Advice needed for spring Grand Canyon trip from KY

You guys gave me great advice that helped us plan our trip to Montana last August. We are thinking about a spring trip out to see the Grand Canyon. We've never been in that area so it will all be new to us. I think we can do some slab on the way there and hit some highlights. On the way back we're thinking about coming up through Colorado and doing 550. What is the best time of year to cover those? If we avoid Pike's Peak and the other high passes, is late April a good time? On the way out we could take a lot of Route 66 out to the Canyon area from Springfield Mo, where we've got family if that doesn't add too much time.

We like interesting scenery with twisty roads and are willing to cruise on the Interstate for a few days to get to do some great roads. I really just want to go back and ride the Beartooth again. Nothing's gonna top that. But we probably should see the Grand Canyon once.

Since your Ride Report was just extremely good and the pics were beyond excellent I am all about helping you as much as I can. I want more of the same stuff you provided last year.

Questions:

Are you planning on the North Rim of the Canyon or the South Rim?

How much time are we playing with here?

What fun is Colorado to a Motorcycle Tourist if we avoid Pike's Peak and the High Passes?

Are we set on April? Can we do it during a different month?

Do you have a rough idea of how you are getting from KY to the Canyon? Return route the same or different.

GoldWing again or FJR?

I have some ideas for criss-crossing Colorado, a couple of recommendations for Southern Utah, and I have some suggestions for the Grand Canyon as well.

The first piece of advice I can give you concerns The Big Ditch itself. If I were going on a motorcycle I would go to the North Rim. The ride in is heavenly, there are way fewer people, the North Rim is a much more pleasant experience. However, if you are only going to see The Big Ditch one time in your life, the view of the Canyon itself is more spectacular from the South Rim. The Canyon looks wider and bigger in every way from the South Rim. If you do choose the North Rim you give yourself some other nice options as far as Southern Utah/Northern Arizona.

I strongly STRONGLY suggest you take time to dig up WheatonFJR's excellent RR, I believe it is titled "What I did last summer". I will double check that myself, but that RR is well worth your time and his pics are excellent. One of my favorite RRs, he was a little bit further north in CO than I went.

North Rim officially opens on May 15 each spring.

South Rim is open year round.

SW-FOG is in southern Utah 5/28-5/31. A day trip to the North Rim is planned.

Here's some Ride Reports I did for the areas you're considering

Four Corners

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=130826&hl=

Western Tour

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=119357

https://littlebobandfriends.com/journeys/colorado-2013.html From Member "Back Door" Bob Little here on our Fine FJR Forum, just look at the head on this muy Feo (very Ugly!) one:

I forgot this one too. Some South Rim Grand Canyon stuff

https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=138525

stealth1 said:

North Rim officially opens on May 15 each spring.South Rim is open year round.

SW-FOG is in southern Utah 5/28-5/31. A day trip to the North Rim is planned.

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John's right, if you could come in May you could ride the spectacular North Rim AND bag Colorado High passes too! This from FJR Forum Member Russ Perry:

Next morning took us south from Estes Park and up onto Mt Evans - what a terrific ride - here are a couple of pictures....

Dave and Bob F at the top of Mt Evans


The road as it snakes over and around several peaks...


That night found us in Leadville - I thought the town was really cool. I especially enjoyed the $10 filet mignon dinner! Here's the Colorado and Southern Railroad train museum - it seems like nearly every town we went through had some kind of train history and museum, but this is the only one I captured on digital film..


After a great day's ride that found us in Gunnison, it was time to head south and west for Silverton. Here's a bunch of photos I took on the road - please forgive not having these framed very well - I'm kind of guessing as to the center of focus while shooting to the side....

Pat


AJ


Bob Flanders


Geezer Greg


Paul


Kyle on his Victory - man could you hear Kyle coming on that beast!


We did stop in the town of Creede that day - look at the fine gentlemen who have just left the theater. I'm impressed by the fine culture the group demonstrated on the trip


After we checked into the Grand Imperial Hotel in Silverton, it was time for libation at The Avalanche - fun little place that served up some good beer. Here are Bob, JD, Kyle, Crazy Davey, Paul and BeemerDon bellying up to the bar (and for some of us it is quite literally "bellying up to the bar")

From FJR Forum Member Gary "Mudslide" Miller:


This one is along Rt. 40 east after leaving Steamboat Springs on Day 3. We run along the beautiful canyons of 40 through the small town of Hot Sulphur Springs. We are headed for Estes Park.

Thanks, guys. I've got some thinking and scheming to do now. Love the pics and the trip reports I'm working my way through. I love Colorado and have been there a few times, but never on the bike. One of my original options was just to do Colorado up right in the summer, but family schedule makes spring a much better time before our daughter is home from college for the summer. I picked Grand Canyon because I thought I could do it in the Spring and maybe get a little Colorado on the way back.

Now I've got to look at what kind of trip I could put together in mid April and compare that against what we might be able to do in June, which would be the next option. I'm thinking from the descriptions, I'd enjoy the North Rim more, but now I know that is only open after mid May. I was surprised the Grand Canyon north rim is not open till that late. Do they get that much snow? Are the other areas around there iffy in April? I thought the Grand Canyon area was warmer than that and not as high. I guess I better get out there and see it so I'm more informed.

We will be taking the Wing instead of the FJR. The wife's knee doesn't hold out well on the FJR for that many miles a day. I think I'll have 2 weeks for the trip. I won't want to come back the same way we go if possible. We like a loop.

If I were to go out mostly on Interstate 40 and see the South rim in mid-April, it looks like we could then go up to Bryce Canyon and other key Utah spots. Then come up US550 and head East, staying out of the high passes until another trip. What do you think about that?

I'll do some mapping and date planning to see if this might be a Colorado June instead of a Canyon April this year. Would I have any trouble getting from South Rim to other destinations in Utah?

Thanks again for the advice.

Paul

My advice...wait until June.

wheatonFJR said:

My advice...wait until June.

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Wheatie is right on, the scenic and twisty parts of Arizona will still be snowy and cold in mid April. My Grand Canyon State is bisected by the Mogollon Rim, South of it I live in the Sonoran desert at 1K elevation among the cactus and chaparral; North of Williams-Flagstaff-Holbrook you're in the pines and aspens with 9K elevation at many locations.

Agree with the June sentiment...less snow, but more heat. I did my 2013 CO trip mid-late June. Another reference point: https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/153491-to-the-high-country-junejuly-2013/

Unfortunately we can't always go on trips when we want to.

I guess it depends on whether you tolerate cold or heat better. June can be pretty hot but it can be pretty nice too.

April will definitely see you heading out in the 30's some mornings. You could do South Rim to Bruce that time of year normally but you can't count on normal.

stealth1 said:

Unfortunately we can't always go on trips when we want to.I guess it depends on whether you tolerate cold or heat better. June can be pretty hot but it can be pretty nice too.

April will definitely see you heading out in the 30's some mornings. You could do South Rim to Bryce that time of year normally but you can't count on normal.

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John is right, our weather at high elevations up to the end of May in the Southwest is a real crap shoot. These photos taken at Greer, Arizona were snapped on Memorial Day of 2010, the Molly Butler Lodge pictured here at North end of The Devil's Highway '666' is the same elevation of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon 150 miles West. JSNS!

By morning, winter wonderland !

And our biggest snow of the season fell on Mother's Day last year here in Cedar City. 10+inches.

Ok. I'm convinced. I talked with the wife today and we're starting to think about how to make early June work.

We've been pretty good with both spectrums of temps so far. On the Montana trip we had 100 degree temps with St Louis humidity on the way out and a couple 38 degree mornings while there. I don't like being smacked in with fog or icy roads but other than that the weather just makes it entertaining. Still you want to visit areas at the right time. I'm just as excited about seeing Colorado and Utah after the pics.

If we can't make the dates work we can go southeast again this year.

Goodman4 said:

Ok. I'm convinced. I talked with the wife today and we're starting to think about how to make early June work.
We've been pretty good with both spectrums of temps so far. On the Montana trip we had 100 degree temps with St Louis humidity on the way out and a couple 38 degree mornings while there. I don't like being smacked in with fog or icy roads but other than that the weather just makes it entertaining. Still you want to visit areas at the right time. I'm just as excited about seeing Colorado and Utah after the pics.

If we can't make the dates work we can go southeast again this year.

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https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php/topic/158303-official-sw-fog-2015-announcement-528-31-thu-sun/page-1 Goodman4 and Wife, give some serious consideration to attending SW-FOG 2015 in Cedar City, Utah over May 28-31 with 60+ of you FIne FJR Forum Friends. We are all staying at the Best Western El Rey in CC, UT.

On Friday 5/29 there's a group ride to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon for Lunch at the Lodge, on Saturday 5/30 we'll be riding a loop of Zion and Bryce National Parks! HotRodZilla and his pig Lupita will be there, you don't want to miss seeing them!