.
16.2  People You Interact With.  You can use the Site and/or Services to interact with other individuals online. [Is this true?] However, you understand that we have no obligation to screen users of our Site and/or Services, or the content they post or share, and you release us from all liability relating to your interactions with other users.

16.2 Third-Party Services. Our Site may contain links to third-party websites or services that we do not own or control. When you access these third-party services, you do so at your own risk. The third parties may require you to accept their own terms of use. Backroads is not a party to those agreements; they are solely between you and the third party.

16.3 LIABILITY LIMITS. IN NO EVENT WILL BACKROADS, ITS EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, AFFILIATES OR SHAREHOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR (A) DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, UNDER ANY LEGAL THEORY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SITE, THE SERVICES OR THESE TERMS, INCLUDING ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PERSONAL INJURY, PAIN AND SUFFERING, EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, LOSS OF REVENUE, LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS OR ANTICIPATED SAVINGS, LOSS OF ECONOMIC ADVANTAGE, LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF GOODWILL, LOSS OF DATA, AND WHETHER CAUSED BY TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INFRINGEMENT, BREACH OF CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF FORESEEABLE, OR (B) ANY DAMAGES WHICH EXCEED THE GREATER OF ONE HUNDRED ($100) US DOLLARS (USD) OR THE AMOUNT YOU PAID BACKROADS IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS. THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY LIABILITY WHICH CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW, BUT SHOULD BE CONSTRUED TO THE GREATEST EXTENT APPLICABLE IN SUCH JURISDICTIONS.

17. INDEMNIFICATION

You agree to defend and indemnify Backroads (and its officers, directors, shareholders, predecessors, successors in interest, employees, agents, subsidiaries and affiliates) and hold us harmless from any legal claim or demand (including attorneys’ fees) that arises out of or in connection with your actions, your use (or misuse) of our Site or Services, your breach of the Terms, or your infringement of someone else’s rights, including without any limitation any right of privacy or intellectual property rights.

If we request that you defend a legal claim or demand, you will not agree to any settlement without our prior written consent. In addition, Backroads reserves the right to participate, at our own expense, in the defense of any legal claim or demand with counsel of our own choosing. Backroad also reserves the right to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter for which you are required to indemnify us and you agree to cooperate with our defense of these claims.

18. GOVERNING LAW

You agree that the laws of the State of California, without regard to principles of conflicts of law, will govern these Terms of Use and any dispute of any kind that might arise between you and Backroads.

19. DISPUTE RESOLUTION; BINDING ARBITRATION; CLASS ACTION WAIVER

You and Backroads agree that these Terms of Use affect interstate commerce and that the Federal Arbitration Act governs the interpretation and enforcement of these arbitration provisions.

If you and Backroads are unable to resolve a dispute through informal negotiations, you agree that any dispute concerning, relating or referring to these Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, the Site and/or our Services shall be resolved exclusively by binding arbitration pursuant to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16, pursuant to the Comprehensive Arbitration Rules & Procedures of the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (JAMS). Such proceedings will be governed by substantive (but not procedural) California law, without regard to the California Arbitration Act, and will take place in Berkeley, California.  

Delegation.  The arbitrator and not any federal, state or local court or agency shall have exclusive authority to resolve any dispute relating to the interpretation, applicability, enforceability, conscionability or formation of this agreement, including but not limited to any claim that all or any part of this agreement is void or voidable. Any arbitration under the Terms will take place on an individual basis—class arbitration and class actions are not permitted. Please understand that by agreeing to these terms and conditions, you (and we) are waiving our right to a trial by jury.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may seek emergency injunctive or other equitable relief before the state or federal courts located in or having jurisdiction over San Francisco County, California, pending a final decision by the arbitrator. A request for interim measures shall not be deemed a waiver of the right to arbitrate. If for any reason a dispute proceeds in court rather than arbitration, you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue in the courts located in or having jurisdiction over San Francisco County, California and hereby waive all defenses of lack of personal jurisdiction and forum non conveniens with respect to said jurisdiction and venue. 

20. GENERAL INFORMATION

20.1 Entire Agreement. Except as otherwise stated herein, these Terms (including, without limitation the Privacy Policy cited herein) constitute the entire and exclusive understanding and agreement between Backroads and you regarding the Site and our Services, and these Terms supersede and replace any and all prior oral or written understandings or agreements between Backroads and you regarding the Site and our Services.  

-    Guests traveling with Backroads are required to agree to Backroads Liability Release (Release, Assumption of All Risk and Binding Arbitration Agreement) which governs disputes concerning, relating or referring to that Agreement, Backroads’ brochures or other literature concerning a guest’s trip or the trip itself.

20.2 Waiver and Severability. No waiver by Backroads of any term or condition set forth in these Terms of Use shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or condition or a waiver of any other term or condition, and any failure of Backroads to assert a right or provision under these Terms of Use shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. If any provision of these Terms of Use is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason, such provision shall be eliminated or limited to the minimum extent such that the remaining provisions of the Terms of Use will continue in full force and effect.

20.3 Statute of Limitations. You agree that regardless of any statute or law to the contrary, any claim or cause of action arising out of or relating to use of Backroads’ Services or the Terms of Use must be filed within one (1) year after such claim or cause of action arose or be forever barred.

21. CONTACT US

If you have questions or comments about these Terms of Use, or to request technical assistance, please email us at brguestservices@backroads.com.