Routing Help WO to CO

[BobAin'tStoppin']

It's winter, and time to plan next summers travel. I'm looking to go south from Rock Springs, Wyoming into Colorado. Google maps is suggesting route 430/10N/318 will get me down to route 40. I'm a little suspicious on this. Can anyone advise if this is all paved roads?

Thanks for any help.

ps: I've done the route 191 down to Vernal before, and am looking for something new. But if this is the best way, I need to consider it.

[Grumpy Goat]

It's winter, and time to plan next summers travel. I'm looking to go south from Rock Springs, Wyoming into Colorado. Google maps is suggesting route 430/10N/318 will get me down to route 40. I'm a little suspicious on this. Can anyone advise if this is all paved roads?

Thanks for any help.

ps: I've done the route 191 down to Vernal before, and am looking for something new. But if this is the best way, I need to consider it.

Looking at the Google map I got, the route you mentioned (blue) appears to be the fastest. Using Google Street View it appears to be paved, although I am not sure about Co Rd 10N, which appears to be a hard-packed gravel road for 22 miles according to the 2008 image data. This web page from Oct 2015 says "430, though, turns into Moffat County Colorado Route 10N, which is a pretty fun and scenic dirt road". Could be paved since then but with other options and riding an RS, you might want to give this a pass.

   

On the other hand, the route through Vernal to Grand Junction appears to be paved all the way.

[BobAin'tStoppin']

GG, you have revealed my secret destination! I'm still very tempted by this road. Did you follow the link to the photos? At the end he says: "A few miles later and WYO 430 will end at a dirt road, Moffat CR 10N. We’ll get a LEAVING WYOMING sign, this one decorated with bucking horses, but no entering Colorado sign. Moffat CR 10N is a well constructed and easy to drive dirt road that heads about 27 miles down to Colorado SH 318"

In any case, when I get to I-70 I'll head east and then south on 133 to Crawford for some really fun roads. The roads around Grand Junction are nothing exciting.

Thanks for the help!

OH! There is another option. Take 191 to 1364 to 318. That appears to be all paved and the flaming gorge area is nice. Hmmmm . . . . .

[Grumpy Goat]

GG, you have revealed my secret destination! I'm still very tempted by this road. Did you follow the link to the photos? At the end he says: "A few miles later and WYO 430 will end at a dirt road, Moffat CR 10N. We’ll get a LEAVING WYOMING sign, this one decorated with bucking horses, but no entering Colorado sign. Moffat CR 10N is a well constructed and easy to drive dirt road that heads about 27 miles down to Colorado SH 318"

No I did not go much more into the article, past where I found the quote. I had sampled Google Street View at different spots all along the Co Rd 10N from start to finish and from the images on it, it seemed to be hard packed dirt all the way. If the condition in the 2008 images are still representative of the conditions today then it should be doable on the RS. I once had mine on a 3 mile loose gravel road and survived without incident. This Co Rd 10N looks to be better.

[Lee]

It's winter, and time to plan next summers travel. I'm looking to go south from Rock Springs, Wyoming into Colorado. Google maps is suggesting route 430/10N/318 will get me down to route 40. I'm a little suspicious on this. Can anyone advise if this is all paved roads?

Thanks for any help.

ps: I've done the route 191 down to Vernal before, and am looking for something new. But if this is the best way, I need to consider it.

When we have been in that area we took 530 and 44 along Flaming Gorge.
Did you stop at Dinosaur National Monument?

[Lee]

OH! There is another option. Take 191 to 1364 to 318. That appears to be all paved and the flaming gorge area is nice. Hmmmm . . . . .

The east end of 1364 looks like it may be gravel.

[Lee]

The roads around Grand Junction are nothing exciting.

141 through Gateway is a fun road.

It's been a long time but I think the road through Colorado National Monument is nice.

[darrell]

Not sure on your time available but if you want to get in the higher mountains on the way to Gunnison an option to consider.

I80 east to Creston Junction
789 south to Baggs
70 east to Riverside (over Battle Pass)
230 south towards Walden (turns to 125 at CO border)
14 south towards Hwy 40 (over Rabbit Ears and Muddy Creek Passes )
40 south towards Kremmling
134 west towards Toponas (over Gore Pass)
131 south to Walcott
I70 west towards Glenwood Springs (nice interstate stretch)
82 south to Carbondale
133 south to Hotchkiss (over McClure Pass)
92 south to Sapinero
50 east to Gunnison (if this is your destination)

Good lodging options in Walden, Kremmling, Glenwood Springs, Paonia, Hotchkiss

Also I'm planning to attend the Overland Expo in Loveland, CO on August 28 and 29th so will be riding in Colorado maybe WY, NM or UT the week before Gunnison so maybe we can catch dinner one evening.

[Lee]

230 south towards Walden (turns to 125 at CO border)
14 south towards Hwy 40 (over Rabbit Ears and Muddy Creek Passes )
40 south towards Kremmling

Good lodging options in Walden,

We're going to Gunnison in July and want to hit hwy 14, Poudre Canyon since we have not done that in years.
From Walden I figured we would head south to Kremmling.
I don't remember if 9 south of Kremmling is any good. Thought about taking 9 south toward Breckenridge and Buena Vista, then take Cottonwood Pass to Gunnison.

We have never spent the night in Walden because of camping and the high elevation but may try to motel there this trip. The North Park Inn on the south side of town has new rooms and looks decent. Have you noticed it when riding through or noticed any other motels in town that look decent.
I'm guessing you have not stayed in Walden since it's close to Steamboat.

[darrell]

I don't remember if 9 south of Kremmling is any good. Thought about taking 9 south toward Breckenridge and Buena Vista, then take Cottonwood Pass to Gunnison.

We have never spent the night in Walden because of camping and the high elevation but may try to motel there this trip. The North Park Inn on the south side of town has new rooms and looks decent. Have you noticed it when riding through or noticed any other motels in town that look decent.
I'm guessing you have not stayed in Walden since it's close to Steamboat.

South of Kremmling is a nice ride although from Kremmling to Grandby through the canyon around Hot Sulphur Springs and then south over Berthoud Pass to Georgetown, then south out of Georgetown to Grant over Guanella Pass, then south on 285 over Kenosha and Red Hill Passes on the way to Buena Vista is also a fun ride. The road from Georgetown to Grant is fully paved now just as Cottonwood Pass is.

125 from Walden to Grandby is a nice road and goes over Willow Creek Pass.

North Park Inn is very nice and fairly inexpensive. Have stayed there. Ask for a room in the long building along the south side of the motel complex with parking in front of your room, ground level and the newer rooms. Breakfast in town at the Moose Creek Cafe and dinner at the River Rock Cafe.

I’ll be in that area the middle of July. Elizabeth has a dog agility train the handler camp in Laramie, WY for 4 days so riding in that area those days.

[Liteitup]

141 through Gateway is a fun road.

Probably my favorite road in Colorado.

[Lee]

Thanks Darrell, I didn't know about the Georgetown to Grant road.
I'll try that in July or September.
In July we are meeting the group from the old i-BMW forum and staying at the Quality Inn.
This motel and location worked well for us in 2013 and 2014.

[BobAin'tStoppin']

On further review of the 1364/318 route it looks like there its 17.2 miles of dirt on that one. A detail look at the 430/10N/3128 route shows that 22 miles of 10N seems to be very smooth dirt. That's only a half hour or so. I have no problem with that, and it's some shorter than the other option. So that's gonna be the plan. Lot's of good roads in Colorado. The 133 goes over a pass as Darrell pointed out, do I get to check a box (that I also checked on a previous trip). Perhaps I'll have a story to tell at our reunion :-))

[Lee]

On further review of the 1364/318 route it looks like there its 17.2 miles of dirt on that one. A detail look at the 430/10N/3128 route shows that 22 miles of 10N seems to be very smooth dirt. That's only a half hour or so. I have no problem with that, and it's some shorter than the other option. So that's gonna be the plan. Lot's of good roads in Colorado. The 133 goes over a pass as Darrell pointed out, do I get to check a box (that I also checked on a previous trip). Perhaps I'll have a story to tell at our reunion :-))

The few gravel/dirt roads we have been on in Colorado have been in good shape.
In some areas of Utah you may have deep sand.

[BobAin'tStoppin']

In some areas of Utah you may have deep sand.

The deep sand thing is what I'm concerned about. Not good on street tires.