Utah Route Advice Needed

[Beamer Reamer]

AuburnFJR just posted our route and spotwalla link on another post. I did not want to gum that one up with a route question. So:

For those intrepid explorers out there, I need some advice. Our route has a stretch of gravel in it on a road called CR-1668. It looks to be roughly 12 miles in length in the Capital Reef NP/Grand Staircase area. It is SE of Boulder Utah and the stretch lies between Boulder and Hwy 276.

Gravel doesn't particularly bother us, but there are mixed reports on this stretch. Some state FJR's have been known to go through and even, gasp, Hardly Movingsons. Other sources say it has deep sand in places, clay, and treacherous when wet. I don't know these people, so I am looking for opinions here.

Bottom line, we want to take this route and intend to take it at this point. First hand experience/references would be sweet.

 

[MCRIDER007]

AuburnFJR just posted our route and spotwalla link on another post. I did not want to gum that one up with a route question. So:

For those intrepid explorers out there, I need some advice. Our route has a stretch of gravel in it on a road called CR-1668. It looks to be roughly 12 miles in length in the Capital Reef NP/Grand Staircase area. It is SE of Boulder Utah and the stretch lies between Boulder and Hwy 276.

Gravel doesn't particularly bother us, but there are mixed reports on this stretch. Some state FJR's have been known to go through and even, gasp, Hardly Movingsons. Other sources say it has deep sand in places, clay, and treacherous when wet. I don't know these people, so I am looking for opinions here.

Bottom line, we want to take this route and intend to take it at this point. First hand experience/references would be sweet.

I think you are talking about the Burr Trail. Its been 12 years since I drove it in a 4-wheel drive F150 and the decent down to the basin below (about the halfway point) had rocks bigger than footballs and holes big enough to swallow half a truck tire. I was in first gear and rode the brakes all the way........not recommended for street bikes pulling trailers. Most of the unpaved road is red clay, if it is wet than you are screwed, your fenders will be filled with red mud within a mile not to mention huge ruts if it has recently rained. Take the long way around, its a nice ride and probably will not add that much time.

 

[Fontanaman]

I found this on the web. This is when I realized this is the Burr road. I have been here. I wrote a report on this in 2005. Go here and find this text "The photo to the right was taken along the Burr Road." You can see photos I took along the way.

 

I was on a Vstrom. It could be road on a FJR. My only concern would be once you hit the flat grounds where flood waters from summer rains run across the road leaving 1 to X inches of loose dry dirt - at best. At worse this can be wet mud. You have not seen slippery wet mud until you have seen slippery wet mud from the Red Rock area in Utah. If is dry likely doable. If it is wet be careful, go slow don't discount turning around to take the paved route around. The paved route is a nice road too.

 

Better yet take Carver's FJR - it is beat to hell anyway!

 

PS. I would not do it but then I don't like riding my FJR on any gravel road of any length. This is my preference rather than a inability of me or the FJR, other than I don't like integrated brakes on gravel. Nada no flipping way, not for this kid.

 

Also like noted above the ruts from cars and truck can be a problem for two wheeler depending on the conditions.

 

[blufjr]

Good luck to you and pray that the weather is favorable. Two times I have been in Boulder wanting to do this road, only to have it raining as I was wishing. Advise from the locals was not to do it in the rain.

One stop for mud or bad ruts may spoil any time savings. The road around is quite nice.

 

[SkooterG]

I have been by there many times and never taken that dirt road, or the Burr Trail. If you do take it, imho you will be missing some of the best scenic riding on US12 north (east) of Boulder to Hanksville.

 

[Fontanaman]

Another thought. I believe they have 4 wheel drive adventure trips. You can go with a guide and enjoy the sites for a day then take the paved rode around. Do both, enjoy more and don't have to treat the FJR like a dual sport bike.

Hell most big bore dual sport bikes never see gravel anyway. Many recreational places have adventure guides. This is one reason I dumped my Vstrom.

 

[Beamer Reamer]

I will keep following this thread along, but I will also start preparing a route up and over. Thx for the feedback.

 

[DesignFlaw06]

I was just there in July. We took 7 bikes up Burr Trail. Two Goldwing 1500s, two HD Road Kinds, a Honda Nighthawk 750, my FJR1300, and Triumph Sprint ST. None of which were made for this road.

The first half of the road was pretty flat, but definitely varying grades of road. There were a couple cattle crossings that were washed out. Some areas were very soft sand, most was bone jarring clay. Second half was mostly packed down, except for the switchbacks which tend to be soft. Very steep and I never made it out of first gear. I certainly wouldn't want to go down it. Also got very narrow if passing cars came by.

Scenery was fantastic though. Great views. Glad I did it. Wouldn't go out of my way to do it again. You'll be happy to see pavement when done though.

Looking down after some of the switchbacks.

Proof I was there:

Where else are you looking at going? We took a great trip down there in July. I might have some other things you want to see.

 

[Beamer Reamer]

I was just there in July. We took 7 bikes up Burr Trail. Two Goldwing 1500s, two HD Road Kinds, a Honda Nighthawk 750, my FJR1300, and Triumph Sprint ST. None of which were made for this road.

The first half of the road was pretty flat, but definitely varying grades of road. There were a couple cattle crossings that were washed out. Some areas were very soft sand, most was bone jarring clay. Second half was mostly packed down, except for the switchbacks which tend to be soft. Very steep and I never made it out of first gear. I certainly wouldn't want to go down it. Also got very narrow if passing cars came by.

Scenery was fantastic though. Great views. Glad I did it. Wouldn't go out of my way to do it again. You'll be happy to see pavement when done though.

Where else are you looking at going? We took a great trip down there in July. I might have some other things you want to see.

Great feedback, very relevant. Forgive me, which way is up on this road? Going to Boulder or coming from Boulder?

We start in Williams AZ, hit the Grand Canyon and then over to Zions to camp for the night. Through the Zion/Mt Carmel tunnel for a quick look at Zion. Then to Bryce Canyon, then to Glenn Canyon, 4 corners monument, million dollar highway, over to Moab to do arches, canyon lands and a few other things. Then up to Tetons, Yellowstone and some awesome passes up that way (chief joseph bear tooth, lolo). Getting pressed for time trying to pack it all in. Happy to send a route to you for review.

That is a great pic, I am hankering to do the road but will have to weigh the wisdom of the direction we are riding, trailers, etc.

 

[Auburn]

I was just there in July. We took 7 bikes up Burr Trail. Two Goldwing 1500s, two HD Road Kinds, a Honda Nighthawk 750, my FJR1300, and Triumph Sprint ST. None of which were made for this road.

The first half of the road was pretty flat, but definitely varying grades of road. There were a couple cattle crossings that were washed out. Some areas were very soft sand, most was bone jarring clay. Second half was mostly packed down, except for the switchbacks which tend to be soft. Very steep and I never made it out of first gear. I certainly wouldn't want to go down it. Also got very narrow if passing cars came by.

Scenery was fantastic though. Great views. Glad I did it. Wouldn't go out of my way to do it again. You'll be happy to see pavement when done though.

Looking down after some of the switchbacks.

Proof I was there:

Where else are you looking at going? We took a great trip down there in July. I might have some other things you want to see.

Great feedback, very relevant. Forgive me, which way is up on this road? Going to Boulder or coming from Boulder?

We start in Williams AZ, hit the Grand Canyon and then over to Zions to camp for the night. Through the Zion/Mt Carmel tunnel for a quick look at Zion. Then to Bryce Canyon, then to Glenn Canyon, 4 corners monument, million dollar highway, over to Moab to do arches, canyon lands and a few other things. Then up to Tetons, Yellowstone and some awesome passes up that way (chief joseph bear tooth, lolo). Getting pressed for time trying to pack it all in. Happy to send a route to you for review.

That is a great pic, I am hankering to do the road but will have to weigh the wisdom of the direction we are riding, trailers, etc.

I'm with you on this too. What an awesome road / view. Maybe we'll have to ride to the end of the pavement, turn around and do the route Skooter suggests as a back up plan.

 

[DesignFlaw06]

Great feedback, very relevant. Forgive me, which way is up on this road? Going to Boulder or coming from Boulder?

We start in Williams AZ, hit the Grand Canyon and then over to Zions to camp for the night. Through the Zion/Mt Carmel tunnel for a quick look at Zion. Then to Bryce Canyon, then to Glenn Canyon, 4 corners monument, million dollar highway, over to Moab to do arches, canyon lands and a few other things. Then up to Tetons, Yellowstone and some awesome passes up that way (chief joseph bear tooth, lolo). Getting pressed for time trying to pack it all in. Happy to send a route to you for review.

That is a great pic, I am hankering to do the road but will have to weigh the wisdom of the direction we are riding, trailers, etc.

Going to Boulder would be going up. We actually turned south after Burr Trail to stay the night in Escalante. Boulder is North instead up 12. Nothing special in Escalante, except the Prospector Inn has the biggest servings I've ever seen for breakfast. Bet you can't make a dent in the pancakes.

I wouldn't make a special trip to go see Canyonlands. It was the most disappointing of all the national parks. Granted we got there a little late, but there wasn't much really to see IMO. Arches was OK. I think it was best that we saw it first and got the wow factor to help. But it was very busy, so get there early. Bryce Canyon would have made the trip all by itself. Fantastic views. Make sure you go all the way to the top first, then all the pull outs will be on the right on your way down. Grand Canyon was also something I had never seen before, and that was impressive.

One thing I'd suggest is if you can, make it over to Page, AZ. Go visit Antelope Canyon with one of the tours. I've got some better pictures, but at home. Even those don't do it justice. Also there, you can tour the Glenn Canyon Dam. Wider than the Hoover Dam, just a smidge shorter, and nowhere near as busy.

I can get you some better info tomorrow, but I'd be review a route if you have one.

 

[SkooterG]

Oh, and in Boulder, UT there is lodging - Boulder Moutain Inn I believe it is called, and if you can, stop for breakfast, lunch, or dinner at one of my all-time favorite restaurants: Hell's Backbone Grill. Clicky. Trust me. You will be glad you did.