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zip

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Location
Rocklin, CA
On June 30, I will drive with my family across the US. We're moving from the Boston area to Sacramento. My FJR will be on a trailer with us, and I'm thinking I'm going to take advantage of a couple of places to do some evening rides on some of our stopovers. Mid-journey, I'm thinking of splitting from the family and riding through Colorado. On July 10, I'm thinking of leaving Cheyenne, then rendevousing with them in Salt Lake a couple of days later.

Wondering...

A.) If anyone has recommendations on routes across Northern Colorado and Norther Utah, and if

B.) anyone would like to ride along for a day or two?

Here is the route I was thinking of, perhaps over two days.

Thanks for any advice, all!

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Excellent choice! We rode a large part of that same route last year. Don't pass up a gas station, they can be few and far between. There's an excellent sandwich shop at the West end of Dinosaur you might try if passing thru around lunch time.

 
On June 30, I will drive with my family across the US.My FJR will be on a trailer with us, and I'm thinking I'm going to take advantage of a couple of places

On July 10, I'm thinking of leaving Cheyenne, then ...Salt Lake a couple of days later.

Wondering...

A.) If anyone has recommendations on routes across Northern Colorado and Norther Utah

Thanks for any advice, all!
Your intended route is a good one. I offer 2 options (both differing in the beginning):

  • Colo. 14 from Ft. Collins up Poudre Cyn. is a great ride and then on to Steamboat (misses the Rocky Mtn. N.P. crowds).
  • Cheyenne to Laramie on the old Lincoln Hwy. (WY 210) and then WY 130 thru Centennial, Snowy Range Pass (almost 11K ft.), thru Encampment on WY 70, and Battle Pass (almost 10K ft.) then to Craig and on...

I've done all 3 routes and prefer the Snowy Range one for lack of traffic/remote-ness -- all 3 will have stunning Rocky Mt. scenery.

You're welcome.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Check out this website: https://www.motorcyclecolorado.com/

It lists out several rides, broken out by regions of the state. I haven't really done too many of the northern roads, but have done most of the central and southern rides mentioned, and pretty much all of them are top notch. I would expect the same should be true for the northern ones.

 
Here's a correction you'll want to make:

From Duchesne, UT, go a little further west to HWY 208 that goes north. Then catch HWY 35 through Tabiona and Hanna to Francis. Then into SLC.

Highway 35 is THE road in that area. I rode through with forum member Greb last year; here's the little diner at Hanna, in the middle of nowhere. The parking lot pretty much tells the story :)

DSCF0649.jpg


 
Welcome to the Sacramento area. We have more FJRs in this vicinity than seems possible sometimes, so great to have another. Lots of great riding in the area all year round. I think everyone needs to ride Trail Ridge at least once, but with summer tourism in play, the road is a lot less fun. At least this year it might not be totally torn up. U.S. 40 is well patrolled, I agree with the others on hitting SR 35.

If you are really taking two days, you could take a northern detour via Casper and Cody to take the Chief Joseph Hwy into Yellowstone, then wander south through the Tetons and pick up U.S. 26 and 89 to come back south into Utah. It's a nice loop but you might want to split off at Ogalola NB on US 26 to take that one. So many roads, so little time. ;)

 
On June 30, I will drive with my family across the US.My FJR will be on a trailer with us, and I'm thinking I'm going to take advantage of a couple of places

On July 10, I'm thinking of leaving Cheyenne, then ...Salt Lake a couple of days later.

Wondering...

A.) If anyone has recommendations on routes across Northern Colorado and Norther Utah

Thanks for any advice, all!
Your intended route is a good one. I offer 2 options (both differing in the beginning):

  • Colo. 14 from Ft. Collins up Poudre Cyn. is a great ride and then on to Steamboat (misses the Rocky Mtn. N.P. crowds).
  • Cheyenne to Laramie on the old Lincoln Hwy. (WY 210) and then WY 130 thru Centennial, Snowy Range Pass (almost 11K ft.), thru Encampment on WY 70, and Battle Pass (almost 10K ft.) then to Craig and on...

I've done all 3 routes and prefer the Snowy Range one for lack of traffic/remote-ness -- all 3 will have stunning Rocky Mt. scenery.

You're welcome.

You can't go wrong with any of these routes zip. There are still 40' drifts over top of the Snowies on WY130 right now so the scenery will be way cool. They just got it open last week for the season. Probably the same over WY70. I'm in Cheyenne if you need anything before you head out. I'll be getting back from vacation on the 9th. If that wasn't the case, I'd ride along!

 
These are such terrific tips, fellas. I've already adjusted my route. I'm going to go through Colorado this time, but have modified the Utah route to reflect great advice.

Thanks all!

 
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