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First big ADV ride (TX to UT) route planning help needed

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Jul 7, 2018
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I will be making my first big trip this summer since buying my Super Tenere last year. I am going TDY to Dugway Proving Grounds, UT for the first week of August. My CO has agreed to let me take leave en route instead of flying with the team so I can ride to Utah from Central Texas (Leander). I will have approximately 4 days to ride from TX to UT. We will be there training for 5 days, and then I will have 5 days or so to ride back. I've ridden TX, LA, AR, and OK, but never NM, CO, AZ or UT.

I'd like to avoid major highways as much as possible, although I don't mind taking them to get out of TX and maximize my time out of state. I would like to ride as much dirt as I reasonably can, with the caveats that I am still fairly new to off-road riding, I will most likely be going solo, and I do have to actually train when I get to UT, so I can't ride anything too technical or dangerous. I will most likely not camp, although that may change. Other than that, I'm wide open. Help me plan a route!
 
August! Hope heat doesn’t bother you. Interstate beeline it outta Texas for sure.

Get a National Parks pass and route to/thru as many NF’s and Parks that you can.

JT and I are just returning from Gila NF in New Mexico - beautiful, gorgeous, fantastic.

With your timeline-I’d forget riding dirt and aim for the “blue highways”. You’ll still have to keep a brisk pace and have long days in the saddle.

But it could be a great trip! 👍
 
I can probably add an extra day on each side if necessary. I realize I'll have to do a lot of paved roads, but I don't want to completely ignore the dirt. Heat doesn't bother me much.
 
Heat doesn’t bother me much either and problee once you get outta tx won’t be that much of an issue.

You could spend weeks studying maps and researching routes. JT finds MVUM’s useful. (Multi Vehicle Use Maps provided by individual NF’s)

We traveled a paved highway this past week in Gila NF that took an hour to go about 28 miles-it was that steep and winding. (So pavement isn’t always boring! )
 
Heat doesn’t bother me much either and problee once you get outta tx won’t be that much of an issue.

You could spend weeks studying maps and researching routes. JT finds MVUM’s useful. (Multi Vehicle Use Maps provided by individual NF’s)

We traveled a paved highway this past week in Gila NF that took an hour to go about 28 miles-it was that steep and winding. (So pavement isn’t always boring! )
What highway was that in Gila??
 
What highway was that in Gila??

Probably NM 15. It runs North from Silver City up to the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. It is a nice ride. NM !52 from I-25 just South of Truth or Consequences West to NM 35 is also a really nice ride!
 
So, slight change of plans. Instead of NM/AZ, I’m going to ride north through OK, KS and NE to South Dakota. It lets me see an old friend In Oklahoma and go ride SD/WY. I really want to ride the Black Hills, see Mt. Rushmore, etc. I did get the Butler maps for UT, CO, SD/WY, and ID so I can start really planning my route. None of that, however, cover KS or NE. Anywhere in those states worth riding to? Any great roads/routes? Or should I power through those two states to get to SD?
 
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So, slight change of plans. Instead of NM/AZ, I’m going to ride north through OK, KS and NE to South Dakota. It lets me see an old friend In Oklahoma and go ride SD/WY. I really want to ride the Black Hills, see Mt. Rushmore, etc. I did get the Butler maps for UT, CO, SD/WY, and ID so I can start really planning my route. None of that, however, cover KS or NE. Anywhere in those states worth riding to? Any great roads/routes? Or should I power through those two states to get to SD?

I don’t know if you are a camp or hotel person , but I usually camp in Alma Nebraska at the park on the lake when I head to S. Dakota from DFW

I always pass through Kansas and Nebraska. I enjoy riding through them, but the Black Hills is where you probably want to focus.
 
I’m generally a hotel guy, but I’m thinking about camping at least a few nights on the trip.

Here is a secret campground between worland and tensleep Wyoming. Good place to camp once you leave devils tower Wyoming headed to bear tooth pass.

Don’t tell anybody......

Medicine Lodge archeological site. Each campground has their own sprinkler system!!!

The grass was like carpet.
 
First two sections of the trip laid out.
 

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If your going through the black hills, you MuST do these roads:

1. Iron mountain road

2. Needles highway

3. Spearfish canyon on the way to belle forche, I think belle forche is the geographical center of United States.

Btw- you can cover all 3 roads in about 3 hours.
 
I know Spearfish is planned. I think Needles is too. I’ll have to look and see if Iron Mountain is in my plan.
 
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