Maps or guides

[obc]

Planning a late August 3 week trip into Idaho, Wyoming, Utah and Colorado and would like suggestions on good (great) maps and guides to these areas specific to motorcycling.

Thanks

[tomk99r11]

You should check on ADVRider, run some Google routes yourself, and talk to others as you have done here. What are you looking for - wildlife, twisties (lots there), scenery, rural areas, camping, motels, etc. Look at what each state offers too, often free, on each web. Good luck with your trip.

[notacop]

Auto club for maps, try a good book store, they may have maps, Check the INTERNET by typing in the name of each state you want to visit and the chamber of commerce of places you's like to see.

Offer enough to cover expenses and some one here could lead you on a personalized trip. Lots of us are retired with time on our hands.

Don't forget the Cheese factory in Beaver Ut. There is reportedly a good Mexican restaurant, Marias', at the camp ground in Beaver.

I'm not sure when the Shakespeare festival is in Cedar City but it's renown.

Lots of the interesting scenic routes are indicated with dots. A friend and I zig zagged around Utah on some neat little routes. I'm keeping those secret for myself. I burned my copy of the map to keep it so.

[Twisties]

If you post in the Ride and Event Planning forum with a request for routing help, a little info on your interests, schedule parameters, miles per day that you like I think we can help you quite a bit right here.

 

 

[Traveler1]

Try these for starters:

 

http://www.bestbikingroads.com/

 

http://www.openroadjourney.com/?gclid=CJPGrMfG8psCFSRPagod-VnI_A

 

For buying motorcyclist road maps you might try:

http://www.butlermaps.com/Motorcycle-Road-Maps/

 

[Rinkydink]

Like was stated above go to individual state's/towns websites and they will send you vacation packages with maps and local attractions. Trust me you will receive plenty.

[Powers77]

I like the Gazetter (sp) maps available at bookstores and Wally World although they generally only have the local state in stock.

They drill down to the hiking trail level on most states. Great for looking over and general planning for this type of trip.

They are not cheap at roughly $20 per state but I find them kind of addicting. The collection is up to about 8 states now.

[obc]

Thanks for all the input - will follow-up the links and suggestions.

Thanks again

[obc]

One other question - I keep hearing about a mountain highway that supposedly is at 10,000 plus feet in the western US and is a must ride (lots of curves and some length). Where would such a road exist or maybe, just maybe, there is even more than one?

[Twisties]

Quite a few. Beartooth Pass is one such that you might be hearing of, between Redlodge, MT and Cooke City, near Yellowstone. 10,900'. Views, views, views. Riding is great too. Also Chief Joseph Highway right there, to Cody.

 

Several in Utah at or near 10k as well:

 

Huntington Canyon Energy Loop Scenic By-way gets over 10k', from Fairview to Huntington on UT-31.

 

The Mirror Lake Scenic By-way. Also some views, but not at the Beartooth level, UT and WY-150 from Kamas, UT to Evanston, WY

 

Sweeper Madness and Fish Lake Loop near Loa and Fremont, UT-72 is top riding and I believe just below 10k'.

 

UT-12 from Torrey to Boulder the same, and keep going over the lower elevation portion to Escalante, too.

 

Wolf Creek Pass at just below 10k' is great riding, but not overly scenic, UT-35 from Francis to Hanna.

 

In Colorado there is of course the Million Dollar Highway. UT-550 from Ouray to Durango. Very high, very scenic, very twisty,

 

Also CO-65 over Grand Mesa, from I-70 to Cedaredge. I think that gets over 10k', but don't quote me on that.

 

CO-92 from Crawford to US-50 comes close, or over with views and great riding.

 

Trail Ridge through Rocky Mountain National Park of course, and the road up to Mt. Evans will be the highest. Trail Ridge I think the highest through route, and Mt. Evans just plain the highest.

 

Numerous other CO passes. I like Cameron, from Ft. Collins to Walden. 10,249. There must 5 or 10 others in CO, and several more in Utah. Those are just some I know and think are worth mention.

[Twisties]

Also several at least one in New Mexico, and one that is close or over in Arizona. US-64 from Chama to Taos in NM, and US191 from Clifton to Alpine in AZ.

 

In Mt, perhaps the going to the sun road in Galcier NP also, although I have not ridden it, and the traffice has been bad whenever I have been on it, as is the case with Trail Ridge as well.

 

 

[Twisties]

I would mention Lolo Pass as well, in ID and MT. I left it out because it is not nearly so high, only 5233', but it keeps nagging at me because it is mountainous, and of all of these it is pretty much hands down the longest, so it meets two out of your three criteria, and it might be what you have been hearing about. US-12 from Lolo, MT to Kooskia, ID.

[tomk99r11]

www.MotorcycleRoads.com is another good source of ideas.

[Shaman97]

 

 

Check out Mad Maps

[obc]

Well, you've given me a ton to work with - this is going to be a great summer!

 

If your ever headed north please don't hesitate to get in touch. Scott (riding partner) and I have ridden most of Washington and British Columbia over the last 4 years (since we retired) using the Destination Highways maps. Each Aug/Sep since 2007 have taken 3 weeks and travelled around 7000 km (4300 mi) so we have some insight into the area and would be glad to pass it on.

 

Thanks again

[kneesels]

Some suggestions. You can get BLM maps and Forest Service maps. Also Benchmark Maps and Atlas are good for the area, perhaps better that Gazetter. They are a little more expensive, check on line but Amazon has them for a good price. Also Tony Huegel Guide Boks for the various areas have lots of senic roads with descriptions.