Route advice for 6 months Western US tour

[friarobaz]

Hello everyone,

I'm getting ready for my 6 months tour starting in May, and would love some feedback about my itinerary. Overall the route looks kind of like this . Here are the links for my route in the different states I'm going to cross: (in order)

California (main land)
Arizona
Utha
Colorado
Wyoming
Montana
Washington
Washington (pacific coast)
Oregon (pacific coast)
Northern Calfornia (pacific coast)
Southern California (pacific coast)

The route is custom made from San Diego to Salida CO, after that I followed the Great Divide route all the way to Yellowstone.
Montana is custom made until Sandpoint ID, then it's the Northern Tier route to Anacortes WA and the Pacific Coast route to San Diego.
If you know any others routes that might be more scenic or easier, I would love to know them!

The parts that I am the most worried about are:

Arizona, after the Grand Canyon, the route looks pretty boring but I really want to see Monument Valley.

Utha, after Hanksville, I chose to ride some small roads to Horseshoe Canyon Unit (where "127 hours" was filmed). I have no idea what to expect there.

Colorado, I am making a big detour to see the Great Sand Dunes National Park, is it worth it?
I am also not sure about the Durango to South Fork section. (how hard would it be to go through Silverton and Lake city?)

The Great Divide, how much slower can I expect to ride on this route compared to the paved sections? What kind of milage can I expect? (this will be my first tour, but I'll have done a few miles by the time I get there)

Montana, the section between Glacier and Eureka goes through very small roads, don't know what to expect there either.


Thank you!

[Cyclebum]

Durango to South Fork: good shoulder, scenic, hot springs, several miles of 7% climbing to Wolf Creek Pass with 6% downhill reward, west to east.

[friarobaz]

Durango to South Fork: good shoulder, scenic, hot springs, several miles of 7% climbing to Wolf Creek Pass with 6% downhill reward, west to east.

Thanks for the info!

[B. Carfree]

I see you are heading over to Ferndale, no doubt to visit the Kinetic Sculpture Museum. If you are feeling strong when you get there, you might consider giving the Lost Coast a whirl. From Ferndale, just go up (and up and up). You'll eventually reach the coast and then head back inland through Petrolia (camping along the beach if you turn back west after crossing the bridge in Petrolia) and on to Honeydew (camping 8 west of Honeydew at Camp A.W. Way). From there you can climb back to 101 and do the last of the Avenue of the Giants or stay "Lost" and go up Wildcat Ridge Rd. to Shelter Cove Hwy. Camping at Shelter Cove, or you can return to 101. You can also head to Usal Rd for a 25-35 mile dirt road experience, depending on whether you take the Briceland Rd. shortcut or go down to Shelter Cove. Usal Rd hits Hwy 1 thirty miles north of Fort Bragg.

Forty miles south of Fort Bragg is Manchester State Beach/campground. Skip the state campground and go to the KOA. It has hot showers and a hot tub. There are also hot showers at the Sonoma County campground at Gualala. Bring your quarters. Their showers had a six quarter minimum the last time I was there. It also has the most aggressive raccoons on the coast; use the food lockers. There are no real facilities between the Gualala campground and Jenner, so plan accordingly.

As far as your route in OR, just be aware that the people in Coos County are not quite as civilized as you might be used to. Also, a new chromium mine has opened up on Seven Devil's Rd. (south of Charleston). I haven't ridden there since it opened, so I don't know how many trucks they are running, but there isn't a whole lot of room for any trucks on that roadway.

As a general rule, the state campgrounds in OR have free hot (well, warm) showers and cheap hiker/biker rates. Check the ODOT site for a nice printable list of the campground locations and amenities. I think this info is on the map that you can pick up at the border, but I just bring a laminated copy. The southernmost campground, in Brookings, also has a laundry facility.

[friarobaz]

I see you are heading over to Ferndale, no doubt to visit the Kinetic Sculpture Museum. If you are feeling strong when you get there, you might consider giving the Lost Coast a whirl. From Ferndale, just go up (and up and up). You'll eventually reach the coast and then head back inland through Petrolia (camping along the beach if you turn back west after crossing the bridge in Petrolia) and on to Honeydew (camping 8 west of Honeydew at Camp A.W. Way). From there you can climb back to 101 and do the last of the Avenue of the Giants or stay "Lost" and go up Wildcat Ridge Rd. to Shelter Cove Hwy. Camping at Shelter Cove, or you can return to 101. You can also head to Usal Rd for a 25-35 mile dirt road experience, depending on whether you take the Briceland Rd. shortcut or go down to Shelter Cove. Usal Rd hits Hwy 1 thirty miles north of Fort Bragg.

Forty miles south of Fort Bragg is Manchester State Beach/campground. Skip the state campground and go to the KOA. It has hot showers and a hot tub. There are also hot showers at the Sonoma County campground at Gualala. Bring your quarters. Their showers had a six quarter minimum the last time I was there. It also has the most aggressive raccoons on the coast; use the food lockers. There are no real facilities between the Gualala campground and Jenner, so plan accordingly.

As far as your route in OR, just be aware that the people in Coos County are not quite as civilized as you might be used to. Also, a new chromium mine has opened up on Seven Devil's Rd. (south of Charleston). I haven't ridden there since it opened, so I don't know how many trucks they are running, but there isn't a whole lot of room for any trucks on that roadway.

As a general rule, the state campgrounds in OR have free hot (well, warm) showers and cheap hiker/biker rates. Check the ODOT site for a nice printable list of the campground locations and amenities. I think this info is on the map that you can pick up at the border, but I just bring a laminated copy. The southernmost campground, in Brookings, also has a laundry facility.

Thank you very much!

[jamawani]

I had a long, detailed response that failed to post.
So much for typing in the box.
I'll do it on Word and cut & paste.

[indyfabz]

I did your route between Butte and Missoula last June. I have also ridden into Glacier several times and rode up to Eureka in '09 via U.S. 93 and side roads. A couple of things...

1. Heading to Butte, take MT 2 instead of I-90. At the junction with MT 41, you will begin climbing Pipestone Pass. Nice ride and little traffic when we did it.

2. Butte is not so nice. The KOA in town is scary looking and right next to the interstate. If you need to stay in town, treat yourself to a room in the motor lodge portion of the Hotel Finlen. Neat place and not that expensive. The double pork chop sandwich from Pork Chop John's that was featured in the film "Ride the Divide" is overrated, IMO.

3. Leaving Butte, there are frontage roads on the south side of I-90 that are nice. At some point you will see what looks like a large drainage pipe under the interstate. Ride through that onto Bossard Rd. At the next junction, get on I-90 for 3 miles until MT 1. Shortly after you get on MT 1 there is a nice rest area down a road to the left. Nice bathrooms and cold water. There will be signs.

4. The woman who runs the Philipsburg Inn and Campground is really nice. if you are not adverse to paying for camping, she has a nice set up. And the town is cute.

5. Rock Creek Rd. is awesome! When you turn off MT 1 you will being to climb slowly. The hill then gets steeper and steeper. The top is very steep. It's 14 miles between MT 1 and the creek. Maybe 6 of that is climbing. The rest is a thrilling, scenic descent. One you cross the creek and make the right, the next 30 miles is unpaved. There are no services back there. There are some campgrounds, but they are all dry. Not long after the pavement picks up, you will pass Trout Bum, a cabin rental place. They have snacks and a good coffee bar. Just before I-90 there is a restaurant and campground that has decent food. You can get off I-90 and take the frontage roads on the north side of the highway into Missoula (you will cross under the highway as you go into East Missoula.)

6. We only took Rock Creek Rd. because MT 38 was washed out. MT 38, from what I have seen, if a fabulous ride through the forest. Search YouTube for "Skalkaho Pass/Highway" and watch the video made by the guy who drives it from Anaconda. Looks incredibly scenic and harrowing in places. The folks at Red Barn Bicycles in Hamilton told us that every year people are injured or killed driving it. I really wish we could have ridden it. From the end of MT 38, you can head to Missoula from Hamilton using East Side Highway and then U.S. 93. There is a paved trail along the west side of U.S. 93 between Stevensville and Lolo.

7. Some recommend that you not take U.S. 2 from Columbia Falls. There is a shoulderless section a bit before Hungry Horse that can have very heavy traffic. The alternative is N. Fork Rd. to Blankenship to Belton Stage to U.S. 2. There is some unpaved riding back there and no services, but it's very nice. You might catch sight of a black bear back there. Then again, I did the U.S. 2 portion and lived, but I hit it when it was not busy. Stop in at Glacier Cyclery in Whitefish. I think they can give you a quiet route that avoids the heavy traffic trough Columbia Falls.

8. Take Tobacco Rd. into Eureka instead of U.S. 93. if you need to backtrack to Fortine (well-stocked C-Store), you can take Meadow Creek Rd. to Barnaby Lake Rd. to Tobacco Rd. Nice and quiet back there. U.S. 93 can have lots of traffic around Eureka.

The rest of the way through MT and WA is basically Adventure Cycling's Northern Tier. Have done that section twice. Very nice.

[jamawani]

West Route

Couple of questions?
Your age? Your cycling experience?
When in May? Early May and late May are quite different.
Kind of bike you are using? Knowledge of West?

I have about 100,000 touring miles – mostly in West.
Been up to Alaska, Yukon, and NWT six times.
Generally, it took three months to do California to Alaska –
So six months for your proposed trip is certainly ample.

Here’s one of my journals - -
The section from New Mex to Montana is similar.
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?...c_id=1168&v=sJ

Your counter-clockwise direction is correct.
It’s the best way to have good temps, winds, snowmelt.
But why are you skipping Nevada and New Mexico.
Plus you have lots of California – not that California is bad, eh.
But don’t you want to get your full money’s worth?

I don’t know whether you already have your plane ticket –
But the Sonoran Desert is already very hot by May.
You will encounter temps in the 90s and often in the 100s.
Plus there are some big climbs right from the get-go.
Not a great way to start for someone without experience.

Here is the website for the Western Regional Climate Center –
They have climate averages for thousands of places – just click.
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/Climsum.html

If you haven’t already locked in a starting point –
I would suggest starting in San Francisco.
Why? Because the coast is greener in May and brown by Oct.
(Although this year is a very dry year in Calif.)
Also, you would start with “lovely” rather than “grueling”.

If you are taking six months, then you MUST do Yosemite.
Again, Yosemite is at its most beautiful in May.
Plus, Tioga Pass will almost certainly open early this year.
(Because of the super low snowpack.)
All of this depends on how early in May we are talking about.

Late May/early June is the best time to cross Nevada.
No place in the West gives you a better feel for eternal spaces than Nevada.
I have biked a bazillion miles in Nevada and still love it.
Although it is very, very remote.
(That’s how you get the feel of the eternal, eh?)

Personally, if you do Nevada I would suggest Great Basin National Park.
Little visited – just the oldest living things on the face of the Earth.
Bristlecone pines. You have the time to hike up to the groves.
Although US 50 calls itself the “Loneliest Road” US 6 is lonelier.

If you start on a more northerly tack,
You can solve the Utah & Arizona issues easily.
By coming from the north, you can first visit the Utah parks –
Cedar Breaks, Bryce Canyon, and Zion are on the way to Grand Canyon.

Then you can ride up to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.
The North Rim has only 10% of the visitors –
Plus the hiker/biker campground is right on the edge.
For the cyclist, the North Rim is one of the best park experiences.

Make sure you hike down into the canyon itself.
Even though it is impossible to get camping at Phantom Ranch,
You can usually get a spot at Cottonwood – halfway down.
You can hike the 7 miles down in the afternoon – in the shade.
Then spend two nights – so that you can hike to Phantom Ranch.
Again, with six months – you have the time.

From the North Rim, you ran zoom down to Lee’s Ferry –
Then ride south on US 89 to US 160 and Tuba City.
Under no circumstances should you stealth camp on Navajo or Hopi land.
Ask anyone – people are very helpful on the res.
Even if you do drink and/or partake – avoid doing so here.
And refrain from social or economic judgments.

The ride to Kayenta is pretty uneventful.
Monument Valley is a tribal park – not national.
You need to stock up on water before heading in.
The single campground is primitive.
The most spectacular riding is early and late.
Ride in with low western light –
Then do the loop at dawn.

BTW – you’ll be back in Utah.
You have to drop down into Mexican Hat –
Then climb over “The Comb” to Bluff – a nice little valley.
From Aneth to Cortez there is a nice – now paved – back road.
Cortez is a good resupply center with bike shop and all services.

Then the question might be to what degree are you interested in ancient Puebloan ruins.
Mesa Verde NP is the most impressive – but not very bike friendly.
Aztec NM is easy to access but is in a built-up area.
The real enchilada is Chaco Culture NHP – brutal to get to.
But because it is so hard to reach – it has few visitors.
It is THE best example of ancient ruins and sites.
Plus the clear night skies are unsurpassed.

Whatever you choose – you should continue on to Taos.
The bridge over the Rio Grande Gorge is not for those with fear of heights.
Although Taos Pueblo is heavily visited – it is worth it.
Remember, these are peoples’ homes – not a museum.
Go as early as possible to beat the turistas.

From Taos you can head north to Great Sand Dunes.
Near Questa there is a rec area on the cliffs of the Rio Grande.
The San Luis Valley is huge and flat – and windy at times.
The most stunning views are in the evening with the Sangres behind the dunes.

Let me say again – because you are taking six months –
You can zig and zag and backtrack as much as you like.
The loveliest distance between two points –
Is almost always not the straight line.

Here’s my take on Colorado –
Much of it has become the backyard for Denver.
That is especially true of the stretch between Salida, Breck, and Kremmling.
I love Buena and Leadville – but the traffic can be thick.

I would suggest heading thru Saguache, Gunnison, and Crested Butte.
Then crossing over to Glenwood Springs.
That means doing a moderate stretch of dirt north of Crested –
But it is mostly downhill heading north.
Gunnison and Crested are super bike friendly –
Plus you can random camp all over the place in the meadows.

From Glenwood you can head northeast to Walden and the TransAm route –
Or you can take a more remote route thru Meeker and Maybell to Rock Springs.

Colorado compared to Wyoming –
Yeah, the mountains may be higher in Colorado,
But the roads in Wyoming usually have shoulders and don’t in Colorado.
This is especially true of roads in NW Colorado – use caution.

Wyoming does, however, have a thing called “wind”.
Learn it, understand it, live it.
You cannot beat the wind – it will only beat you.
The Wyoming Wind Festival runs from Jan 1 thru Dec 31 each year.

That said, the route choices make a difference.
The ACA route – US 287 – has a more westerly tack and will have more headwinds.
If you head thru Rock Springs using US 191, there will be more sidewinds.
There’s plenty of info on the ACA route.

If you choose to go thru Rock Springs –
Maybell has a nice free camping park, little store, and café.
There’s a Colorado DOT station 50 miles west where you can beg water.
Then there’s a 22-mile dirt section thru Irish Canyon before pavement again in Wyo.
Halfway to Rock Springs there are some houses where the road doglegs west.
Here again, you can ask for water.

Another possibility is to head west to Browns Park.
There is camping along the Green River.
Who knows – you might meet some folks who let you raft with them thru the Gates of Lodore.

If you take US 287 – you may want to consider a short dirt excursion to Brooks Lake.
Of the thousands who ride the TransAm, almost no one does – their loss.
If you do US 191 – it is a long slog with moderate traffic to Pinedale.
There is ice cream at the store in Farson. Oregon Trail ruts just north.

The Green River Lakes north of Pinedale are well worth a detour.
Or west of Bondurant – take 10 miles of dirt to Granite Hot Springs.
There’s a CCC-built pool for a few bucks –
But there are natural springs by the waterfalls.
Sheer cliffs thousands of feet high.

Jackson is Jackson – I lived there.
Truly awesome – overwhelmed with tourists.
Grand Teton NP has the most spectacular vertical mountain front in the U.S.
There are hiker/biker campsites right on Jenny Lake.
Spend at least two nights and do a day’s hiking in the high country.


Yellowstone is to wildlife what Grand Teton is to mountains.
But there is lots of traffic – especially RVs.
The secret is to ride early and late.
You can do this because almost all campgrounds have hiker/biker campsites.
Plus the wildlife viewing is best in the morning and evening.

Speaking of wildlife – you will be in bear country for much of this trip.
Never, NEVER, eat in your tent. Never store food or cosmetics in your tent.
If you have eaten in your current tent, I would suggest a different one.
Bears have noses 100,000 times more sensitive than ours.
They can smell last month’s PBJ sandwich.
Also, always store your food properly. Use storage bins.
And learn how to hang food properly.

Since I absolutely insist that you use US 89 in Montana -
I will be suggesting a route that skips Old Faithful.
Then again, O.F. is a zoo with a cloverleaf interchange for the traffic.
(Actually, the geysers at Norris Basin are stunning.)

If you enter YNP in the south there is camping at Lewis Lake and Grant Village.
Lewis Lake is quite and soft, Grant has 500 campsites with all the amenities.
Of course, you can always camp at Lewis and use the Grant amenities next a.m.
(Showers, store, laundry etc.)

Make sure to take the back road to Gull Point – quiet spot on the lake.
Then spend a little time at the waterfront of Lake Hotel.
Hayden Valley is the Serengeti of North America.
Animals do not punch a time clock.
Take your time and you will be rewarded.

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is awesome.
It’s hard to choose between Canyon and Norris to camp.
The Norris Geyser Basin is best at dawn and sunset.

You should allow yourself one day to hike in Yellowstone.
Most tourists never get 100 yards off pavement. It is their loss.
There are wonderful trails along both rims of the canyon.
Bighorn Pass Trail – out of Indian Creek Campground – is one of the best.
Wildflowers, wildlife, vistas – but you are in grizzly country.

I have biked nearly every paved road in western Montana –
And a lot of unpaved ones, too.
US 89 from Gardiner to Saint Mary is one of the best rides.
Plus it puts you on Going to the Sun Road in Glacier NP.
There’s a great back road on the east side of the Yellowstone –
Just before the highway bridge to Livingston.
Then a back road north of the river to US 89 – don’t get on I-90.
From there US 89 is a light traffic paradise with occasional towns.
Livingston and Great Falls have all services.
(Hwy 200 get busy heading into Great Falls)
From Fairfield north you will have vistas of the Front Range.

Glacier NP is not to be missed.
I would first head to Many Glacier – great base for hiking.
Going to the Sun Road is one of the foremost rides in the U.S.
I prefer Rising Sun to Saint Mary on the east side for camping.
Saint Mary is a 400-site zoo – Rising Sun is perfect – with café, store, and showers.
Same goes for west side – Avalanche and Sprague mush better than Apgar.

Start early – but not too – you will have the early sun illuminating the mountain peaks.
When you get to Logan Pass – plan to hike Highline Trail.
Literally, you are on top of the Continental Divide.
The sheer cliffs with cable hold tend to keep use low.
(The boardwalk to Hidden Lake is a stream of tourists)

Consider using Wolf Prairie Road west of Trego rather than US 93 to Eureka.
It has almost no traffic – connects to Fisher River Road into Libby.
The hike to Kootenay Falls is worth it – last major undammed falls on the Columbia system.

The Northern Tier is a great ride through western Montana, Idaho, and Washington.
Remember, though, that it has pass after pass.
I like to camp at Early Winters so I get an early start heading up Washington Pass.
I wish that North Cascades NP had a campgound in the high country – but they don’t.

Make sure to head out to Anacortes and take the ferry to the San Juan Islands.
(But make sure to plan to do it on a weekday – since summer weekends are crazy.)
Friday Harbor is a party town – campground on west side of San Juan Island has great water views.
I prefer Lopez Island – quiet, camping, store, bakery/café.

When heading down the Pacific coast remember to take the extra loops.
First among these is the Three Capes Loop – at Tillamook.
The Oregon coast gets less busy as you head south.
If you hit the coast after Labor Day it should be much quieter –
But I wouldn’t do it much after Labor Day as weather starts to change.




Here’s a proposition - -
Since you are doing so much coast – why not inland?
The one big inland is Crater Lake NP.
Late summer/early fall is the perfect time.
There is a great route up following the Umpqua River from Roseburg.
Then you can follow the Rogue down to Grants Pass and US 199 to Crescent City.
(US 199 is bit busy – but there are flashers at the tunnel)

Then you are back on the coast for Redwood NP
And the spectacular Pacific Coast Highway to the Golden Gate bridge.
Early October tends to be quite pleasant still.
The first storms hit about mid October.

If you still have time – and you don’t have moral objections –
You can use October to hit the desert parks of southern Calif.
Simply hop on Amtrak with your bike.
Perhaps ride historic Route 66 to Mojave National Preserve –
Then ride down thru Amboy to Joshua Tree National Park –
Then to Anza Borrego before ending in San Diego.

Anyhoo – I’ve obviously rambled.

[escii_35]

If you have a passport or enh Drivers License, Myra Canyon of the Kettle Valley Railroad is a gem. http://www.myratrestles.com/

Cross over at Laurier/Christina Lake Border Crossing or Midway cross back at Osoyoos, ride down the lovely Stimaheeken valley and hook onto the Northern Tier. You will want some wider tires for this section.

[friarobaz]

Wow thank you so much everybody! Lots of great stuff here, it will take a while to process everything!

[friarobaz]

Couple of questions?
Your age? Your cycling experience?
When in May? Early May and late May are quite different.
Kind of bike you are using? Knowledge of West?

I'm 23, I have no riding experience what so ever.
I'll land in San Diego on the first of May. (I already have my plane ticket)
I'll buy a bike in San Diego, so I don't know what I'll get yet.
I am french, never been to America before, so I don't know anything about the West.

[EriktheFish]

Be sure to join warmshowers.org to find some wonderful hosts along your journey. One favorite is the Bike Hostel in Colville, WA along your route.

[Shifty]

I've spent some real quality time at Great Sand Dunes in Colorado, it's an interesting place. That said, I think it's the kind of place that is better suited if you have an active agenda, like photography, dune skiing, mountain biking the trails behind the park borders. It doesn't lend itself well for the "drive by look and see" type of visit IMHO. It's a bit remote, has only camping facilities and a visitor center and it can be hot and dry in summer. It is about the only attraction in the vast San Luis Valley, so you might as well see it. North of Sand Dunes (30 miles or so) is Valley View Hot Springs, it's seven miles off the highway on a gravel road, that would make for a nice day or two off of the bike, it's a BEAUTIFUL and peaceful spot. http://www.olt.org/visitor_info/first_time_info.htm


Your route is mostly desert, NEVER PASS UP A CHANCE TO FILL YOUR WATER CONTAINERS, KNOW WHERE IT'S AVAILABLE. I carry a water filter system, surface water is usually NOT safe without treatment.

[jamawani]

Bon Dieu!

Vouz commencez avec des petits pas, non?
Je dois dire que le désert n'est pas indulgent.
Aussi, la distance entre les points de service est assez loin -
(Quelquefois plus de 100 km)
particulièrement pour un français.

La direction - antihoraire - est bien,
Mais, comme j'ai déjà dit -
La route devient formidable rapidement à l'est de San Diego.
Je crains qu'un début difficile pourrait ruiner le séjour.

Puis, la prudence suggère que
vouz commencez avec les petits pas, non?

Je serais heureux d'offrir une assistance.

J

[Newspaperguy]

If I can offer you a suggestion, you may wish to swing into southern British Columbia, Canada for the northern edge of your trip. You would go through Cranbrook, Creston, Nelson, Castlegar, Grand Forks, Osoyoos, Keremeos, Princeton, Hope, Abbotsford and possibly Vancouver before connecting with Washington State. If you choose to do this part, I can give you plenty of information, including where to get food and water, as I have cycled almost all of this distance numerous times.

Another person suggested Myra Canyon. Think about doing it. You won't regret it.

[friarobaz]

@jamawani: Yes I'll start slowly, I'll do maybe 30 miles a day at the beginning then slowly work my way up to 50-60 mi/day.
@Newspaperguy: When I get to Northern Montana, I'll see how much time I've got and have a look at Canada if I'm not running late.

By the way, if any of you live close to my route, let me know so I can get you a beer when I get there!

[rdkopp0153]

If you come through Pueblo, CO, look me up.
Here is some info on local resources for touring cyclists.

http://www.alternativecommutepueblo..../cyclists.html

[ShortCircuit]

Utah - Your section between Hanksville and Green River = all gravel roads, zero water, zero anything else along the way either. You will have to take all your food and water with you. The water will be your big issue. If you stop to hike at Horseshoe Canyon (well worth it, some great pictograph panels down in there) you will have to add on even more water, as there is nothing at the trailhead. It's slow going on those gravel roads, so you are talking about 3 days if you add the hike. It will be hot, so that's a LOT of water to carry!