Anyone out there riden this highway?

[pakidaho]

Utah highway 261 between Hite Utah at the eastern end of Lake Powel and Mexican Hat Utah. We took a car trip several years ago and happened across this very interesting highway. There is a set of switchbacks that blows your mind. Heading north from Mexican Hat the highway appears to disappear into the mountain. We have discussed taking the same route on our bikes, our concern is that much of the swich back section is gravel.

Road 261 can be avoided by going through Blanding then back over to highway 95 but by doing that you wind up missing some incrediable country.

So then we are wondering if any one here has taken this route and if so how did it work for you.

Thanks and happy traveling, Teri n Erv

[loehring]

Switchbacks on gravel??? Let me know where to send the flowers.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Sounds like fun if your on a dual-sport or adventure-touring type bike. These big road bikes with pavement oriented tires are not very happy on gravel, even when its a straight road!

 

There are lots of curvy paved roads in this country...stick to those with the RSTD.

[BruceI]

Here's a shot of the road you're talking about. It's a great ride!!

 

[ATTACH]23723[/ATTACH]

[Guest weirdbeard]

Here's a shot of the road you're talking about. It's a great ride!!

 

[ATTACH]23723[/ATTACH]

 

That is seriously awesome!

 

I want to go!

[Strider]

It ascends the Cedar Mesa this road was featured on a "women on cruisers going from Durango to San Francisco.

[BradT]

Now that looks like a fun.

 

 

BRad

[jlh3rd]

yes, we rode that a few years ago on my electra glide ! i recognize the mesa !.......it happened by accident as my map showed it was paved.......the tricky part was passing the road grader that was moving up in front of us........it wasn't too bad as it was hard packed dirt , mostly.....we took a picture of the mesa , made an 8 by 10 and framed it.........it was great!..........if you really want a challenge.......ride the Burr trail in the escalante mts.........not for the faint of heart........but the view is unbelievable.......

[ibents]

Here's a shot of the road you're talking about. It's a great ride!!

 

[ATTACH]23723[/ATTACH]

 

 

Sure looks nice, but if you miss a turn or it slides out, the drop on the left side looks like a hell of a way down. I don't think I'm that ad-Venturist.

 

 

Ian

[dynodon]

Google earth clearly shows the gravel portion. IT is a farily small section of some really straight and boring looking roads. Be fun to do, but not sure about it on a big bike.

 

Here are the coordinates:

 

37"16' 29.02 N

109" 56' 19.29W

 

OK, looked at some more of the pictures, maybe not so boring! certainly the squiggly part looks exciting.

[pakidaho]

yes, we rode that a few years ago on my electra glide ! i recognize the mesa !.......it happened by accident as my map showed it was paved.......the tricky part was passing the road grader that was moving up in front of us........it wasn't too bad as it was hard packed dirt , mostly.....we took a picture of the mesa , made an 8 by 10 and framed it.........it was great!..........if you really want a challenge.......ride the Burr trail in the escalante mts.........not for the faint of heart........but the view is unbelievable.......

Glad to hear that folks have done this deed. We were over there in August but avoided the Moqui Dugway and went the Blanding route...now that was boring. Knowing what we know now we will be that way in the spring. We have driven parts of the Burr trail from Bull Frog heading north toward Escalante but only went about fifteen or twenty miles by pickup. Are you saying you have traveled the "trail" on a large bike? If so that is really exciting I can see taking the "trail" from Escalante to Bull Frog and spending some time to hit Hite and then the Dugway over to Mexican Hat on to Kanab where my Dad lives. We really enjoy Monument Valley, the entire Red Rock country that is South Utah.

Would by chance the Burr trail be doable with large bikes and a small Piggy Back trailer?

Thank you for your response, Teri n Erv

[jlh3rd]

teri n erv

 

we did the entire burr trail from the bullfrog marina , northwest to boulder , utah.....about 80 miles........about 20 of it is hard packed dirt which also includes the climb up the pocket fold.......now

if you like adventure, and attempting new experiences, then this is for you.......if your the type of person who analyzes ( sic? ) everything that could go wrong and then worries about it, then don't do it.....here's what we did

 

my girlfriend and i were on one of our trips out west on my 03 electra glide standard. no trailer, so we were fully loaded. i had done as much research as i could about this trail and was as prepared as i could be.............the section of the trail ( not the entire 20 miles ) that becomes hardpacked and stoney before you start the climb up also turned out to be very washboard.....so.....our speed was about 3 - 5 mph.....it took us about 2 hrs to travel this section.....there was a guy on a goldwing behind us who initially had turned around because of the washboard but because i said i was still gonna go, he changed his mind.....so... i don't know how a trailer would be.....that was the worst of it

the road was completely dry,.......no way would i try this after any rain.

when we reached our destination that evening....i examined my tires and found several small cuts in the tread blocks...not deep enough to puncture the tire, but my tires were new.......so.......i wouldn't ride this trail on worn tires....also,my tires were tube tires and i wouldn't recommend and i wouldn't do it on that type of tire again....only tubeless tires which can be plugged in an emergency.

i weigh about 190 and my girlfriend is about 130......point is, i don't know about you but , well, lets just say i'm glad my bike wasn't carring anymore weight.

the trail is AWSOME...the climp up the switchback is breathtaking and the view from up there is also...and was an adreneline rush....it becomes a nice easy ride from there......

do your own research on this trail and make your own decision...everyone has their own levels of what they are comfortable with....there is no right or wrong.....you asked if you could do it...well, i did it.... so anyone can do it....

i will never forget it......and hope to go back some day........

[jlh3rd]

also..... i wouldn't want to go west to east ...heading down the switch backs...i'd rather go up.......

[dynodon]

Excellent tip on going W-E rather than E-W and downhill!

[smokeeater]

My wife and I were just there a few weeks ago and the scenery is unbefrigginlievable.We came from north to south after visiting Natural Bridges National park. The gravel portion is only three miles long so we took our time going down after getting some really unbelieveable pics,wy wife was very nervous but,we took our time and made withou incident.personally,i didn't think it was all that bad cause the road is graded and the gravel is pretty much hard-pack.We spent two day crusing around Monument valley and saw some gorgeous country.If you go out ther, check into staying at the "Desert Rose I nn" in Bluff Utah for some incrediable sunsets, also check out the Gooseneck State park off of state rte 261. smokeeater

[Cowboy]

http://brianshoemakersironhorse.blogspot.com/

 

If you want you can follow this link to my blog that the wife and I made for our trip Last May 22nd 2008 thru June 30th 2008 Atlanta to California & back. I tried to upload a set of pictures along with a small caption for each couple of days. You can see from all the pictures my wife just got carried away.

However, the Hwy 261 out of Mexican Hat is in the folder Cortez to Monument Valley thru Glen Canyon. I think the day is May 31st, so you have to look at the older post on the blog.

The switch backs are paved however the pea gravel from the dirt just sets on top and makes it a white knuckle experience I will not soon forget. Going up or North is the only way I would travel if the bike was loaded as it was! Fairly good shape have seen worse just don't look down or get to close to the edge. There is no guard rails and it is a long way down. Seems that the sign says it was only three miles but I know it had to be more!!

Loved the trip glad that I made it and I can say that it was worth it. Hint when your out that way don't go by a gas station without stopping.

 

See link:

http://brianshoemakersironhorse.blogspot.com/

[YamaDuck]

Yep just done it about a week ago. The speed limit is 5 mph and it is gravel except at the switchbacks which are paved. It was a blast. We took the dirt road at Mexican hat to get better pictures and that rode is a trip also when you get back behind Mexican Hat.