Riding CO and UT

[dramer]

I would really enjoy some help here!!!!

My good friend and I take a big trip every two years. This year we are riding from Topeka, KS to the Grand Canyon and back. We want to hit some great dirt roads in Utah on the way.

I am wondering if any of you have roads to suggest. We have moderate experience off road. We dont want to over step our bounds but dont mind pushing the limits.

I have a 1150GS and my friend has 1000 vstrom.

Thanks for any suggestions you may have.

[JOHNR100RS]

The Moke Dugway (sic) around the four corners and another dirt road that goes from Chama ,NM to Bayfield Co . Good Luck .

[sfarson]

The dirt road Burr Trail from Boulder (The great UT 12) to the Glen Canyon is reknown for its scenery. Highly recommended...

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...,1.550446&z=10

[Na Cl K9]

Kibler pass between Crested Butte and Paonia CO (12)...Delta to Nucla CO crossing the Uncompahgre Plateau and on into UT.

[Polarbear]

I second the BURR Trail idea. I did it on myGSA1200 two years ago solo, no other biker friends along. By myself out there was a wierd feeling and a good experience, but I looked around a few times wondering IF anybody would ever find me if I had trouble. No troubles. From Capitol Reef to Bullfrog on Lake Powell and a good camp is there at the lake20$, no showers, but a big lake,gas and very few stores. Take(pack it) what you need to eat/drink! Took the ferry across the lake at Bullfrog. Really good time on the BurrTrail. Its one lonely ride, few folks out there. HWY12 Utah is a paved, biker dream as well. The part between Capitoil Reef and Bryce NPs is especially worth the ride to 9000'. Hwy89 South to Kibab and on to Jacob Lake and the NRim of the G.Canyon is a great ride and few see the NRim. Its prettier and more foresty than its southern counterpart. See both sides of the canyon, however. "Cameron" Trading Post( A MUST STOP) is at the Eastern side of the GCanyon and a trading post with a great Navajo Eatery in the back. Have a Navajo Taco for sure. I ride FAR to eat these. The Lodge has REALLY nice rooms for around 100 bucks for two at Cameron. Camping nearby too,unknown facilities. The Hopi Indian Res. is very interesting too and their Silver Art is the best to be had on the planet. Maybe you can ride it back towards CO.. Just too much fun around the SW. Happy Trails to ya. Randy

[Polarbear]

ON Dirt and not too hard for a GS/GSA. "Ophir Pass", from Silverton to Teluride area is a really nice dirt byway. The Colorado ALPS, this area. I did it two up on my R1100GS years ago and figure the pass is still available and an easy/moderate solo adventurer's choice. The Utah Burr Trail I mentioned, YOU may consider riding it from South to North for your direction from Kansas and the Ophir Pass thing in there. Exit Colorado down by Cortez for the Lake Powell connection to the BURR Trail at Bullfrog, Utah. This will take you North to Capitol Reef and the famed Hwy12 to Bryce canyon and then South89 to the GCanyon. Just some routing tips. Don't forget a great lunch at the Navajo Cameron Trading Post, a favorite of mine,I never miss. Randy

[Visian]

take this one on your way back home to Kansas.

it goes east from Silverton and ends in Lake City.

this was doable on an oilhead with no luggage... i have ridden this once on the airhead with luggage.

you need to be good with the clutch and throttle, as there are some fairly steep sections.

i wouldn't try this in the rain, unless on a real dirt bike with real tires.

Cinnamon Pass is also an option on this route, more difficult than Engineer.

Ian

[sgtbill]

Goes south through Cottonwood Canyon toward Page Arizona. I took this road back in the 1990's on a K75 (not recommended) looking for Grovsenor's Arch. On a GS it would be fine. make sure you have a fll tank of gas before you leave Cannonville. Beautiful scenery and you won't likely see anyone else on the road. I hope to get back there some day.

[DADODIRT]

Everyone likes the big name passes.
Engineer Pass has some steep loose rocky sections. I might suggest Cinnamon as an easier alternate.
Ophir Pass seems to be easier from East to West. The loose steep section on the Ophir(east) side will have your clutch burning.
Another good alternate is accross the Uncompaghre Plateau.(my spelling is probably all f'ed up). Goes from Delta, Montrose or Ridgway on the east to Naturita or Gateway on the west. Old highway 90 is how it appears in the DeLorme atlas. Remote Colorado at its best. Easy dirt roads for a looooong way.
From Gateway, John Brown Canyon takes you up the north side of the La Salles and into Moab. Again, easy dirt roads.
There is a dirt route from north of Cortez through Hovenweep NM towards Bluff, UT.
Burr Trail is a great one once you are in Utah.
If you are heading to the Grand Canyon as your final destination you will probably want to stay in Utah as you are travelling east or west. Arizona is mostly reservation along Hwy 160 through four corners and Tuba City.

[Visian]

If you are heading to the Grand Canyon as your final destination you will probably want to stay in Utah as you are travelling east or west. Arizona is mostly reservation along Hwy 160 through four corners and Tuba City.

excellent advice.

not long after this pic was taken on the navaho reservation, the road signs disappeared, the "road" got really narrow and started climbing a steep canyon wall.

i was loaded to the max, didn't want to turn around and danged near made the bike a permanent part of the landscape.

ian

[dramer]

Thanks for all the great ideas.

I cant wait for the trip!!!!

[Polarbear]

The Navajo's are very friendly/helpful Indians and love the lands they occupy. I've had nothing but great riding times in the red dirt. Seems you've got lost and never to be found again and a Navajo will show up from nowhere. They have bailed me more than once. Randy...a "Polarbear" lost in AZ..

[Visian]

The Navajo's are very friendly/helpful Indians and love the lands they occupy. I've had nothing but great riding times in the red dirt. Seems you've got lost and never to be found again and a Navajo will show up from nowhere. They have bailed me more than once. Randy...a "Polarbear" lost in AZ..

yes, the people are simply wonderful, but they do have some mean damned dogs!

more than once on the ride i wound up going down a dead-end canyon, having to turn around and get going real quick with a big mean dog bearing down on me.

not easy with one of these big adventure pigs!

[munchy]

Depending on your route through Colorado, you can't go wrong with the Trough Road and Colorado River Road from Kremmling, CO to the Dotsero entrance to I-70. It is really a county road used by many but is very pretty country and in parts you will be on one side of the mighty Colorado River while on the other is the Amtrak passenger train. I raced them on time.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&sour...1,5.778809&z=8

As far as the passes in the San Juans, such as Engineer Pass, while I can certainly recommend them as some of the most beautiful in Colorado, breathtaking really, these can be very challenging. I rode Engineer with a couple of guys on 1150GS's and I was on an F650GS (east to west). They were more experienced than I and had no trouble. I, on the other hand, had little dirt experience at the time and, though it ranks as one of the highlights of my motorcycling 'career,' it really wore me out. I was toast after that ride. Of course it was summer and even in the mountains is can get hot. Certainly doable, just give yourself plenty of time. You can check out some of the jeep and 4 wheeling videos of these passes by Googling. The 4WD types have lots of vids of the Colorado passes. Books, too, which also 'grade' the passes (for 4WDs) which gives a good idea of what you're in for. I can HIGHLY recommend Backcountry Adventures Colorado, by Peter Massey. This is THE BIBLE and has tons of stuff for 4 wheeling (which, of course, can apply generally to enduro bikes) and TONS of stuff on Colorado and the sites. "Like the other guides in the Backcountry Adventures series, Backcountry Adventures Colorado provides a helpful, concise chart with each trail description, listing starting and finishing point, mileage, driving time, and elevation. Hundreds of photographs and fascinating histories bring the trail to life. "

Enjoy Colorado, it is a GREAT place to ride.

[bikerfish1100]

Excellent Colorado & Utah dirt roads website. http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php