Originally Posted by
dashuaigeh
do you think a touring bike might be sufficient? we both have solid canti-brake touring rigs that can support up to 700x32 tires, and would love to try the trails.
The bikes should be OK, but I'd invest in some knobbies. The non-paved roads are gravel, and only bladed [leveled] once a year. They can get pretty coarse. I use a cross bike with 700x32 knobbies and haven't had any issues.
As long as you provision well, and don't stray too far out in the wilderness you should be fine. Bear in mind than many of those gravel roads really need a high clearence vehicle. The family sedan won't cut it. Then there are other roads which are specifically marked as jeep roads; they mean it! Checking in with the folks at the visitor's center will yield a multitude of other ideas for you to consider. One last thing, make sure SOMEONE knows where you're going each day. People get lost out there every month; the ones that make the news are those folks who haven't told anybody what they're going to do.
Enjoy.
-dg