Idaho Leg to WFO

[FJRocket]

How's this route look to those of you who know ID? Pondering whether to duck down through SLC and then get south and on to US50 ASAP, or just go out through the sticks, and maybe wick it up off the beaten path a bit.

Dunno if we're missing anything by going this way after exiting the Yellowstone parade. It looks like a good idea on paper...er... liquid crystal.

Here's the bigger picture:

 

[Groo]

I've been on that road out of Jackson heading to Idaho (we spent a week riding on horses up in the mountains a few years ago)... I imagine that would be quite a fun one on a motorcycle.

Everything else I know about Idaho is summed up as follows:

 

[fretbender]

I used to live in Idaho Falls and traveled through that Arco area numerous times. . .and hated it each and e v e r y time. Basically, between Rexburg and Fairfield it's all about long stretches of straight road, connected periodically by SUPER HIGH SPEED sweepers (if you so choose) through a high plains desert. Lots of sagebrush, lava rock and antelope. . .especially around Craters of the Moon National Park about 50 or so miles to the SW of Arco as your highlighted route goes. This is the region where some of the earliest experiments with nuclear power were conducted and is home to the Idaho National Environmental & Engineering Laboratories and Atomic City (near Arco) which is the first city in the US world to be lighted by nuclear power. They don't choose scenic areas for these types of activities. On the plus side, LEO activity is fairly light, though you could say that for just about anywhere in Idaho depending on your point of view. I hear many stories about a LEO (fuzz?) that patrols the area near Fairfield in a supercharged pickup just waiting for people trying to get through the area as quickly as possible. I've done a fair amount of riding between Kansas and Vancouver BC, but that stretch through Arco (and others nearby) are in my top 10 of routes to avoid. That being said I've never taken Hwy 50 near SLC, so I don't know how that compares.

 

[rickcorwn]

Well I never lived in Idaho but I've been across that strech on US 20 a couple of times and I thought it was pretty cool. But hey, I'm just a tourist. Your right the roads out there are rather straight and flat like this

You might like it, you might not.

 

[fretbender]

Nice. That picture pretty much tells the tale. . .or about 80% of it anyway. And the other 20% isn't all that much different. I just hate to square off my tires through such a desolate landscape and find those types of roads to be mind-numbingly dull. Different strokes for different folks. . .by the by, is that a Burgman parked on the side of the road?

 

[S_Palmer]

I rode through Arco about 2 weeks ago there was about 20 miles of some of the roughest construction I've ever been through. Lady at the gas station at Arco said they had been blasting, I belive it. I would go around.

Steve

 

[FJRocket]

I rode through Arco about 2 weeks ago there was about 20 miles of some of the roughest construction I've ever been through. Lady at the gas station at Arco said they had been blasting, I belive it. I would go around.Steve

Ok, thank Steve and Fret.

Recommendations on transiting out of Yellowstone down to US 50???? I'm happy to divert to twistier roads, especially if they are smooth and uncongested.

Was trying to bypass going through SLC, but if that's the way to go, lemme know.

Was considering just coming out of Yellowstone and continuing direct south and THEN head west to US 50. Any thoughts on that?

 

[fretbender]

That's pretty much what I would do. The ride South out of Yellowstone NP through the Tetons NP is worthy to be sure. Also, the ride from Jackson to Alpine Junction is very nice indeed as it includes the Alpine Pass. I haven't been south out of Alpine Pass, but looking at the hybrid map from google (which superimposes highways over satellite photos of the earth) my take on this would be as follows.

S. from Alpine Junction through Thayne, Afton, into Montpelier, ID. Then through Garden City, UT, to Woodruff, short run on I-80 through coalville to HWY 40 through Heber City making my way through Provo, to Hinckley and then West to US 50. As always, YMMV.

 

[S_Palmer]

I looked at your proposed route some more, if you want to stick close to it and avoid the construction you could cut north on 93 at arco then west at challis and across to Boise via Idaho City, it's a pretty nice ride.

Steve